update from roni
 

quote from Rad

"Tell Gulf Air that a member of staff is desperate and stressed and needs help,i cannot go on."


he has not been moved from his bed in 2 weeks they do not have the staff or facilities to accomadate his re habilitation,he has had his hands bandaged and his arms tied to the side of the bed.


The flights are full ???????????????

Surely time for action not words!!
 

Gentlemen
Surely from the tone of the last post it's time to stop the talking and get into action. Get Rad back to BAH.
As an ex long serving member of your Company there is nothing new in all your trials and tribulations, however one of the Companies greatest assets was it's ability to administer welfare and assistance when needed. I hope that ability has not left the Company. AGAIN STOP TALKING AND GET RAD BACK. After 31 years service surely this request is not unreasonable even in the current climate !!=
ex desert dweller

Help
 

What can anyone do? Anyone who can do anything, now is the time!!

Visited Rad today in the hospital in Pafos and I have to agree with Roni it's desperate there. She told me that the VP S&M has approved the 10 free seats required to bring him back but there are a number of forms to fill in which she is doing her best with but would appreciate some help from the Gulf Air medical staff. The other major problem though is that the flights are full. It is the end of the school holidays after all.

Rad has certainly lost a lot of weight, and he wasn't exactly tubby to start with. However the good news is that all the faculties are there he recognised us and is currently able to pull himself up using a handle above him. Roni was feeding him a pie when we got there and I was accused of teasing him cause I had a beer bottle on my shirt. Also glad to see the copy of Flight International next to him which he reads when no visitors are around. Now if we could rig up a laptop and an internet connection he'll be on this site.
I am sure that when we can get him back to Bahrain we can organise an internet link for him.

All he needs now is food and excersize (in Bahrain) and the love of his friends.

On On

The forms for medical clearance came in over the weekend and approval was provided today (first day of the working week) by GF medical, subject to a couple of things. After receiving approval from EVPSM early last week he has now been asked to look at the 1-Sep flight back to Bahrain for Capt Gammage to be accommodated on and we hope to see a positive response over the next day or so. However, insurance is still to advise the best hospital in Bahrain for Capt. Gammage, that being made known after the most up-to-date medical report is recieved from Paphos which has been requested today. Hopefully by mid-week this particular phase will come to a positive conclusion. There are a number of people doing as much as they can to help out here and things are falling into place; admitedly slowly and not as quick as many would like to see, myself included, however there is a lot going on not just said.

Thanks for the update.

Bestest to Rad and Roni for a succesful Medevac and hoping that he is restored to good health VERY soon!

As aye

FW

He is a gentleman that few like him around these days.We will pray for him for healthy life.

update on rad
 

I have also have visited Rad and let me tell you he just does not need food and excerse I have no idea who that other person visited but it was not Captain Gammage..

Rad is unable to sit up on his own. He has movement in his right arm but it is limited The left arm has next to no movement .

He is unable to feed himself and that is why Ronnie was trying to feed him some pie. He cannot speak as there is a hole in his throat which constantly flushes out mucas from his lungs, and the only way to try to get some communication from Rad is by placing your fingers over the hole so he can whisper a few words.

Rad has lost all dignity as he is in nappies, and his wife Ronni has to change him, as staff is not available in the hospital.

This man can take no more, his word of the day today was DEMORALISED.
Anyone would think he was scared of flying, just get him out.

Urgency
 

Does that last post clarify the urgency to get Rad out of Cyprus for proper treatment and eventual rehabilitation?. How much humilliation does one have to suffer for anybody to be convinced.

Desperate needs call for desperate measures Ron. Try Speedy Motors ....

Back to the Top!
 

Earlier this week the insurance company had a change of heart and agreed that MEDEVAC was above & beyond the annual individual claim limit. Hence the offer from EVPSM has been put into the 'back pocket' in case the insurers drag their heels. Today they have confirmed admittance into the BDF in Bahrain for Capt. Gammage. It is now just a matter of the flight and associated issues to schedule. I am advised that the insurers are working on this today. I am also told that should a commercial flight not be available and/or appropriate they are liable for an air ambulance. Things looking much better now to get Rad back to Bahrain in the very very near future.

Well...that is all settled then....congratulations all round....medically fit to travel on a stretcher over a month ago...GF really look after their staff.:yuk:

re rad gammage
 

words fail me......1st sept as promised has been and gone, we are still here in Paphos and guess what no news from the insurance company.Yes they are working on it.????
l have called GF Larnaca and surprize surprize he is not booked on the Tuesday 4th september flight, either, flight also full.!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I am now at my tethers end
I cannot take much more of these false promises. Rad cannot understand why he has not been air lifted out by a company that he has been devoted to for 31 years .
Today I relised he was deterating when I encouaged him to try and remember his pin number for his mobile phone, We got there eventually, but then when handing him his phone he tried to drink it??????????.

I am so humbled by certain people who are trying so hard to assist .
I appreaciate all who have tried to help . But I am still here.

To those in power that be...

When I was at Gulf Air, I met Mr. Gammage a few times. He certainly was a nice chap, and everyone spoke highly of him. Although I did not know him well, WORDS FAIL ME AND EVERYONE that YOU, the people who run Gulf Air that have the power and means to make his repatriation happen, have not GOTTEN OFF YOUR A$$ to fulfill promises made and help him and his family OUT! He flew his share of your passengers for most of his life - and simply needs a flight back for a better chance at life! Give the guy a damn break.

And unlike I heard someone in the medical department there said, it's NOT all up to god. You are a part of helping out.

Shame on you, whoever is dragging their feet on this and not putting into action where promises were made. This happened over TWO MONTHS ago and still he's not home yet (to be fair, less the time he had recovered enough to travel)??

Now, how about COMMUNICATING to his family about what is going on regarding repatriating him? End speculation / confusion / frustration. Put yourselves in their position for once.

Speedy recovery, Rad.

IMHO...GF have decided to kill him by neglect.....
Wake up everybody and be aware...this could be any Gf staff member unlucky enough to get sick and not co-operate and die down route.......
This mans treatment by GF is turning into a total disgrace....delay is killing him and reducing his chances of benifiting from rehab....
I hope all crew now refuse to fly...until this man is flown back to Bahrain for proper treatment and rehab according to his contract.

Responsibility
 

Absolutely disgraceful...

Current and any prospective employees should read the full content of this thread to assess their prospects should they happen to fall ill.

Obviously there have been individual efforts to solve the problem of Rads repatriation but there would appear to be no coordination where it matters.

Rad and Roni appreciate those efforts but he's still in Cyprus.

Surely it would not be unreasonable to expect the GF Medical Authority, who I would suggest have responsibility for sick Staff members, to liaise with the Hospital and Medical Staff in Cyprus and the relevant Insurance Authorities and not leave the problem in the hands of well meaning individuals.

Certainly the burden (because that's how it appears} of Rads repatriation for treatment should not be placed at Roni and Rads door.

Whoever has the authority to authorise the repatriation please don't leave it too much longer, you're destroying a man, a loyal long serving Captain in your Company, and putting massive stress on his wife.

Really utterly disgusting the way this is being handled by the employer (GF)!
There used to be a time when the Arabs appreciated, respected and rewarded loyalty, even from expats. But this is the Middle East now....
This should really be a warning to all expats working in the Middle East or considering to go there - cover yourself and get as soon as possible a 'homebase' again back home where, if the worst comes to the worst, you can repatriate to!
Keeping my fingers crossed for the poor guy and really wish him all the best for a speedy recovery!
jollyikarus

Would it be possible to make an approach to the King to make available one of his Royal Flight aircraft to fly Rad back. This would be a nice gesture by the Royal Family to a man that has spent so much time in Bahrain. I'm sure that those aircraft would have suitable facilities for medical cases assuming a Royal Family member became ill whilst outside Bahrain.

I fail to understand why the flight crews have not told the sandnigger Gulf Air Management that they are simply not going to fly till this is fixed.
You guys are all typed on current on the airbus, there are 1000's of jobs out there... take a stand for christsakes.

AAIGUY

With respect I do not think the tone of your posting will help Rad and Roni.

A small edit perhaps?

FW