In July 2023, Arturas Lanchinskas sustained serious injuries aboard JetBlue Flight 1825 while traveling to Lima, Peru to coach the United States judo team at the Pan American Judo Championships. During the flight, a flight attendant accidentally spilled scalding coffee onto his face, with the liquid splashing directly into his right eye. He received initial medical treatment in Lima before returning to New York.
New York specialists subsequently diagnosed Lanchinskas with thermal injury and chemical burns to his right eye. The damage proved permanent — producing photophobia and a reduced field of vision — carrying significant consequences for both his daily life and his career as a martial arts instructor.
Lanchinskas filed a lawsuit against JetBlue under the Montreal Convention, the international treaty governing passenger injury claims on cross-border flights. The suit alleges severe burns to the right side of his face and serious eye injuries resulting from the spill. As of September 18, 2025, JetBlue had not publicly responded to the allegations, and the case remained pending in court. The New York Post reported on the incident on July 19, 2025.
