A U.S. mother has filed a $5 million lawsuit against Qatar Airways, claiming her three-year-old daughter suffered a life-threatening allergic reaction on board a flight from Washington Dulles (IAD) to Doha (DOH) after being given a KitKat chocolate bar by a member of the cabin crew.
The case, Neerukonda v. Qatar Airways Q.C.S.C. (No. 1:25-cv-01930), was filed on 31 October 2025 in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia. According to court documents, Swetha Neerukonda, from North Carolina, had repeatedly informed cabin crew that her daughter was severely allergic to dairy and nuts.
While the mother briefly left her seat to use the lavatory, she reportedly asked a crew member to keep an eye on her daughter and again mentioned the allergies. During that time, another flight attendant allegedly handed the child a chocolate snack bar, believed to be a KitKat, which triggered a severe allergic reaction.
Neerukonda says that when she returned and confronted the crew member, the attendant acknowledged giving the snack but appeared dismissive of her concerns. Moments later, the girl went into anaphylactic shock, prompting her mother to administer an EpiPen. The lawsuit claims no in-flight medical announcement was made to seek assistance from passengers.
After landing in Doha, paramedics examined the child and cleared her for a connecting flight to India, where she later suffered a secondary allergic reaction and was hospitalised in intensive care for two days.
The lawsuit seeks damages for physical and emotional distress, arguing that Qatar Airways breached its duty of care despite prior warnings about the child’s condition. It also alleges negligence in the crew’s medical-response procedures and handling of known allergens on board.
Qatar Airways has not yet filed a public response to the allegations.