Claims Tainted In-Flight Meal Caused Passenger's Death

The family of a man who died of food poisoning has filed a lawsuit against Sky Chefs and American Airlines, saying he was served a tainted meal on a flight from Barcelona to New York, and was allowed to board a connecting AA flight while obviously ill.

The suit, filed in U.S. District Court in Miami, claims Miami resident Othon Cortes was served a meal containing chicken on the international flight which was contaminated by a bacteria called Clostridium perfingens. While Cortes made his connecting flight in New York, he reportedly suffered symptoms severe enough to have that flight diverted to Norfolk, VA, where he suffered a "cardiac event."

Media outlets including CNN and USA Today report that Cortes' family has named American Airlines and Sky Chefs in the lawsuit, claiming that the catering company did not properly maintain the food, and that AA was "negligent" in allowing Cortes to board the connecting flight while showing obvious symptoms of illness, not providing medical attention, and not making an immediate emergency landing.

The FDA says that the bacteria is fairly common and can in rare cases be fatal.

AA said it would not comment on pending litigation. Sky Chefs told USA Today that it would seek a dismissal, since they did not cater the flight referenced in the lawsuit.

FMI: www.flsd.uscourts.gov