A flight attendant for Cathay Pacific accidentally served wine to a three-year-old boy traveling in business class during a flight.
The toddler was traveling with his parents on flight CX 255 from Hong Kong International Airport (HKG) to London-Heathrow Airport (LHR) on April 24, 2025, when the incident occurred.
According to the three-year-old’s mother, who took to social media platform RedNote to share the experience, the child took a sip of the drink and remarked that it was “sour.” The mother then tried the drink, which she initially thought was water, and discovered that it was white wine.
The boy’s mother immediately alerted the flight attendant, who replaced the drink with water. Concerned about the effects of alcohol on her three-year-old, the mother also advised the flight purser, who used MedLink to seek medical advice. MedLink is a device that connects a flight to medical professionals on the ground in case of a medical emergency.
A French doctor onboard the flight assessed the boy and found no outward negative symptoms of alcohol. However, the parents said they are in touch with pediatric specialists to arrange comprehensive medical assessments.
The parents also shared a response from Cathay Pacific, which communicated via email to acknowledge the incident and issue an apology. The airline offered to refund the family’s tickets and also advised that the crew has undergone briefing and training to prevent a similar incident from happening again.
According to Hong Kong news outlet The Standard, the parents were not satisfied with the airline’s response and have issued formal complaints with multiple authorities, including the Civil Aviation Department, the Tobacco and Alcohol Control Office, the Consumer Council, and the UK Civil Aviation Authority.
