Pax who fail to disclose medical conditions when travelling by air

[anat0l]

He's not dead, he's resting.

The crew didn't think of waking him for the safety demonstration?

 

[Oneworldplus2]

Good to see airport security upholding standards.

Wonder if they'll spot an Abram hanging out of my back pocket on Friday?

 

[ozbeachbabe]

Once I heard a passenger on board a QF plane say to a flight attendant that he was heading home to die.
The crew let him fly after lots of discussion with the flight deck and he needed in flight oxygen. That was a long time ago.
Good travel insurance now includes Medivac evacuation so it can get you a nurse to accompany you home in the case where you experience an adverse health event.

Just like the saying "oils ain't oils" oxygen ain't oxygen either.

A different incident this time on a CNS based regional airline had a hospital discharge a patient & therefore deemed him 'fit for travel' back to Aurukun. They guy was a double amputee, a diabetic - the works & had no Dr or nurse with him. His 'carer' was a friend & not medically trained in any way.

At some stage on the prior to takeoff the guy needed oxygen (he'd been approved for travel without it) & when the F/A gave him oxygen on board he nearly suffocated as the oxygen onboard was suitable for a decompression situation with a flow rate of 0.08 litres per minute. He didn't end up travelling & there was a substantial delay to the flight whilst he was offloaded & the airline was threatened with racial discrimination for not uplifting him.

The situation is there's two types of oxygen available:

a. Oxygen suitable for pax in a decompression situation which flows at a rate of 0.08 litres per minute eg if the aircraft has a decompression at 20,000 feet the oxygen is adequate for pax until the plane reaches a safe altitude of 10,000 feet where they can breathe normally.

b. First Aid oxygen which flows at a rate of 2.0 litres per minute. Just about all medical cases I've seen when pax is approved for travel it stipulates flow rate is to be 2.0 litres per minute.

Not all airlines have first aid oxygen only the kind suitable in case of a decompression so it further highlights the importance of someone who does need it to pre-arrange it prior to departure - not just say nonchalantly "they carry it onboard don't they".

This is no time for a "she'll be right mate" attitude.

Basically if somebody, whether it be the passenger or treating Doctor isn't sure what's required it's important to contact the relevant airline to double check with their special handling department who will clarify what's required.