A Melbourne woman and a Canadian man are suing two different airlines after being badly burned by coffee.

The woman says she suffered second degree burns when a Pacific Blue flight attendant spilled coffee on her during a trip from Melbourne to Bali last month.

She suffered first and second degree burns on her chest and her lawyers say her family holiday was ruined.

The Canadian man says he was asleep when a Jetstar attendant spilled a cup of coffee on his arm during a flight from Hawaii to Sydney last November.

The man says he took his shirt off and the skin just peeled off his arm.

Their lawyers say the travellers want compensation for pain and suffering and their medical bills reimbursed.