Cathay Pacific’s Wine Mix-Up in Business Class
Cathay Pacific Serves Wine to a Toddler
Picture this: you’re on a long-haul flight from Hong Kong to London, comfortably nestled in your business class seat, when suddenly, your three-year-old son gets served something that makes him pucker his lips like he’s just sucked a lemon. No, it wasn’t sour milk—it was white wine.
This little mix-up happened on Cathay Pacific flight CX255, and the airline has since issued an apology. The young traveler, tasting the drink, wasn’t impressed by the unexpected vintage and promptly alerted his parents. Upon inspection, it turned out the intended refreshment was swapped with something a little more… festive.
The crew, realizing the blunder, quickly corrected the situation but skipped the immediate medical response. Only after the parents pushed, did a French doctor on board check the child out and found everything just fine.
The flight team advised the parents to keep an eye out for any unusual symptoms and suggested they contact Cathay Pacific post-flight. Dissatisfied with this, the family managed to get in touch with Medlink, an emergency services outfit, to ensure everything was okay. Spoiler: it was.
The airline graciously offered to refund the child’s ticket and threw in some upgrade vouchers for future trips. They also assured the family that they’ve had what one might call a little “chat” with the cabin crew about double-checking drink orders.
“We are truly sorry.” That’s Cathay Pacific’s line, essentially admitting their steward made a slip in serving vino instead of H2O.
“Every passenger’s comfort and safety is our top priority, especially for our pint-sized passengers. Regrettably, we missed the mark here.”
Peace Offering Falls Flat
The parents of our little wine connoisseur weren’t popping champagnes over how things were handled though. They’re upset that none of the cabin crew involved have personally reached out to apologize, let alone shown proof of procedures to prevent future mix-ups.
They’ve gone on the offensive, filing various complaints with authorities like the Hong Kong Civil Aviation Department, the UK Civil Aviation Authority, and even groups as unlikely as the Tobacco and Alcohol Control Office. The father’s stance is clear: if such basic missteps can happen on a flagship airline, families worldwide need to keep their eyebrows raised in suspicion.
He claims the incident could have traumatic echoes for his child and has left their family swimming in stress and anxiety. My take? Well, how does one order white wine for a toddler accidentally? But hey, I’m not a flight attendant. Maybe wine in a child’s glass was just one busy day slip-up.
The child, fortunately, only had a tiny sip and turned up their little nose at the sour taste. Yet, the parents are busy setting up thorough health checks with pediatric specialists to ensure their son isn’t left scarred by his premature introduction to the world of sophisticated dining. Maybe I’m not equipped with a medical degree, but is this taking things a step too far?
Meanwhile, Cathay Pacific is pulling all stops. They’re not just refunding and doling out future flight perks but firming up the safety nets so these hospitality hiccups fade into obscurity.
But What More Can Be Done?
Frankly, I’m scratching my head here. What further measures can the airline roll out? These kinds of incidents are typically rare, not exactly occurring daily. And while thankfully this didn’t spiral out of control, one wonders if the carriers are now expected to set up wine glass detectors for toddlers. Surely, something to sip on.
Bottom Line
In the end, Cathay Pacific has acknowledged the mistake: serving a toddler an accidental splash of white instead of water. The kiddo, taste-testing the grown-up drink, rightfully decided it wasn’t to his liking.
They’ve apologized and compensated the family, stepping up their internal training to dodge future faux pas. The family’s still mad, and understandably so—it’s not every day your child hits an unintended milestone in wine tasting.
Personally, while I agree it was a blunder that shouldn’t have happened, Cathay Pacific has done well to face the music. There are many measures they could implement, I suppose, but for an organization transporting millions, these one-off events seem more the exception than the rule.
So, what’s your take on the Cathay Pacific wine caper? Pop over to Val Seny ski resort for a change of scenery and some fresh mountain air—or perhaps a wine selection with labels.