Woman dies on AA flight
 

www.msnbc.msn.com/id/23327116/?GT1=10856

Be sure to pack your own oxygen canister in your carry-on bag. AA's are empty.

I think AA is going to have a heck of lawsuit on there hands. That is such a shame. I feel so bad for her family.

Of course none of us know the full story, however my first though when I saw this report was did no-one think of getting the Captain on the PA system to advise other passengers/FA's that he would be 'dropping the Oxygen masks' as a passenger needed Oygen urgently for medical reasons and that was the only reason, and drop the Oxygen masks ?

Whether the oxygen would have helped no one knows, but anyway, that was my 'first thought' when I read this.

Now report that the passenger 'did' get Oxygen and they did use the defibrillator.

Deploying the oxygen masks is not a suitable way of providing oxygen in a medical emergency.

It sounds like she was just unfortunate. Even so, I'm sure AA will be sued, as that is standard procedure in the U.S., no matter who is at fault (even if no one is at fault).

AA says the relatives report is 100% wrong. That oxygen was provided, the defibulator was used, and at least 3 medical professionals worked on her.

Why are we so quick to assume the airline was in the wrong?

Maybe -- maybe not so much . . . . .

What's more I don't think the airlines are even required to have MEDICAL oxygen on board unless they are notified in advance. The canisters and equipment they have on board is for use in the event of a depresurazation. There is a different delivey method for medical 02. (I have seen them loading it for passengers who are O2 dependent) So even though she got the cannister it may not have been what she needed. the airlines system are designed for folks who can breath the oxygen in (remember even though oxygen is flowing the bag will not inflate.... That's because the O2 is not as forced as on medical 02)

(And I have to admit, Diabetes is not normally treated with 02)

I definitely think that there are two sides to this story and cannot believe that she wasn't given the O2 etc. when requested.

O2 bottles on the airplace can be used for medical emergencies as we can change the delivery speed and this is something that is drilled into us every year at our jet recurrent training for the FAA.Diabetic comas and insulin shock usually do not warrant offering O2 as a first defense so am wondering what really happened?

Perhaps I'm jaundiced, but I suspect that her relatives were running around yelling lawsuit before the corpse had even cooled. I say this because her relatives gave no indication they were other than laymen, and I don't think laymen would have any way of knowing whether an oxygen cylinder was full or empty, nor whether a defibrillator was functioning and, the paper reported that when they tried to contact the doctor who had administered to her, he would make no comment and referred them to his attorney.

I wouldn't think an airline would have any responsibility to provide medical treatment; I've never heard that they have medical practitioners on their flight crews, and I would expect that the passenger should assume responsibility for sudden illness, or complications. Tolerating lawsuits in such situations would certainly put a damper on the feelings of anyone contemplating acting as a good samaritan.

I am not sure who is at fault here. I know there are two sides to every story but one thing I do know if I had to fly with a dead body on the floor next to my seat I would be very upset.

In the early days of flying, a flight attendant had to be a registered nurse, single, female and young.

So if I pretend I'm dead, will I get to fly in First Class? I surpose I won't get any free wine?!

I "believe" that Doctors are protected by a Good Samaritan law passed just because of some stupid lawsuit from an incident like this.

I can't recall the details, but I expect that the Doctor is protected. I also expect that AA is protected.

CarolA posted:
"I don't think the airlines are even required to have MEDICAL oxygen on board unless they are notified in advance. The canisters and equipment they have on board is for use in the event of a depresurazation."

This is not true. Aircarriers ARE required to have: 1)Medical oxygen and 2)Working AED's. Both are checked prior to each flight according to FAA rules.

The canisters on board are NOT used for emergency depressurization, since: 1)There are the drop down masks, and 2)It would be difficult and dangerously slow to attempt to use cannisters in the event of such a depressuization.

What I "suspect" you may be referring to is the fact that when a pax requiring oxygen brings their own cannister on board with them - the airline does the hookup with either theirs or the pax cannister.
This is a separate issue from the requirement to carrier medical O2.

Best, Dave

Actually Dave-the portable O2 bottles on board are to be used by the F/A's in the event of a decompression so that they can walk around and attend the passengers.

The woman was overweight, diabetic and hypertensive. Her death is a tragedy, but it certainly is not AA's fault.

But rest assured AA will be sued anyway, raising costs for all of us!

dutyfree - You are, of course, correct. I wasn't as clear as I should have been - the FA's don't use the cannisters UPON decompression, but rather AFTER it.

Here is a good synopsis by (I presume) an AA FA:
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/showp...p;postcount=28

Best, Dave