Health Care on Airplanes

Passenger's death raises questions about medical assistance aboard airplanes.

During "American Airlines Flight 896 from Haiti to New York Friday night,...a woman developed medical trouble and died on the flight before it could land."

       

"There are conflicting versions" about "what kind of medical help" the passenger received.

The passenger's death "is raising questions anew about what assistance airlines can provide if you become gravely ill on a plane." The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is still attempting to determine what actually occurred. According to American Airlines, "its crew followed established procedures to help" the passenger. But, "a cousin who flew with her has said that her distress was initially ignored, and that the plane lacked functioning equipment to help her." The Journal notes that the FAA "has clear regulations about the medical equipment airlines are required to carry on board planes, including heart defibrillators and first-aid oxygen." Still, "the line blurs when it comes to procedures for administering assistance, providing nonemergency help, and even defining the point when a health concern becomes an emergency."

The passenger "had arteriosclerotic cardiovascular heart disease, or blockage in her arteries, as well as diabetes, according to the New York City medical examiner's office." Although her relatives maintain that there was no oxygen on board the flight, Tim Wagner, a spokesman for American Airlines, said that "oxygen was administered within a couple of minutes after" the passenger's "cousin came forward, [and] several doctors and nurses stepped in to help." Furthermore, Wagner stated that "all 12 canisters on board were full, and were checked before takeoff, as required."

The airline further maintained that it is "investigating this incident, as" it does "with all serious medical situations on board" its aircraft. Moreover, "oxygen was administered, and the Automatic External Defibrillator was applied," the airline stated.

       

The  FAA "requires commercial flights to carry no fewer than two oxygen dispensers," so that the "oxygen [is] available in case there is a rapid cabin decompression." Nevertheless, the oxygen "can also be used for other emergencies."