**Jet2 Settles Compensation Case After Child Suffers Serious Injuries at Gran Canaria Hotel**
Travel operator Jet2 has agreed to pay a “five-figure sum” in compensation to a British family following a traumatic incident in which a five-year-old girl suffered severe injuries after running into a glass balcony door at a hotel in Gran Canaria. The incident occurred during a family holiday in 2018 and has left the child with lasting scars.
According to Hudgell Solicitors, who represented the family, the young girl, Mya Mullin from the West Midlands, was on a package break with her parents at Hotel Lago Taurito. While attempting to step out onto the terrace, she collided with a closed sliding glass panel, resulting in deep, serious wounds which required emergency surgery. The family’s lawyers argued that the glass door did not adhere to Spanish safety regulations, raising concerns over the standards of safety assessments carried out at the accommodation.
The incident, which took place when Mya was just five years old, led to a distressing ordeal for both her and her family. Her father, Neil Mullin, recounted hearing the crash, only to discover Mya still entangled in the shattered glass, in significant pain, and requiring urgent medical assistance. He described the experience as harrowing, especially as he was left holding his daughter’s stomach wound together for nearly half an hour until emergency services arrived.
Mya was transported to a hospital in Las Palmas, the capital of Gran Canaria, where she underwent surgery to treat lacerations to her stomach and legs. The psychological and physical impact of the episode remains, as the injuries have left visible scars. Reflecting on the entire ordeal, Mr Mullin expressed his disappointment at the perceived neglect, emphasising that families should expect their accommodation to be safe and compliant with relevant safety standards, particularly for children.
Legal representatives for the Mullin family stated that the case against Jet2 was based not solely on acquiring compensation, but on holding the company accountable for what they considered a grave failure in their duty of care. “This was not about the money”, Mr Mullin explained, underlining his desire for responsibility and change within the travel industry’s approach to customer safety.
Anne Thomson, a travel accident specialist at Hudgell Solicitors, highlighted the importance of stringent safety practices, particularly when it comes to holiday accommodation provided as part of a package. She remarked, “Tour operators remain responsible for customer well-being, regardless of the destination. In this case, we contended that Jet2 failed to ensure the accommodation was satisfactorily safe, indirectly putting families at risk.”
Jet2 has not admitted liability in the matter but agreed to resolve the dispute without court proceedings by offering a monetary settlement. In a statement, a spokesperson for Jet2 expressed regret over the incident, noting: “The health and safety of our customers is extremely important to us, and we would like to reiterate how sorry we are about what happened.”
The case draws attention to broader issues around package holiday safety and the responsibility held by tour operators. British families travelling abroad place a considerable amount of trust in holiday companies to thoroughly vet accommodations in line with local and international safety regulations.
As the wider travel industry continues to rebound after the pandemic, incidents such as this serve as a reminder to both operators and hotel owners of the paramount importance of regular safety checks. Ensuring that all possible hazards are identified and rectified remains a critical component of maintaining customer trust.
Ultimately, the Mullin family’s experience highlights the real impact lapses in safety standards can have, especially on children. The case serves as a call for continued vigilance from travel companies and accommodation providers alike to prevent such distressing accidents from occurring in the future.