British Airways may have to pay out up to £4 million in damages after a passenger slipped on a spillage of Baileys liqueur at Heathrow Airport and claimed the incident left him with lasting health issues. The case, which has been unfolding since the accident occurred in 2017, has now resulted in a court ruling that BA was mostly at fault, though the claimant also bore some responsibility.

Baileys spillage leads to legal showdown

The incident involved Swiss national Andreas Wuchner, who slipped on a puddle of Baileys while rushing to board a British Airways flight at London’s Heathrow Airport. Wuchner, who was carrying four takeaway coffees at the time, alleges the fall caused a traumatic brain injury that has left him unable to work.

During a recent hearing, Judge David Saunders ruled that British Airways was liable for the spillage not being cleaned up or marked off to alert passengers. However, he noted that Wuchner’s own behaviour—running late, having missed a previous flight, and hurrying with hot drinks—contributed to the accident. As a result, Wuchner is entitled to only 80% of the value of his £5 million claim due to what the court described as “contributory negligence.”

“It seems inevitable that, through his delay and attempt to obtain last–minute coffees, the claimant had placed himself under greater pressure to board the flight in time,” Judge Saunders said. “The pressure he had imposed upon himself had made that pressure even greater. That, in my view, contributed to the accident.”

BA staff failed to take immediate action

In his ruling, Judge Saunders criticised British Airways for failing to take basic precautions once the Baileys spillage was discovered.

“I do find it unusual that no immediate steps were taken by anyone from BA to prevent an accident,” he stated. “Nothing appears to have been placed over the spillage to cover it up. That may have been simply because nothing was available, but it is surprising that this situation could not have been dealt with, at least temporarily.”

The court’s finding against BA centred on its failure to either clean the spill or cordon off the area to prevent a potential slip hazard. BA’s legal team, however, maintained that Wuchner’s haste and distraction were the primary causes of the incident.

Compensation could reach millions

While Wuchner previously received £130,000 in 2021 as partial compensation, his legal team is now pursuing a much larger sum—potentially up to £5 million. Due to the 20% deduction for contributory negligence, he would be eligible for a maximum of £4 million if the full claim is accepted.

British Airways disputes the severity of Wuchner’s injuries, arguing that he is not permanently disabled or unable to work as he claims. The full amount of any final payout is expected to be determined at a later trial unless a settlement is reached beforehand.

Wuchner’s case underscores the legal and financial risks airlines face when it comes to passenger safety within airport terminals, particularly in busy areas such as boarding gates. The outcome of this case could influence how spills and other hazards are handled in the future—not just by British Airways but by other carriers operating in similarly high-traffic environments.

As the dispute heads toward resolution, the question remains whether airlines will revise their safety protocols in terminal areas to prevent similar incidents and costly litigation. For now, British Airways is facing a substantial payout and increased scrutiny over how it manages customer safety within its airport footprint.