COLOGNE— A Pennsylvania woman has filed a lawsuit against German flag carrier Lufthansa (LH) after a flight attendant allegedly rushed her down wet mobile airstairs at Frankfurt Airport (FRA), causing her to fall and sustain serious injuries that required weeks of hospital treatment.
The transatlantic flight from Philadelphia International Airport (PHL) to Frankfurt Airport (FRA) was operated by Discover Airlines (4Y), a leisure-focused subsidiary of the Lufthansa Group. The passenger now seeks damages under Article 17 of the Montreal Convention, which governs airline liability for injuries sustained during international travel.
Pennsylvania Passenger Files Lawsuit Over Fall
Patricia Gunsser booked her Lufthansa flight from Philadelphia to Frankfurt for November 29, 2025. The seven-and-a-half-hour transatlantic service was operated by Discover Airlines using an Airbus A330 aircraft. Discover Airlines, which was created in 2023 from the shell of another Lufthansa subsidiary, operates as a cheaper, leisure-oriented carrier.
According to PYOK, the flight itself passed without incident. However, upon arrival in a cold and wet Frankfurt, the aircraft was directed to a remote stand. Passengers were required to deplane via mobile airstairs and then board buses to reach the terminal building.
Although some mobile airstairs are fitted with perspex hoods to shield passengers from the elements, the airstairs used by Discover Airlines on this occasion had no hood and were soaked by the rain.
How the Incident Unfolded on the Airstairs
Patricia paused at the top of the airstairs to discuss with her daughter how she could descend safely. Her daughter took her carry-on case, which briefly slowed the flow of disembarking passengers.
According to the complaint filed against Lufthansa, a flight attendant observed the interaction but did not offer assistance. Instead, the cabin crew member allegedly rushed Gunsser and her daughter off the aircraft because other passengers were waiting behind them.
Five steps into her descent, Patricia slipped on the damp surface. She tumbled down the remaining two-thirds of the stairs and came to rest on the tarmac below. Paramedics arrived on the scene and transported her directly to a local hospital.
Serious Injuries Treated at Varisano Hospital in Frankfurt
Patricia spent two weeks as an inpatient at Varisano Hospital in Frankfurt. Doctors diagnosed her with a broken collarbone, a broken sternum, a cardiac contusion, and multiple additional wounds.
Due to the severity of her pain, the German physician treating her decided not to perform the required collarbone surgery in Germany. The doctor instead recommended that she return to the United States as quickly as possible to undergo treatment closer to home.
Failed Repatriation Attempt and Emergency Diversion to Shannon
To return home, Patricia required a special stretcher seat designed by Lufthansa for medical repatriations. Her first repatriation attempt failed when the airline kept her waiting on a stretcher inside Frankfurt Airport for hours, before ultimately deciding she lacked the proper medical clearance to fly that day.
The following day, on December 14, 2025, Patricia was permitted to board. About an hour into the flight, she experienced what her lawsuit describes as an acute medical deterioration. The complaint attributes this to the physical and mental stress she endured following the accident.
Her condition was so serious that the crew declared a medical emergency and diverted the aircraft to Shannon Airport (SNN) in Ireland. Patricia was admitted to a local hospital, where she was diagnosed with a serious infection. She remained hospitalized in Ireland for a further four weeks.
Montreal Convention Article 17 and the Legal Claim
Patricia is seeking damages under Article 17 of the Montreal Convention. The treaty holds airlines liable for injuries that occur on board an aircraft or during embarkation and disembarkation operations.
Airlines cannot limit liability for claims under Article 17 up to 128,821 Special Drawing Rights. The Special Drawing Right is a monetary instrument developed by the International Monetary Fund to represent a basket of currencies. At present, 128,821 SDR equals approximately 176,000 US dollars.
Passengers may claim above this threshold, but airlines can avoid a higher payout if they prove the injury did not result from the negligence of the carrier or its staff. Airlines can also avoid liability if they demonstrate that a third party was solely responsible.
Importantly, the lawsuit alleges that the accident occurred due to the negligence or wrongful act of Discover Airlines. This claim opens the legal pathway for damages exceeding the standard 128,821 SDR cap.
A Similar Lufthansa Lawsuit From 2024
This case is not the first time Lufthansa has faced legal action in a United States court over an alleged incident involving mobile airstairs. In 2024, Carlo Trimboli of Ocala filed a similar lawsuit after he said he fell down the airstairs at Frankfurt Airport and tore open a previously sutured wound on his foot.
Trimboli told a flight attendant that he could not walk down the stairs and required wheelchair assistance. According to his complaint, the flight attendant responded that the stairs were the only way for him to exit the aircraft. The crew member then allegedly urged him to hurry along so as not to delay other passengers.
Trimboli stumbled on the stairs and reopened the wound. He stated that the fall left him in excruciating pain and that he later developed a blood infection. The case was eventually settled out of court.
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