Passenger sues SIA after allergic reaction, claims served meal containing shrimp despite warning crew, Singapore News
SINGAPORE - A New-York based paediatrician is suing Singapore Airlines for allegedly serving her a meal containing shrimp even though she claimed she had notified the cabin crew that she was allergic to shellfish, causing her to suffer a severe allergic reaction.
According to a June 17 lawsuit filed in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of New York, Dr Doreen Benary, 41, had informed a cabin crew member about her allergy after boarding SIA flight SQ026 on Oct 8, 2024. The flight was bound for John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York from Frankfurt, Germany.
However, Dr Benary, who was in the Business Class, was allegedly served a meal containing shrimp, which she was unaware of.
Upon eating a portion of the food, Dr Benary detected the presence of shrimp and began to feel ill. She then questioned the cabin crew member, who admitted that she had made an error and apologised, according to the court document.
Dr Benary subsequently suffered a "severe allergic reaction" and "fell violently ill", which required the aircraft to perform an emergency diversion to Paris, France, where she underwent emergency medical treatment at two separate medical facilities.
Dr Benary said via the court document that she had suffered - and will continue to suffer from - great pain, agony and mental anguish, and that she was required to undergo painful, emergency medical treatment.
She claims that this also caused her to be "deprived of her enjoyment of life, pursuits and interests", which she believes that in the future, she will continue to be deprived of.
Dr Benary is asking SIA to pay her "full, fair and reasonable damages" in an amount to be determined at trial, together with "interest, costs and disbursements of this action".
The document does not state if Dr Benary was carrying an EpiPen or other auto-injectors. These products, which are used to treat severe allergic reactions, are filled with epinephrine, a life-saving drug used by people at risk of anaphylaxis and other reactions.
[[nid:671039]]
Dr Benary's attorney, Mr Abram Bohrer, told The Independent newspaper that he was unable to discuss the lawsuit without her permission.
When contacted by The Straits Times for more information, an SIA spokesperson said the airline is "unable to comment on matters before the court".
Tropomyosin, present in shrimp, prawns and other crustaceans such as lobster, crab, and crayfish, is a protein involved in muscle contraction.
According to a Woodlands Health shellfish allergy brochure, cooking the shellfish does not remove the allergen.
Symptoms associated with food allergies can range from mild irritation such as tingling or itching in the mouth, hives and swelling, to more serious ones like wheezing or shortness of breath, nausea, vomitting, loss of consciousness or anaphylaxis, when breathing stops, which could lead to death.
This article was first published in The Straits Times . Permission required for reproduction.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Straits Times
a day ago
- Straits Times
Over 700 Marsiling-Yew Tee residents walk for mental health, amid more initiatives for Malay/Muslims
Senior Minister of State Zaqy Mohamad, Mayor Alex Yam and Ms Hany Soh flagging-off a walk during the Hijrah Walk & Health Fiesta on June 28. ST PHOTO: GAVIN FOO Over 700 Marsiling-Yew Tee residents walk for mental health, amid more initiatives for Malay/Muslims SINGAPORE - Residents in Marsiling-Yew Tee, those in particular from the Malay/Muslim community, can look forward to more mental health support in the coming months. Senior Minister of State for Defence Zaqy Mohamad said on June 28 that the M³@Marsiling-Yew Tee team has been engaging residents since the start of 2025 with mental health sharing sessions and information about dementia awareness. More than 80 people have been engaged so far, through a partnership with An-Nur Mosque. Speaking to The Straits Times on the sidelines at the annual Hijrah Walk and Health Fiesta event, Mr Zaqy said the initiative is in its early days, but has plans to expand. He said he has gotten feedback, especially from the Malay/Muslim community in Marsiling-Yew Tee, that they cannot find enough support for caregivers of those with mental illnesses or dementia. The June 28 event, held in conjunction with the Islamic New Year, was held at Choa Chu Kang Stadium and attended by Prime Minister Lawrence Wong, Mr Zaqy, Ms Hany Soh and Mr Alex Yam. All are MPs for the GRC. The event was organised by the M³@Marsiling-Yew Tee team. M³ is a collaborative effort between three key Malay/Muslim institutions - the Islamic Religious Council of Singapore, Mendaki and Mesra. More than 700 residents from Marsiling-Yew Tee GRC came together to show their support for mental wellness through a mass walk. Residents visited interactive booths and activity stations by community partners like the Singapore Cancer Society, Caregivers Alliance, and Health Promotion Board which featured information on mental health support services, wellness resources, and active lifestyle initiatives. Said Mr Zaqy: 'It's important from a community perspective to talk about mental wellness. I think there's always been mental illness around us, but it can be seen as a taboo issue and therefore not much of it has been spoken about.' 'But I think that sharing experiences, resources, and support is one way in which we bring the community together and help bring down the barriers to discussing mental illness.' He added that connecting those in need with help is always challenging. 'For many of them, the reason why they are not well-connected is because they're are busy firefighting at home. Taking care of those struggling with any issue is not easy, so we need to go reach out to them through neighbourhood networks.' He said the M³@Marsiling-Yew Tee team plans to also work with youth in the rest of the year. Among younger people, he said, mental health is less of a taboo topic, thanks to greater exposure in schools and on social media. PM Lawrence Wong (in pink) interacting with participants after their walk during the Hijrah Walk & Health Fiesta. ST PHOTO: GAVIN FOO 'We have to translate that and see how they can be ambassadors to do outreach to the rest of the community, and refer friends and family members who may have issues,' he added. 'I think they are more ready to speak about this, and I hope they can help bring family members who might be older onboard.' Retiree Madam Zulaiha, 63, attended the mass walk on June 28 with her grandson. 'It is not only good exercise and fun to walk with everyone else, but it is for a good cause,' the former canteen cook said. Join ST's WhatsApp Channel and get the latest news and must-reads.
Independent Singapore
3 days ago
- Independent Singapore
'At the end of the day, it's just a job,' SIA flight attendant gets her life back after quitting dream job due to health issues
SINGAPORE: A recent TikTok post from a former Singapore Airlines flight attendant who explained why she quit her 'dream job' has gone viral. Because she had shared how health issues had been the main reason why she left SQ, many commenters praised her for making such a hard choice, and some even asked her to share the skincare routine she used to resolve them. TikTok user Eunice, who is behind the account called @ 𝚘𝚘 . 𝚗𝚎𝚎𝚜𝚎 , explained that more than a year has passed since she resigned from SQ. She had originally wanted to do an iconic 'door dismissal' post, but since she had resigned rather suddenly due to medical reasons, she had not had the time to do this until recently. In a slideshow, she recalled that she learned she had been accepted as a flight attendant on her birthday in 2022, which she called the best gift she could have received since she had dreamed of the job since she was a young girl. See also Dear startups and would-be startups, help is out there! However, the dry environment during flights caused the eczema she had suffered from as a child to flare up badly. In addition to this, the irregular sleep schedule associated with the job caused insomnia, which meant she only slept a few hours each night. This was very difficult for Ms Eunice, who wrote that she is someone who needs a lot of sleep to function well, and the insomnia caused dizzy spells and made her vision suddenly go dark. TikTok screengrab/ Wearing full makeup also caused her skin to break out, which gave her anxiety, especially after a trainer told her in front of other trainees that she may not be allowed to fly because of her skin. When she began working, she enjoyed some aspects of the job, such as layovers in other countries, although she felt 'like a stranger in her own skin'. However, because it had been a long-time dream, she felt like she couldn't just quit. While she was seemingly 'living her best life', after two years, she decided to stop lying to herself and quit her job to get her life back. TikTok screengrab/ It's taken a while, but her health issues have cleared up. Perhaps more importantly, she has begun to reconcile herself with who she is today, and had something to say: 'If you've always wanted to join SQ, go for it. But at the end of the day, remember, it's just a job. Don't put it on a pedestal or feel like it defines you, because you are so much more than that.' TikTok screengrab/ The Independent Singapore has reached out to Ms Eunice for further comments or updates. /TISG Read also: Singaporeans are not as bad as we think, says ex-flight attendant
AsiaOne
21-06-2025
- AsiaOne
Passenger sues SIA after allergic reaction, claims served meal containing shrimp despite warning crew, Singapore News
SINGAPORE - A New-York based paediatrician is suing Singapore Airlines for allegedly serving her a meal containing shrimp even though she claimed she had notified the cabin crew that she was allergic to shellfish, causing her to suffer a severe allergic reaction. According to a June 17 lawsuit filed in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of New York, Dr Doreen Benary, 41, had informed a cabin crew member about her allergy after boarding SIA flight SQ026 on Oct 8, 2024. The flight was bound for John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York from Frankfurt, Germany. However, Dr Benary, who was in the Business Class, was allegedly served a meal containing shrimp, which she was unaware of. Upon eating a portion of the food, Dr Benary detected the presence of shrimp and began to feel ill. She then questioned the cabin crew member, who admitted that she had made an error and apologised, according to the court document. Dr Benary subsequently suffered a "severe allergic reaction" and "fell violently ill", which required the aircraft to perform an emergency diversion to Paris, France, where she underwent emergency medical treatment at two separate medical facilities. Dr Benary said via the court document that she had suffered - and will continue to suffer from - great pain, agony and mental anguish, and that she was required to undergo painful, emergency medical treatment. She claims that this also caused her to be "deprived of her enjoyment of life, pursuits and interests", which she believes that in the future, she will continue to be deprived of. Dr Benary is asking SIA to pay her "full, fair and reasonable damages" in an amount to be determined at trial, together with "interest, costs and disbursements of this action". The document does not state if Dr Benary was carrying an EpiPen or other auto-injectors. These products, which are used to treat severe allergic reactions, are filled with epinephrine, a life-saving drug used by people at risk of anaphylaxis and other reactions. [[nid:671039]] Dr Benary's attorney, Mr Abram Bohrer, told The Independent newspaper that he was unable to discuss the lawsuit without her permission. When contacted by The Straits Times for more information, an SIA spokesperson said the airline is "unable to comment on matters before the court". Tropomyosin, present in shrimp, prawns and other crustaceans such as lobster, crab, and crayfish, is a protein involved in muscle contraction. According to a Woodlands Health shellfish allergy brochure, cooking the shellfish does not remove the allergen. Symptoms associated with food allergies can range from mild irritation such as tingling or itching in the mouth, hives and swelling, to more serious ones like wheezing or shortness of breath, nausea, vomitting, loss of consciousness or anaphylaxis, when breathing stops, which could lead to death. This article was first published in The Straits Times . Permission required for reproduction.
