Keeping safe in the crowds at the airport when you’re escaping the winter on holiday

If you’re planning on escaping the cold this winter you might not be alone, and airports can be busy and crowded. People are running to catch last-minute flights or fighting to get their luggage off a carousel. But with the crowds and stress, injuries can easily occur.

We all want our holiday to go off without a hitch, and that includes traveling to and from our location. These past few years have been tough and we all deserve to have a well-earned break. If something does go wrong, even if you’re partly at fault, it’s important to know what your rights are.

Type of Common injuries that can occur

If you’ve suffered an injury, you should seek medical assistance immediately.

Slip and falls

If you slip and fall injuring yourself because staff had failed to clean up a spill or, they didn’t put up a sign to warn shoppers of a slipping hazard.

Poor maintenance

If you were injured because the airport didn’t properly maintain things like its escalators, lifts, stairs and railings. For example, an escalator stopped working injuring people in the process.

Unsafe for children

At the airport people are juggling their travel checklist and looking after children, and often children can fall victim to a lack of care on an airport’s behalf. Having a safe environment for children can include working, making flooring slip resistant or treating stairs with treads, having clear walkways, and barriers to stop children going into areas where they could be injured.

Tripping hazards

Luggage trolleys obstructing walkways, hidden steps or poorly placed door mats can lead to injuries when people trip and fall over them.

Some injuries may be a minor scrape or bruise, but trips and falls can also cause more serious injuries such as broken bones, fractures, dislocations, and injuries to your back and neck.

What about in the car?

An airports duty of care extends to the car park, and airports are expected to take reasonable steps to ensure your safety on their premises.

While trying to find a car park in a sea of travellers you could be injured due to poor maintenance (including potholes, or faulty gates), tripping hazards on the way to the shop, or poor or unmarked signage.

Please ensure to keep safe during the winter months, at the airport, as well as anywhere you’re traveling. Learn more about Public Liability to ensure you can keep yourself safe and others on your holiday.

Stay safe on your winter holidays and enjoy your trip wherever you go!