What happens if I die at 30,000 feet??
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What happens if I die at 30,000 feet??
A question a friend asked me some time ago and I've yet been able to give her a truthful answer!
Can anyone definitively tell me what happens to a pax who expires at altitude?? I understand that the paperwork trail becomes something of a nightmare, but what happens to the poor unfortunate who flies higher than the other pax, on a long sector?!
Or does each airline have its own policy??
Thanks,
SW
Can anyone definitively tell me what happens to a pax who expires at altitude?? I understand that the paperwork trail becomes something of a nightmare, but what happens to the poor unfortunate who flies higher than the other pax, on a long sector?!
Or does each airline have its own policy??
Thanks,
SW
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I have experienced a pax dying on a LH flight from Tashkent/Uzbekistan to FRA in 1998. This pax was already loaded onto the airplane as a patient accompanied by a doctor. A section of the cabin covering 6 seats had been reserved exclusively for this patient to enable him to lie flat during the trip. It turned out during the flight that he would never get up again, and family members travelling on the same flight freaked out. At least they had a curtain that they were able to pull around that cabin little section. Upon arrival in FRA, the other pax were only allowed to exit through the front door, even though there was a second set of mobile airport stairs at the back of the plane. This was done so that pax would not walk by the deceased person on the way out.
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Once, talking to a doctor who had done a lot of aeromedical repatriation work, I learned that (particularly on an international flight) it is usual not to medically confirm death until safely back on the ground. So sick pax in the care of an inflight doctor do not actually die in flight: they may be very, very, sick, (and to the non medically qualified may look dead) but they are not (in a certificatory sense) actually dead until touchdown.
Last edited by Hawk; 10th Mar 2005 at 22:46.
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At LGW, the a/c commander should call ahead and the flight will then be met by Port Health and the Police. The Coroner's Office and the local morturary are also involved. All pax will probably be held on board until it is established that death did not result from an infectious disease. If the deceased is accompanied by medical staff, then I'm sure the whole process is MUCH quicker than a mysterious collapse and 'orrible spots or whatever...
There's no escape by saying the person is very, very, very ill, because similar procedures apply. I know that only a qualified medical person can pronounce death but the wording uses the term 'presumed'. If there's any doubt, the flight will be met by a paramedic who will then assist with making the appropriate diagnosis.
LGW's local Instructions MDI/F06/03 (sick pax and staff on board an a/c) and MDI/A29/02 (suspected death on board an a/c) are worth a study if you're interested. I guess most UK airports will have similar Instructions. Copies of these docs are available on application. The local Handling Agents & a/c operators will all have copies.
All manufacturers of long-haul a/c are now making provision for removal of a body from a seat and storage until arrival (a drawer, I like it!) so that other pax don't have to sit next to a dead person for 10 hours or more.
Cheers,
TheOddOne
There's no escape by saying the person is very, very, very ill, because similar procedures apply. I know that only a qualified medical person can pronounce death but the wording uses the term 'presumed'. If there's any doubt, the flight will be met by a paramedic who will then assist with making the appropriate diagnosis.
LGW's local Instructions MDI/F06/03 (sick pax and staff on board an a/c) and MDI/A29/02 (suspected death on board an a/c) are worth a study if you're interested. I guess most UK airports will have similar Instructions. Copies of these docs are available on application. The local Handling Agents & a/c operators will all have copies.
All manufacturers of long-haul a/c are now making provision for removal of a body from a seat and storage until arrival (a drawer, I like it!) so that other pax don't have to sit next to a dead person for 10 hours or more.
Cheers,
TheOddOne
Well, if you expire at 30,000 feet, I assume therefore that you died "going down", and are therefore the envy of any man.
Otherwise I can't believe the lengths at which people will go to get an upgrade....
Otherwise I can't believe the lengths at which people will go to get an upgrade....
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Sorry Stall-Warner you asked for it... sounding more and more like Monty Python humour. John Cleese and the Dead Parrot. 
Last edited by Hawk; 10th Mar 2005 at 23:05.
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Phororhacos, I am medically qualified, and I can assure you that this person was absolutely dead. However, as long as there are no doctors with the patient, I agree with you that nobody should be pronounced dead until this has been certified by a professional.
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Stall Warner
I should say it depends on the pax's beliefs (or lack of).
He's either doing a max rate climb to a FL somewhat higher than 300
Or emergency descent, and he won't be stopping til it's ISA + quite a bit 
I should say it depends on the pax's beliefs (or lack of).
He's either doing a max rate climb to a FL somewhat higher than 300
Or emergency descent, and he won't be stopping til it's ISA + quite a bit
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I was under the impression that the dead pax was left in his seat. I believe that this happened last year and there wasn't anywhere to move the other pax so they had to finish the leg next to a corpse. I have seen aenough of these to know what they smell like when the sphincters relax. Not a nice start to your holiday.
I heard a STORY once don't know how true of a pax dieing on a QF B744 i/b to JNB from PER and they put the body on the toilet and locked it up in there for the remainder of the flight.
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one hopes there are fewer deaths on the A340 or the body may have totally decomposed by the time one gets to the destination.
In addition, given some of the (allegedly) alive pax's I have had to deal with, a dead one would be a blessing in disguise on some occasions
In addition, given some of the (allegedly) alive pax's I have had to deal with, a dead one would be a blessing in disguise on some occasions
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There was a story about how, when a pax died on a shorthaul UK 737, his body was strapped in a flight deck jump seat behind the captain.
I was told that when one of the cabin entered the flight deck do do a drinks round she tried to wake him and then asked the captain whether his friend wanted tea or coffee!
I was told that when one of the cabin entered the flight deck do do a drinks round she tried to wake him and then asked the captain whether his friend wanted tea or coffee!
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I believe that the sensible medical escort, gently places an oxygen mask and blanket over the deceased, and allows him to remain peaceful until the aircraft is on the ground, and unloaded.