Toddler hit by oxygen tank on American Airlines flight
A 1-year-old boy was hit in the head by an oxygen tank that fell from the ceiling during an American Airlines flight from Hong Kong to Dallas-Fort Worth on Saturday.
The toddler’s mother, Jennifer Zanone, said the incident occurred when the plane was landing, and an entire ceiling panel – including an oxygen tank – fell her son’s head who was sitting on her lap.
While her son wasn’t hurt, Zanone was disappointed in the airline’s response to the incident. She was directed to wait at the gate for an agent to document the incident, but no one appeared. Instead, the captain walked off the flight and apologized.
“After leaving the gate area, we went to the next customer service area to try to report the incident and were given the runaround for an hour and a half. While the apologies were appreciated, documentation of the incident would have been preferred," Zanone said.
According to a statement from American Airlines received by Dallas News, the flight attendants offered to request medical personnel, but Zanone declined.
Zanone confirmed that she declined medical assistance, but was frustrated by the lack of response.
She said that her son is doing well and that she has not filed a lawsuit against the airline.
"He is acting himself today. All I want is for documentation of the incident, which the flight attendant assured me would be performed,” Zanone added.