Witness from Aer Lingus plane: It’s a flight I will never forget

A flight attendant on the same Aer Lingus flight as Cassandra Reddin, who has claimed she was injured during an alleged heavy landing at Dublin Airport, has told the High Court it was a flight she will never forget.

“It is a flight I will never forget. It was the scariest flight ever. I did not think any of us would be ok,” Aine Maher said.

Ms Maher was working on the same flight EI582 from Malaga to Dublin in November 2009 which is is claimed landed in a heavy, dramatic fashion with an alleged inappropriate and excessive rate of descent.

Casandra Reddin, aged 33, of Woodlands Manor, Ratoath, Co Meath, has sued Aer Lingus over the back and neck injuries she claimed she suffered when the Malaga to Dublin flight landed at Dublin Airport on November 19, 2009.

She has claimed there was an alleged failure to adequately supervise in terms of the landing of the plane by a co-pilot and she suffered soft tissue neck and back injury and whiplash and that afterwards she had nightmares where she woke up screaming. Aer Lingus has denied all the claims.

In evidence, Ms Reddin said passengers were screaming and duty free in overhead baggage smashed and alcohol poured on passengers during the landing.

Cassandra Reddin

On the second day of the hearing yesterday flight attendant Ms Maher said the Airbus 320 was swaying from side to side and she thought the aircraft would come off the runway as it landed.

“It was like control had been lost. There is no way that aircraft landed in normal fashion,” she added.

Ms Maher said when she looked down the right side of the plane there was liquid pouring from where the oxygen masks are deployed and there was a very strong smell of alcohol. She worked the next day but then went out sick with back pain and was sent for physiotherapy.

The senior crew member on the day Karen Fagan told the court during the landing it felt like the plane was out of control.

She said she was moments from stepping up to an emergency situation where she would tell passengers to get into the crouch position.

She added: “The plane bounced several times. The plane was swerving. I have never experienced a landing like it or since.”

She said she had great faith in the Aer Lingus cockpit crew but she felt the plane when landing was not under control and then did come under control when she thought the captain had taken over from the co pilot.

She said a passenger later complained of neck pain and asked for a painkillers. She said her crew were “fairly shook” particulary Ms Reddin.

The hearing continues.