Ex-flight steward who ‘slipped on grease patch and fell’ on plane sues SIA for S$1.78mil

A former flight steward who said he slipped and fell on board a plane is suing Singapore Airlines for S$1.78m, alleging that his former employer was negligent for allowing the workplace to be unsafe. Durairaj Santiran said he had noticed a patch of grease on the floor of the economy-class galley during a flight from San Francisco that was scheduled to land in Singapore on the evening of Sept 6, 2019. The Malaysian said that about 2½ hours before landing, he slipped on the grease patch and fell on his back, hitting his head on the floor. He claimed that as a result of the injuries to his spine, he is medically unfit to continue working as a flight steward. Durairaj, who was employed by SIA from April 2016 to April 2021, now works as a customer care analyst in Malaysia. The damages he sought include $1.29m for loss of future earnings, $30,000 for loss of earning capacity and $150,000 for future medical and transport expenses. The 35-year-old wore a neck brace when he attended court on Feb 13, the first day of a 10-day trial.<br/>