When somebody dies on an airplane

[ken0042]

As some of you know- I'm on vacation in the Philippines. We had a direct flight from Vancouver to Manila; a 14 hour flight. A couple of hours into the flight I heard an announcement asking if there was a doctor on board. Shortly after that I saw some activity about 20 rows up, and I checked my GPS to see where we may be making a landing. We were off the coast of Alaska; about 100 miles from Anchorage. (Our flight plan took us along the BC and Alaska coast, along Siberia and down the coast of Japan.) I went back to my movies and was half listening for an announcement about an unscheduled landing; which never happened. In fact nothing else seemed to happen.

About an hour before we landed the captain came over the PA to tell us we would be delayed on the ground in Manila; and this was the first we heard of the death onboard. He did a great job of being sensitive to the family of the lady who died; as well as explaining to the rest of us why we needed to be cleared before we could leave the plane.

Here is my question for the pilots we have on here- why do you think we didn't make an unscheduled landing? Would the only reason have been that she had already passed away? I know we were over the ocean so we could have dumped fuel, and 100 miles should be enough distance to descend from 37,000 feet and make a landing. (I would think.)

I'm just curious what the rules and or laws are on this. I just don't want to think that costs, medical insurance or border crossing issues would have prevented us from trying to save somebody who needed medical care.

Sorry, it's just been bugging me for a few days. Somebody like me was on their way to meet with family and friends, and is planning a funeral instead of a welcome home party.

[Papa Gino]

Originally Posted by yahoo answers

I'm an ex-F/A and we did discuss this in training.

F/A's are not doctors and can't declare anyone dead. The point is, we have to carry on as if they had just passed out. We can place them somewhere NOT a lav (only if they died in there but even that is doubtful) but an empty row if the flight's not full. Sometimes the crew rest area is available if rest breaks are over or they don't have them on that flight. If it can't be managed, we were given the option of putting an oxygen mask on the person and simply saying they didn't feel well, even if we were sure they had gone to meet their maker.

If there is a doctor onboard, it's really up to them as to what to do. Many are hesitant to actually, officially declare deaths in flight due to the mountain of paperwork (supposedly) and other sticky issues, possibly related to their insurance. It's easier in all aspects to have all deaths declared once the plane has landed. The circumstances of the death would play a big role, such as if it were a dramatic choking that was witnessed by many passengers, contrasted with a quiet passing in their seat.

The only time it happened onboard, it was handled very discretely. I was working in another cabin and was unaware so not even all crew members were informed. It was a tragic cancer death, someone who wanted to go to her favorite city one last time and almost made it.

The ground agents helped to sheild her, easier as she was seated in business class. No passengers passed by and virtually all were unaware of the event (those near her were only knew that there had been a medical emergency on landing). They stood around her, blocking the view, until all crew members had left.

There was a death during boarding with my airline and they simply wheelchaired the gentleman off. Luckily, it wasn't a flight I was working, only what I heard later. It was stressful more because of the distraught wife.

It is possible to do an emergency landing but those are usually avoided at all costs. Emergency landings are usually reserved when someone's life in is danger and time is crucial. They also serve very little purpose since medical care is usually better at the destination. If it happens soon after take-off, the mostly likely course of action would be to return to the departure airport. If not, and the patient can be stablized, it's more likely to be in everyone's interest to continue. Not meaning to be cruel but death is a stable condition.

There's a famous story about an old lady whose husband dies inflight and she doesn't want to disturb anyone with the bad news. The crew only learn on landing.

Let me assure you that this does happen but it's very rare. I only had it once in 13 years and I worked almost exclusively long-haul internationals. A fatality is far more likely to occur in the airport, or if onboard, during boarding which is a stressful time for everyone.
Source(s):

ex-F/A, 13 years, 2 carriers
.

Just found that on yahoo answers. Interesting.

http://answers.yahoo.com/question/in...0131055AAxSZTZ

[REDVAN]

I will ask my gf's dad, who is a pilot, tomorrow, and get back to you. If I forget, and no one else answers, PM me.


EDIT:

Originally Posted by Papa Gino

Just found that on yahoo answers. Interesting.

http://answers.yahoo.com/question/in...0131055AAxSZTZ

Cool. But I lol'd at the second reply.

[Hack&Lube]

I've actually been on at least 3 flights where someone has died

[icarus]

Originally Posted by Hack&Lube

I've actually been on at least 3 flights where someone has died

Uh... what?

The flight attendant on Yahoo answers wrote:
"Let me assure you that this does happen but it's very rare. I only had it once in 13 years and I worked almost exclusively long-haul internationals"

So let me ask you H&L - do you wear a black hoodie and carry a sickle? I observe there's a sickle in your location...

[FlamesAddiction]

It happened on a plane that I was going to get on and it was of course delayed for a while.

[GoFlamesGo89]

Originally Posted by icarus

Uh... what?

The flight attendant on Yahoo answers wrote:
"Let me assure you that this does happen but it's very rare. I only had it once in 13 years and I worked almost exclusively long-haul internationals"

So let me ask you H&L - do you wear a black hoodie and carry a sickle? I observe there's a sickle in your location...

As I read it the FA was referring to an unreported death (ie. husband dies, wife doesn't tell anyone). There seems to be a number of data points to add (eg. fatalities during boarding etc).

[photon]

My sister is a flight attendant but she's on vacation right now, I'll try and remember to ask her when she gets back.

[Hack&Lube]

It's cold but one issue I can think of is cost. Airlines would lose a lot of money dumping fuel, making unscheduled stops, refueling, delays, passenger compensation, etc. Not to mention all the red tape and bureaucracy of landing in a foreign country and foreign medical treatment, etc. This is stuff that might not necessarily be reclaimable.

Everytime someone has died on one of my flights, it was a pan-Atlantic or pan-Pacific flight. Typically planes will choose the shortest arc in the Northern hemisphere and there are no islands or landing spots in between. IIRC, one of the passengers died in his sleep and it was not discovered until we were almost at the destination. The other passenger suffered a heart attack and they paged for a Doctor but we were over the middle of the Atlantic and nothing could be done.

[drewboy12]

Someone passed out 3 hours on the way to Hawaii from Vancouver... They did the oxygen mask thing, and kept the person in the front crew area, with the curtain closed... I have no clue if that person died or not... Hope not, but now it has me thinking they might have.

[Regulator75]

I blame the horrendous airline food.

[FlameOn]

Originally Posted by Regulator75

I blame the horrendous airline food.

You mean lack of food? Almost no continental airline flights have included food now in coach

[FlamesAddiction]

Originally Posted by Hack&Lube

It's cold but one issue I can think of is cost. Airlines would lose a lot of money dumping fuel, making unscheduled stops, refueling, delays, passenger compensation, etc. Not to mention all the red tape and bureaucracy of landing in a foreign country and foreign medical treatment, etc. This is stuff that might not necessarily be reclaimable.

Everytime someone has died on one of my flights, it was a pan-Atlantic or pan-Pacific flight. Typically planes will choose the shortest arc in the Northern hemisphere and there are no islands or landing spots in between. IIRC, one of the passengers died in his sleep and it was not discovered until we were almost at the destination. The other passenger suffered a heart attack and they paged for a Doctor but we were over the middle of the Atlantic and nothing could be done.

Not to mentioned the chain reaction it would cost. One delayed flight or unscheduled landing has a domino effect.

[4X4]

Originally Posted by FlamesAddiction

Not to mentioned the chain reaction it would cost. One delayed flight or unscheduled landing has a domino effect.

Like rubbernecking on Deerfoot. It's just a dead guy, move along folks.

[JonDuke]

When I was a flight attendant, I had a person die on my flight.
We were 4 hours into a 5.5 hour flight from Hawaii to Vancouver.
We had a doctor on board, who after 35 minutes of us working on the passenger, declared him dead. We could have landed before getting to Vancouver, but because the doctor made officially "called" the passengers death, there was no point really, and I think cost, as someone else mentioned, also had a large part of the decision to carry on.

Many airlines also equip their planes with Satellite phones that connect directly with medical personnel. Those medical people assess the situation and many times walk you through what needs to be done (with or without a doctor on board).
If the medical link doctor determines that the passenger would benefit by diverting the plane, it is done. No questions asked. If they speak with a doctor on board, as in my case, who had already declared death, then the plane continues on to it final destination.

Lots of different scenarios that could have happened, but know that if there is ever a chance that the life can be saved, the airlines will always divert, and cost is never an issue.

[Russic]

Originally Posted by Hack&Lube

I've actually been on at least 3 flights where someone has died

[Phanuthier]

(Not really answering the question, but similar story)

I was on a plane back from Asia last year that was to fly into YYC on Christmas day. Anyways, similar story, a few miles before Anchorage, there was call for a doctor. I was about 3 rows away. There defrib (?) was broken so the doctor was trying to do what they could. ( I was busy watching a movie ). Then there was another call for a doctor on board... I and a section up, I see another case, and I overheard the other had a heart attack. We stopped in Anchorage to drop 2 people off, Dec 25 at 1am, I think I heard from one of the flight attendants that one of them had died before we landed. Sad Christmas for those 2 families.

[Phanuthier]

Originally Posted by Hack&Lube

It's cold but one issue I can think of is cost. Airlines would lose a lot of money dumping fuel, making unscheduled stops, refueling, delays, passenger compensation, etc. Not to mention all the red tape and bureaucracy of landing in a foreign country and foreign medical treatment, etc. This is stuff that might not necessarily be reclaimable.

I remember a few years ago, we had to make a medical emergency stop in Turkey. On board, Turkey immgration/customs spent 3 hrs going through passenger lists and whatnot red tape for that land. I think I recall someone saying it cost $250,000... but I could be wrong, or have a totally different currency.

[Barnet Flame]

Assuming it happened early in the flight prior to mealtime, would it be inappropriate to ask for seconds?

[Hack&Lube]

I had an unplanned stop in Japan and everybody had to get off the plane and fill out tons of forms and get fingerprinted and retina scanned.