A bizarre mid-air injury is turning into a legal battle after a businessman says a sharp object hidden in his airplane seat left him bleeding, scarred and dealing with lasting trauma.
Andrew Chesterton, 61, is suing British Airways for more than $60,000 after the incident on a 2023 flight from London’s Heathrow Airport to Cincinnati.
According to court filings, Chesterton reached between his seat during the flight when his fingers caught on something sharp hidden in the seat fold. The result was immediate.
He suffered deep cuts to two fingers, leaving him in pain, shock, and bleeding mid-flight. Cabin crew had to step in to help control the bleeding until the plane landed.
Once on the ground, he was rushed to the hospital, where doctors treated the injuries with multiple stitches—four in his ring finger and seven in his little finger.
But Chesterton says the damage didn’t stop there.
He claims he was left with permanent scars, ongoing stiffness, hypersensitivity, and reduced grip strength in his little finger. The injury has reportedly affected his daily life, forcing him to avoid lifting heavy objects and limiting routine activities.
At one point, he says he couldn’t even drive for about two months.
He also underwent physical therapy to try to regain function—but says the impact hasn’t fully gone away.
On top of the physical injuries, Chesterton claims the experience took a mental toll.
According to the lawsuit, he suffered anxiety, avoided social events for months, and even experienced flashbacks and nightmares tied to the incident. He was reportedly prescribed sleeping medication after struggling to rest in the weeks following the flight.
British Airways has admitted that the incident happened but is pushing back on how much they should have to pay—especially when it comes to the psychological claims.
The airline argues that under international aviation rules, compensation may only apply to physical injuries, not emotional distress.
The case is being brought under the Montreal Convention, a global agreement that governs airline liability for passenger injuries.
Unless the two sides reach a settlement, the case is expected to move forward in court to determine how much compensation—if any—Chesterton will ultimately receive.
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That absolutely reeks of a heavy dose of BS!
I get they should have to pay for him being injured but seriously flashbacks? If this caused you flashbacks and made you unable to sleep then other things prior to this would also have caused you such distress, so then they would be preexisting and they shouldn’t have to pay. People are so delicate these days, we get hurt and you get over it. Stop milking something by adding that bs to your lawsuit.