This incident got me thinking and I'd like to add some of my own experiences.
Before I start, let me say that what happened on the Ryanair flight (obviously) can't be changed and seemingly only a full hospital ER would have been sufficiently equipped. The investigation/report will hopefully state on what really happened in terms of the gloves/barrier and what can be learnt from this. My condolences to the families involved.
(1) CX B747 ultra long haul flight in the late 80's /early 90's
Male cabin crew member became ill just into the flight. Doctor on board and together with/via link to company medical officer came to a prelim diagnosis of kidney stones. Extensive medical kit on board allowed appropriate pain killers and other appropriate medications to be administered. After allowing the drugs to kick in and after numerous calls plus patient input/feedback the it was decided to push on provided no change in condition. Regular updates followed and the flight landed at destination. QUESTION: Did the above-minimum-requirements medical kit enable a diversion (including substantial fuel dump) to be avoided? Needless to say, diversion or not, minutes or hours, the patient for sure will have appreciated the pain relief received.
(2) CX B747 ultra long haul flight in the late 80's
On last leg of the flight the aircraft diverted to a non CX airport on commanders decision due to medical emergency. As became known later, the crew performed some 30+ minutes of CPR including right through the landing. If I recall correctly the doctor/nurse aboard had at some point stated the fact that chances were increasingly slim. The crew continued nevertheless until handover to the airport medics. The passenger survived and made a full recovery from what was a heart attack. NO QUESTION: As published in the company newsletter, the crew did an excellent job and were credited with saving the passengers life. This incident still gives me goosebumps today (in a positive way). Not sure if any public press printed the positive story but I am sure that the 300+ other pax plus the patient will remember that CX flight and what they have seen forever and, overall, having been able to apply the training with such a result must have been a tremendous boost for the crew. Well done!
(3) CX B747 ultra long haul flight in the mid 90's
On the last leg of the flight a passenger became ill and medical assistance sought. Doctor plus nurse came forward. On arrival at the patients seat the crew volunteered the emergency kit and, as there was a doctor, stated to him that there was medical kit on board if needed. Again prelim diagnosis of kidney stones and after consultation with the company medical offiicer the patient received Paracetamol first with a stronger pain killer (Temgesic if I recall correctly) on standby to be administered by the doctor on board without further consultation with the company medical officer should the Paracetamol not provide sufficient relief. NO QUESTION: I was on board this flight and saw the both kits in action plus what I would deem to have been exemplary crew handling. The patient received relief from the pain and the flight continued to destination.
So to close:
- there is the emergency kit required by law
- there is the medical kit with a somewhat extensive stock such as BA, CX and many other carriers have on board
- there are the defib units
- there is crew training
As crew, a passenger, a patient or as pax with medical qualifications attending to another sick pax ... one can only hope that the aircraft one is travelling on carries as many as possible of the above.
For me personally I can come up with little excuse for any aircraft (regardless of airline, "flag carrier", charter or LCC) NOT to carry an extended medical kit. Apart from life being precious and myself possibly one day being in dire need aboard an aircraft ... if AVOIDING bad
PR is not a reason enough ... a fuel dump, diversion, possible crew time problems and whatever else should be an easy equasion for any airline accountant - let alone for management with an ops background.
Defib units I could see a LCC declining on cost(/weight?) grounds ... but then it finally comes down to the question of what a passengers life if worth and what kind of airline you want to operate. We are talking equipment, not pretzels or caviar.
Training ... isn't that as much about meeting the minimum requirements as well as empowerment of your staff (be it up in the pointy end, further in the back or on the ground, be it for daily chores or emergency situations when the occur)? I think no staff is happy to be faced with running out of options/training/SOP's and being left with only "headless chicken" mode (again, regardless of where and for that matter even what industry). I think knowing what is on board plus volunteering the emergency kit plus making it known that there is (hopefully) a "bigger" kit available to qualified doctors is the minimum and at the same time somewhat acceptable, because ...
An airborne emergency aboard an aircraft is quite likely one of the top 10 worst places for such a thing to occurr - an that especially in a single isle plane versus the relative spacious luxury of a wide bodied jet.
Those are my 2 cents ... won't change anything but perhaps provide food for thought and again highlight the problem of "what factors rule our industry today". Perhaps our choice of airlines (when having a choice) based on the likelyhood of "the full works" being on board is the only option available.
Humans get sick (both crew and pax) and it happenes on aircraft (big and small, short haul and long haul, flag carrier and LCC) and it happenes at unpredictable times (V1, TOC, TOD or whenever) so this concernes every single one of us, flying on duty and travelling off duty.