Originally Posted by
Johnny F@rt Pants
I think Wiggy is right, there are no more now than there used to be, they are just more accessible.
i also think the time of year has lots to do with it, you tend to get an older generation travelling more in the “off season”, particularly VFR around Christmas, and older passengers often suffer more illnesses, not helped by the atmosphere in an aeroplane at altitude.
Indeed, globally we have a population that is living longer, and becoming more affluent, and more likely to fly. Older people may be more vulnerable to sudden deterioration, in health (heart attacks, stroke hemorrhages and the like), and people may often disregard more apparently minor issues and decide to go ahead with "trips of a lifetime", only to find these minor irritations suddenly escalate.
Of course, social media perhaps elevates the number of these instances being reported in various media.