Man ‘chokes to death eating Jetstar meal’
Man ‘chokes to death eating Jetstar meal’
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Obviously a tardy response...
I would have thought a doctor (there was one, he pronounced the man dead...) would have been able to save a choking victim if breathing were stopped for less than five minutes.
So it seems it took them a fair while to find the doctor and get him or her on the job.
Since this sort of thing seems often to happen in expensive restaurants, I shall avoid any remarks about Jetstar meals and brown dogs...
So it seems it took them a fair while to find the doctor and get him or her on the job.
Since this sort of thing seems often to happen in expensive restaurants, I shall avoid any remarks about Jetstar meals and brown dogs...
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A sad event but it happens on all airlines now and again.
There was obviously a suitable doctor on board.
Did the cabin crew even bother to help this time? Or is it again a case of them not knowing the first thing about first aid, despite what the company says.
He was pronounced dead 90 minutes into the 11-hour flight from Singapore to Auckland.
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The unfortunate chap was apparently placed in the rear seat of Star Class......sorry, 'Business Class' that is used for Tech Crew rest and the curtain placed around him for another 10 hours. With the obvious loss of bodily fluids, apparently these amateurish halfwits don't even carry body bags on long haul flights. 
don't even carry body bags on long haul flights.
Rather than put the body in a curtained seat for the remainder of the flight, would diversion to a suitable Australian airport for offoad etc have been a more appropriate and dignified response?
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can you tell us which carriers routinely carry body bags on longhaul flights?
Toodles
EK carry body bags, and haver procedures in place for death on board.
It is pretty dire for a long haul operation to not do so.
And no, a diversion is not a usual response-it's not like it is going to help them any!
It is pretty dire for a long haul operation to not do so.
And no, a diversion is not a usual response-it's not like it is going to help them any!
Last edited by Wizofoz; 4th Sep 2011 at 06:37.
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Begs the question why nobody, including the crew applied the Heimlich Maneuver. Had to do it once in LAX to my Flight Engineer who had swallowed a piece of steak without first chewing it sufficiently. Worked like a charm.
Whilst we had him checked out at the local hospital to ensure there was no brain damage due to oxygen starvation he was able to crew the return flight.
Whilst we had him checked out at the local hospital to ensure there was no brain damage due to oxygen starvation he was able to crew the return flight.
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Air NZ carry body bags too... or did. I can't see why they wouldn't now.
I was shift supervisor on morning in AKL a few years ago and had a pax arrive in a bag. Deceased somewhere over Fiji on the way back from LAX if I remember correctly.
I guess if you have no body bags on board (
) you have to do something with the poor pax, but I sure hope they change the seat! 
I was shift supervisor on morning in AKL a few years ago and had a pax arrive in a bag. Deceased somewhere over Fiji on the way back from LAX if I remember correctly.
I guess if you have no body bags on board (
) you have to do something with the poor pax, but I sure hope they change the seat!
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Ozangel, that really is in poor taste. I witnessed a lady have a heart attack on a JQ flight to Japan, and the crew acted quickly, efficiently and with care. The crew that were working the aircraft with this gentleman would have been devastated, would have done all they could, to assist the doctor on board. I can only assume you are QF and ever ready to put the boot in. Sometimes its just inappropriate. (Oh, and the lady survived as far as I know)
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Ratpoison, would you rather they just left him on the galley floor, to be stepped over for the remainder of the flight? Placing the deceased in a J class seat is a far more dignified response, sure there's cleanup to be done later but in this case I think a ruined seat is a better alternative than treating him like so much cargo.... 
The article does not specify but it is very possible that there were other complications/issues going on here. Don't be so quick to judge the crew! Just as people here always say don't hang the pilot til you knowt he full story...
The article does not specify but it is very possible that there were other complications/issues going on here. Don't be so quick to judge the crew! Just as people here always say don't hang the pilot til you knowt he full story...
Choking to death on a Jetstar flight would have to rank highly as one of the worst ways to go.
My sister and brother-in-law, both doctors, were on their honeymoon in December last year, and were gobsmacked at the lack of training amongst the cabin crew. They were called upon in-flight, and volunteered. Not before first realising something was wrong and offering to help - to be told 'no problem, can I get you a drink?' (as my sister returned from the toilet). Some 30mins later, the crew completely forgot they had already offered, and put out a PA.
Their observations:
1) The call for help came WAY too late, and of the first aid equipment was available, the staff had no confidence in either locating it or using it. When they finally were able to attend to the patient, nothing had been done.
2) Basic first aid knowledge was non-existent amongst the crew (no recovery position - they had done nothing - but they had offered to get the patient something to eat?? - not diabetic?)
3) It took the crew members some 10 minutes to locate a supplemental oxygen bottle - they were observed opening just about every stowage in sight looking for it! God help them if the cabin lost pressure!
4) Communication of the issue to the flight deck was NON EXISTENT, despite the advice that the patient required urgent/critical treatment.
These are two doctors who are very familiar with aviation health - coming from an aviation family, and dad is a DAME. They know very well what Australian cabin crew have to go through with training, and given her brother (me) has dealt with more than his fair share of serious medical emergencies (stroke, heart attack, epilepsy to name a few), she knew that on Qantas, Ansett (back when), Virgin, the passengers were in good hands.
Although doctors deal with this stuff in the same, clinical way, pilots and cabin crew deal with emergencies - it is still upsetting for them, and in this case, nothing short of frustrating and angering. ESPECIALLY when they volunteer and EXPOSE themselves to litigation.
The kicker - they didn't even get thanked by the crew, who after eventually finding an oxygen bottle - went to the galley to have their dinner!!
Add to that, when the ambulance officers asked the crew who the doctors were who helped, the crew couldnt remember, and it was the patients wife who had to identify them.
The patient lived (luckily, im told) and both he and his wife were the only ones who thanked them.
Edited to add: Teresa Green - I enjoy reading your posts, hopefully you'll understand why this kind of thing angers me. No, although I did work there for a short time a few years ago, i'm not QF, and left on good terms. I'm sorry if you think it's in poor taste, but despite your positive experience (were they Aust based crew?), I really think this is something that needs to be further investigated. I don't trust management speak that everyone is trained up to scratch. If they are, then it would appear that there are a lot who don't have the confidence to use their training.
My sister and brother-in-law, both doctors, were on their honeymoon in December last year, and were gobsmacked at the lack of training amongst the cabin crew. They were called upon in-flight, and volunteered. Not before first realising something was wrong and offering to help - to be told 'no problem, can I get you a drink?' (as my sister returned from the toilet). Some 30mins later, the crew completely forgot they had already offered, and put out a PA.
Their observations:
1) The call for help came WAY too late, and of the first aid equipment was available, the staff had no confidence in either locating it or using it. When they finally were able to attend to the patient, nothing had been done.
2) Basic first aid knowledge was non-existent amongst the crew (no recovery position - they had done nothing - but they had offered to get the patient something to eat?? - not diabetic?)
3) It took the crew members some 10 minutes to locate a supplemental oxygen bottle - they were observed opening just about every stowage in sight looking for it! God help them if the cabin lost pressure!
4) Communication of the issue to the flight deck was NON EXISTENT, despite the advice that the patient required urgent/critical treatment.
These are two doctors who are very familiar with aviation health - coming from an aviation family, and dad is a DAME. They know very well what Australian cabin crew have to go through with training, and given her brother (me) has dealt with more than his fair share of serious medical emergencies (stroke, heart attack, epilepsy to name a few), she knew that on Qantas, Ansett (back when), Virgin, the passengers were in good hands.
Although doctors deal with this stuff in the same, clinical way, pilots and cabin crew deal with emergencies - it is still upsetting for them, and in this case, nothing short of frustrating and angering. ESPECIALLY when they volunteer and EXPOSE themselves to litigation.
The kicker - they didn't even get thanked by the crew, who after eventually finding an oxygen bottle - went to the galley to have their dinner!!
Add to that, when the ambulance officers asked the crew who the doctors were who helped, the crew couldnt remember, and it was the patients wife who had to identify them.
The patient lived (luckily, im told) and both he and his wife were the only ones who thanked them.
Edited to add: Teresa Green - I enjoy reading your posts, hopefully you'll understand why this kind of thing angers me. No, although I did work there for a short time a few years ago, i'm not QF, and left on good terms. I'm sorry if you think it's in poor taste, but despite your positive experience (were they Aust based crew?), I really think this is something that needs to be further investigated. I don't trust management speak that everyone is trained up to scratch. If they are, then it would appear that there are a lot who don't have the confidence to use their training.
Last edited by ozangel; 4th Sep 2011 at 06:07.
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Ozangel, if you are QF group you'd know if a PA for medical help is made that usually signifies Medlink involvement (if reachable) Medlink generally cover assisting medical staff (provided they have appropriate ID- was this checked- you don't mention) in which case your sister wouldn't be exposing herself to litigation...
Unless that has changed, but I am not aware that is has.
Unless that has changed, but I am not aware that is has.
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Actually there was a news report on this in New Zealand this morning. Both the Doctor that attended and the poor chaps wife 'praised' Jetstar and the crew for the professional action that was taken. Just because it was Jetstar doesn't mean it was a debacle.
And by the way, BA does NOT carry body bags, do a google search and you will find an incident from around 4 years ago when a few passengers were miffed because a 'corpse' was placed in the rear row of business class on a flight from the Caribbean because the aircraft was full in economy.
And by the way, BA does NOT carry body bags, do a google search and you will find an incident from around 4 years ago when a few passengers were miffed because a 'corpse' was placed in the rear row of business class on a flight from the Caribbean because the aircraft was full in economy.