Actually, that was kind of the point. Crying "mayday, mayday" is an overblown, ridiculously overdramatized act which isn't necessary. Merely tell ATC what you intend to do. Period. No declaring the day an emergency, no dramatic announcements of mayday, no reqests for diversions; tell ATC what you intend to do and what you need, then do it. Simple.
Your job is not the passenger; your job is safe operation of the airplane, and you have all the passenger's interests to consider when you do that.