N965VJ
Veteran
That reminds me, I’m renting out some property and a prospective tenant wants an exit clause in the contract, so I was wondering...
Thought I'd run this up the flagpole, from the Elliott travel blog
- Thread starter Dont call me Shirley
- Start date
agreed with in full! We should have, as an airline, reached out in advance to thank this man. Automatically upgrading his return would have been a nice touch and would have let him know we recognized his actions.
These do happen weekly so if this one was "Above and Beyond" it still would require someone being informed outside the normal procedure. A report that goes to some analyst desk 2-3 days later is not going to do it. Nobody in OPS is going to think about comping the Dr. That is a CS issue and would have rquired CS involvment at some higher level.
Once he did write the letter it was completely in Tempe's (Customer Relations) court.
Once he did write the letter it was completely in Tempe's (Customer Relations) court.
US1YFARE
Veteran
- Mar 31, 2004
- 3,932
- 54
That's the probllem...tempe doesn't empower its employees to think...stepford stare is the way things are run
How come other airlines manage to thank physicians by dropping miles into their account and sending thank you notes? Can we blame that on SHARES, too?
How come other airlines manage to thank physicians by dropping miles into their account and sending thank you notes? Can we blame that on SHARES, too?
jimntx
Veteran
The doctor was exceedingly crass and tacky by asking for compensation. He is (as are all professional medical people--doctors, nurses, osteopaths, EMTs) ethically bound to offer his assistance in an emergency situation. I don't know about LCC, but at AA the following things happen (or perhaps, I should say are supposed to happen 
).
1. Crew member identifies emergency.
2. Emergency equipment brought to passenger seat by another crew member.
3. Page for medical assistance.
4. When Dr. identifies him/herself, crewmember asks for medical identification. If the Dr. can not produce it, he/she is not permitted to touch the patient. (In my vast career of 7.5 years, I've actually had an impostor try to get involved in a medical emergency situation. He had a hard time explaining that to the police who met us when we landed.)
5. Crewmember records all information regarding incident including Dr.'s name and contact info.
6. Report is made via computer at first opportunity by all involved crew members.
7. Someone from AA Medical does followup with doctor as thank you and to obtain medical information that might be needed but could not be conveyed to crewmembers due to privacy laws.
8. Passes are usually offered (I think), but specific "I want two r-t tickets to TLV" kinds of extortion are politely refused.
).1. Crew member identifies emergency.
2. Emergency equipment brought to passenger seat by another crew member.
3. Page for medical assistance.
4. When Dr. identifies him/herself, crewmember asks for medical identification. If the Dr. can not produce it, he/she is not permitted to touch the patient. (In my vast career of 7.5 years, I've actually had an impostor try to get involved in a medical emergency situation. He had a hard time explaining that to the police who met us when we landed.)
5. Crewmember records all information regarding incident including Dr.'s name and contact info.
6. Report is made via computer at first opportunity by all involved crew members.
7. Someone from AA Medical does followup with doctor as thank you and to obtain medical information that might be needed but could not be conveyed to crewmembers due to privacy laws.
8. Passes are usually offered (I think), but specific "I want two r-t tickets to TLV" kinds of extortion are politely refused.
- Banned
- #37
I think its BS no one forced him to help, he is crass and rude to ask for compensation, maybe he should get the PAX' medical insurance information and bill them or ask them to buy his tickets to TLV.
We all have helped someone else in life out or gone the extra mile at work and never had the gaul to expect something in return.
Just the other day I tuned up my friend's car so she wouldnt have to take it to the shop cause her check engine light was coming on, now I saved her over $200 in troubleshooting and labor, I didnt ask her for a thing, her thank you and friendship is enough for me.
We all have helped someone else in life out or gone the extra mile at work and never had the gaul to expect something in return.
Just the other day I tuned up my friend's car so she wouldnt have to take it to the shop cause her check engine light was coming on, now I saved her over $200 in troubleshooting and labor, I didnt ask her for a thing, her thank you and friendship is enough for me.
4merresrat
Veteran
- Apr 3, 2003
- 548
- 0
The other part of his little story that rubbed me the wrong way was when he stated that his trip started out on the wrong foot because he planned to sleep on his flight. Get real doc, how many people actually get off an overseas flight feeling refreshed and perky? I would think he would feel good about himself for helping a fellow passenger, instead it seems he felt resentful, and as if he was owed something. Tsk tsk.
SS255
Veteran
This entire incident could have been avoided had US just upgraded him and his wife to Envoy on their return flight. Believe me......he would have been satisfied with that!!! Failing that, had he returned home to a personalized letter from US and a bunch of miles or two $500 vouchers, I think we would not be having this discussion.
Was he "entitled" to anything? No. Should US have offered a generous gesture of thanks? Absolutely.
US needs to implement a policy for "compensating" medical professionals assisting with on-board emergencies (i.e. miles or a voucher, or a choice of the two), post it on their website, enforce the policy and the procedures among crew.......and exercise good judgment when the outcome truly exceeds what is considered fair and reasonable as per the policy.
Was he "entitled" to anything? No. Should US have offered a generous gesture of thanks? Absolutely.
US needs to implement a policy for "compensating" medical professionals assisting with on-board emergencies (i.e. miles or a voucher, or a choice of the two), post it on their website, enforce the policy and the procedures among crew.......and exercise good judgment when the outcome truly exceeds what is considered fair and reasonable as per the policy.
Ok...because everyone here seems oblivious to the law, there was an article that relates to this directly in Internal Medical News from last September 2008. It addresses this very situation. Legally and morally, there is no obligation for a doctor to help a patient in a flight. I say morally, because the only moral guidelines would be the Hypocratic Oath which is silent on good samaritans. Legally, he would be safe lawsuit even if found negligent due to the Aviation Medical Assist Act.
So all that said, he COULD have sat there and kept his mouth shut, and suffered no legal or professional discipline.
This means he really was a volunteer, as are any future doctors who assist.
All that said, I would think an airline would have a high incentive to "compensate" any doctor. His inaction increases the chance for passenger injury or death, and since the doctor is legally protected whether or not he acts, the airline would be the sole defendent in a lawsuit.
That said, I don't think flight crews should be authorized to "negotiate" compensation and any policy should be flexible. Obviously taking a pulse and advising the captain whether to continue or divert is "worth" less than monitoring someone for 4 hours.
How is it handled then? Common sense. Someone at Tempe should be authorized to use their brain.
In this case, the following letter would have been sent:
Dr. Awesome,
I want to personally extend my most sincere appreciation for you sacrificing a portion of your vaction to help both a passenger in need, as well as all other passengers and flight crew whose intenarary would have been in jeapordy if not for your actions. While we realize that your assistance was completely voluntary, I feel compelled to show our appreciation. Please find enclosed, two complimentary upgrades to First/Envoy Class on any domestic or international flight at any point in the future. We hope that you will find good use for these in the near future, and that the additional seating upgrade and services provided will ensure that your next vacation begins and ends in the greatest possible comfort. Again, we value all that you have done, and look forward to being your carrier of choice soon.
Sincerely,
{hand signed}
Scott Kirby
President
US Airways
Doctor feels appreciated, his ego stroked, says nice things about US, and US is out a couple of hundred bucks for the upgrade that some Y class would have bought at the gate instead.
So all that said, he COULD have sat there and kept his mouth shut, and suffered no legal or professional discipline.
This means he really was a volunteer, as are any future doctors who assist.
All that said, I would think an airline would have a high incentive to "compensate" any doctor. His inaction increases the chance for passenger injury or death, and since the doctor is legally protected whether or not he acts, the airline would be the sole defendent in a lawsuit.
That said, I don't think flight crews should be authorized to "negotiate" compensation and any policy should be flexible. Obviously taking a pulse and advising the captain whether to continue or divert is "worth" less than monitoring someone for 4 hours.
How is it handled then? Common sense. Someone at Tempe should be authorized to use their brain.
In this case, the following letter would have been sent:
Dr. Awesome,
I want to personally extend my most sincere appreciation for you sacrificing a portion of your vaction to help both a passenger in need, as well as all other passengers and flight crew whose intenarary would have been in jeapordy if not for your actions. While we realize that your assistance was completely voluntary, I feel compelled to show our appreciation. Please find enclosed, two complimentary upgrades to First/Envoy Class on any domestic or international flight at any point in the future. We hope that you will find good use for these in the near future, and that the additional seating upgrade and services provided will ensure that your next vacation begins and ends in the greatest possible comfort. Again, we value all that you have done, and look forward to being your carrier of choice soon.
Sincerely,
{hand signed}
Scott Kirby
President
US Airways
Doctor feels appreciated, his ego stroked, says nice things about US, and US is out a couple of hundred bucks for the upgrade that some Y class would have bought at the gate instead.
N965VJ
Veteran
I believe an EMT and a doctor on FlyerTalk mentioned they both received 15,000 miles from AA for helping.
does this plane go to paris
Senior
It appears that most agree that the doctor was uncool in his request and Tempe should have more proactive in in expressing their thanks. Since he wants to to go TLV so bad, make him pony up the amount of a coach ticket and then give him a free upgrade and then let him use his 175TV at a later time.
Dr. XX should be compensated as requested. He saved a divert that med-link advised plus from my POV the flight over is the start of the vacation. He got no rest enroute. Pay the man Tempe.
OP
Dont call me Shirley
Veteran
- Aug 20, 2002
- 3,270
- 306
- Thread Starter
- Thread starter
- #44
Great point. Adding miles to DM account was a great customer service tool(at very liitle cost to the company). before HP took over.
After all is said and done, Tempe dropped the ball by not sending the doctor a nice letter thanking him for his assistance.
SS255's idea of upgrading Dr and Mrs on the return is a good one indeed. But are front line staff even empowered to do that anymore? I don't think so.
