Dead Guys travel economy
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Dead Guys travel economy
9) FAMILY FORCED TO SIT BESIDE DYING PASSENGER.
(VANCOUVER - 23Apr01).
A British Columbia family is demanding an explanation from Continental Airlines as to why they were required to fly home from an otherwise perfect tropical vacation seated next to a corpse.
Donna Beaulieu, her daughter Teresa Beaulieu and son-in-law Dale Alexander, were on their way home from a two-week stay in Bali on Jan. 7 when their flight put down at a remote island between Guam and Honolulu. A middle-aged man in a hospital gown boarded the plane accompanied by two attendants, neither of whom spoke English. Donna Beaulieu, seated across the aisle from the patient, said she had a hunch the ailing man wasn't going to make it.
"I got to see him choking and gagging and frothing and everything," Beaulieu said.
"And his leg kept coming out into the aisle beside me," she said. "We were trying to push it back in so the food cart wouldn't run over it."
After about three hours, the man quietly died. In a written complaint to Continental, Beaulieu's son-in-law Alexander says he persuaded flight attendants the man passed away. Beaulieu said airline staff returned the dead man to an upright position and proceeded to serve the in-flight meal.
"They just sort of propped him up with a pillow under his head and tucked him in like he was having a nap."
The family is seeking financial compensation for the trip. Continental said the airline is obligated to provide transportation to Hawaii for critically ill passengers in Micronesia.
(VANCOUVER - 23Apr01).
A British Columbia family is demanding an explanation from Continental Airlines as to why they were required to fly home from an otherwise perfect tropical vacation seated next to a corpse.
Donna Beaulieu, her daughter Teresa Beaulieu and son-in-law Dale Alexander, were on their way home from a two-week stay in Bali on Jan. 7 when their flight put down at a remote island between Guam and Honolulu. A middle-aged man in a hospital gown boarded the plane accompanied by two attendants, neither of whom spoke English. Donna Beaulieu, seated across the aisle from the patient, said she had a hunch the ailing man wasn't going to make it.
"I got to see him choking and gagging and frothing and everything," Beaulieu said.
"And his leg kept coming out into the aisle beside me," she said. "We were trying to push it back in so the food cart wouldn't run over it."
After about three hours, the man quietly died. In a written complaint to Continental, Beaulieu's son-in-law Alexander says he persuaded flight attendants the man passed away. Beaulieu said airline staff returned the dead man to an upright position and proceeded to serve the in-flight meal.
"They just sort of propped him up with a pillow under his head and tucked him in like he was having a nap."
The family is seeking financial compensation for the trip. Continental said the airline is obligated to provide transportation to Hawaii for critically ill passengers in Micronesia.
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Sounds like the cabin crew did their job as laid out (!) in their ops manual. It's certainly in our company manual to do what they did.........oh, and place a plastic sheet under the body........just in case of leaking bodily fluids etc etc.........
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Usual stuff from your usual uppity Americans/Canadians who think the world revolves around them!.
No sign of compassion such as - "Oh this poor old man trying to get to hospital died on the flight, we were so sorry, what a shame etc" just : "Some old croak who leg impinged -my space- etc".
What about the drunks on your average charter flight who reek of booze? Anyone suing for that or for the guy who has the volume turned up full blast and disturbs your whole flight etc!
Can't these people get themselves a life and get on with it!
Had this been a baby in an incubator on the aircraft who passed away, it would be a sob story letter to Continental. However, just because they felt a little uncomfortable with the guy across the aisle we get a "You ruined our holiday and we want you to pay for it!"
What an extremeley sad world we are forced to live in these days.
[This message has been edited by Icarus (edited 25 April 2001).]
No sign of compassion such as - "Oh this poor old man trying to get to hospital died on the flight, we were so sorry, what a shame etc" just : "Some old croak who leg impinged -my space- etc".
What about the drunks on your average charter flight who reek of booze? Anyone suing for that or for the guy who has the volume turned up full blast and disturbs your whole flight etc!
Can't these people get themselves a life and get on with it!
Had this been a baby in an incubator on the aircraft who passed away, it would be a sob story letter to Continental. However, just because they felt a little uncomfortable with the guy across the aisle we get a "You ruined our holiday and we want you to pay for it!"
What an extremeley sad world we are forced to live in these days.
[This message has been edited by Icarus (edited 25 April 2001).]
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I would just like to say that I was on a flight was The Canary Islands a couple of years ago (as a passenger), there was a man on this flight who had a heart attack. We were forced to land in Lisbon to enable a doctor to get on board, after well over an hours worth of resuscitation the man passed away.
I would just like to point out that on this occasion (on a Flying Colours flight) the staff were extremely helpful, very attentive, and also extremely upset by the whole experience.
The passengers were concerned and there were no complaints from anyone, everyone just felt very sorry for the family and for the crew.
Just to say that either not all ops manuals are calous or that not all crews are unfeeling.
Not an experience that i would like to have to go through again.
Rocky
I would just like to point out that on this occasion (on a Flying Colours flight) the staff were extremely helpful, very attentive, and also extremely upset by the whole experience.
The passengers were concerned and there were no complaints from anyone, everyone just felt very sorry for the family and for the crew.
Just to say that either not all ops manuals are calous or that not all crews are unfeeling.
Not an experience that i would like to have to go through again.
Rocky
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Just curious, but I thought there was only lots of Ocean between Guam & Honolulu? - what "Micronesian" Island has got a long enough runway to land a big jet ( even going off track a bit? ).
Typical Nth American/Canadian outlook on life - if you can, sue the bastards!
Typical Nth American/Canadian outlook on life - if you can, sue the bastards!
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Looks like the poor fellow really was critically ill.
As was pointed out there is alot of ocean mostly out there which means no hospitals, etc so the airliner route is probably the only game in town and Continential may be obligated under the terms of their approval for conducting Part 121 operations to provide this transportation , public convenience and necessity or something.
Seems like they could have set things up in the first place for the patient to have a little more privacy to make the trip a little more comfortable for him and the rest of the pax. After the unfortunate happened it appears the crew did what they could.
As for the distressed BC family I can appreciate their point of view but the suit is a little much, doubt they will win anything.
As was pointed out there is alot of ocean mostly out there which means no hospitals, etc so the airliner route is probably the only game in town and Continential may be obligated under the terms of their approval for conducting Part 121 operations to provide this transportation , public convenience and necessity or something.
Seems like they could have set things up in the first place for the patient to have a little more privacy to make the trip a little more comfortable for him and the rest of the pax. After the unfortunate happened it appears the crew did what they could.
As for the distressed BC family I can appreciate their point of view but the suit is a little much, doubt they will win anything.
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Surprised that a big outfit like Continental doesn't carry body bags on their ac. Any "Continental's" who can tell me if they do?
HAve doctor declare the patient dead, zip the body into the bag making sure the face is not covered, stow it in a toilet and look after the people who have witnesed the distressing event
Rocky, good to hear that your experience was different from the above, but I can't say the reaction of this family surprises me. I've had pax demanding a refill of their Whisky Soda while we were doing CPR on a dying traveler. PAx threatening to sue us when we made un enscheduled landing due to a lady going into premature labour and pax trying to take video footage of a taveler suffering an epileptic insult.
It takes al kinds.............
HAve doctor declare the patient dead, zip the body into the bag making sure the face is not covered, stow it in a toilet and look after the people who have witnesed the distressing event
Rocky, good to hear that your experience was different from the above, but I can't say the reaction of this family surprises me. I've had pax demanding a refill of their Whisky Soda while we were doing CPR on a dying traveler. PAx threatening to sue us when we made un enscheduled landing due to a lady going into premature labour and pax trying to take video footage of a taveler suffering an epileptic insult.
It takes al kinds.............
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Well maybe (!!) the FAs could have handled it a bit more "elegantly"...
Still, no wonder the US guys always get really nervous as soon as they hit some bumps, With jerks like those folks in the back.
Just too much reality after the "dream-vacation", I guess.
Never had incidents like that in 11 yrs., but after listening to all those stories about crazy/stupid/******-up pax, Iīm really looking forward to flying boxes.
Still, no wonder the US guys always get really nervous as soon as they hit some bumps, With jerks like those folks in the back.
Just too much reality after the "dream-vacation", I guess.
Never had incidents like that in 11 yrs., but after listening to all those stories about crazy/stupid/******-up pax, Iīm really looking forward to flying boxes.
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Not surprised that the passengers are seeking financial compensation - quite ridiculous. It's obvious they weren't very compassionate - it is actually a sad story...
And it also gives ICARUS a chance to blast Americans/Canadians. This guy loves to display anti-American comments whenever possible. Couldn't get a green card Icarus? Do us all a favor, use logic-oriented comments when you reply to posts. We don't need your political viewpoints here.
And it also gives ICARUS a chance to blast Americans/Canadians. This guy loves to display anti-American comments whenever possible. Couldn't get a green card Icarus? Do us all a favor, use logic-oriented comments when you reply to posts. We don't need your political viewpoints here.
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Well I wouldn't buy a box of cornflakes if there was a free green card in every box, that much is true.
Why do they call America the land of litigation - for the reasons written above; and it make me feel very sorry that such nationalities (predominantly) take such action under such sad circumstances, and as an out-sider that is all I have to form my opinions from. Plus all the rrst of the world sems to get is all the exports from America that didn't work there, but they think will work everywhere else, and they even make money from it.
If it is offensive - I am sorry - I do not intend to be. I acknowledge that I need to attend a few 'diplomacy' courses so the sensitive dont get too upset (another American thing) political correctness etc.
But again of it wasn't for such races to want to be so 'touchy/feely' then I wouldn't be percieved to have such a problem - would I?
I stand by all I have said in this thread and the EP3 thread, none of it is politic, it is all a simple human point of view; for the whole backed up by facts (US) people do not wish to acknowledge.
Perhaps that is where the real problem lies.
Back to the thread - it really is sad that people have to take such an attitude to what is obviously an uncomfortable and awkward situation for all on the aircraft. It seems to be that any opportunity for a buck is taken. Is that why they call the US 'The Land of Opportunity?'
Why do they call America the land of litigation - for the reasons written above; and it make me feel very sorry that such nationalities (predominantly) take such action under such sad circumstances, and as an out-sider that is all I have to form my opinions from. Plus all the rrst of the world sems to get is all the exports from America that didn't work there, but they think will work everywhere else, and they even make money from it.
If it is offensive - I am sorry - I do not intend to be. I acknowledge that I need to attend a few 'diplomacy' courses so the sensitive dont get too upset (another American thing) political correctness etc.
But again of it wasn't for such races to want to be so 'touchy/feely' then I wouldn't be percieved to have such a problem - would I?
I stand by all I have said in this thread and the EP3 thread, none of it is politic, it is all a simple human point of view; for the whole backed up by facts (US) people do not wish to acknowledge.
Perhaps that is where the real problem lies.
Back to the thread - it really is sad that people have to take such an attitude to what is obviously an uncomfortable and awkward situation for all on the aircraft. It seems to be that any opportunity for a buck is taken. Is that why they call the US 'The Land of Opportunity?'
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f40:
Some airlines has a policy that nobody dies onboard during flight.
Let them "sleep" untill a doctor on the ground can pronounce 'em dead.
Litigation perhaps, or because only a doctor can say somebody is dead, not sure.
(Yup, some flights may happen to have a doctor onboard, but others flights may not.)
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Men, this is no drill...
Some airlines has a policy that nobody dies onboard during flight.
Let them "sleep" untill a doctor on the ground can pronounce 'em dead.
Litigation perhaps, or because only a doctor can say somebody is dead, not sure.
(Yup, some flights may happen to have a doctor onboard, but others flights may not.)
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Men, this is no drill...
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Hadnīt even thought of that...
Good point.
Absolutely correct!
Only a doctor can pronounce someone "dead".
Now just think of a scenario, when someone looks and feels dead, but isnīt?!
What if that person dies or becomes a cripple, because he was treated/handled as if dead.
So much for a humane approach with just a little common sense and empathy or maybe even compassion.
The FAs did the right thing.
Good point.
Absolutely correct!
Only a doctor can pronounce someone "dead".
Now just think of a scenario, when someone looks and feels dead, but isnīt?!
What if that person dies or becomes a cripple, because he was treated/handled as if dead.
So much for a humane approach with just a little common sense and empathy or maybe even compassion.
The FAs did the right thing.
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Not strictly 'on-thread' but some years ago I was doing a charter return flight to the UK. Unfortunately, a man had died during his holiday and we were bringing his body back home in a coffin in the hold. His (new)widow was travelling as a passenger on the same flight. During the in-flight sale of duty-frees, the widow asked the FA whether, in addition to her own allowance, she could use her dead husband's allowance!
