Florida Attorney General To Investigate Us

[PSA1979]

The airline claimed Barrett's ventilator was a life support system and therefore he was a medical risk. So he was forced off the plane and his surgery appeared in doubt.

[post="248243"][/post]​

This appears to be just a little bit anti US biased here. When did breathing become not necessary to sustain life? How come US claimed a ventilator is a life support system, yet the journalist who wrote this article didn't say anything about Barrett claiming he was force off the plane. Now I feel empathy for Mr. Barrett, but I agree with Twice, cut and dry.

 

[Twicebaked]

OK...I am getting a bit confused.

Is a ventilator not life support? Would Inflight Medical Oxygen even help this pax?
If oxygen wouldn't help without him using the ventilator, that only strengthens US case. As I stated before....a pax CANNOT be on life support.

SKYHIGH, I don't understand your point in your last post.

Answer this..... Can Mr. Barret live without that ventilator? If the answer is NO, then that IS infact life support and the FAA, NOT US, the FAA will NOT allow Mr. Barett to fly ANY airline....not United, Delta, CO or whomever.

Did you see any other commercial airline offer to take Mr. Barrett??

No, because they are NOT permitted either.

 

[700UW]

Letter from AG to US Airways

 

[Twicebaked]

Letter from AG to US Airways

[post="248262"][/post]​

He suffered extreme humilation because he was carried off of the plane? He is a paraplegic. He is always physically removed!!!! If he was embarrased this time, he was the time before that, and before that. I am sorry, but this guy is looking for compensation for no reason. I feel sorry about his condition. He should NEVER feel embarrased about his condition. Again, assistant or not, you CANNOT FLY ON A COMMERCIAL AIRLINE IF YOU REQUIRE LIFE SUPPORT.

So, he was already on the plane. Just because you find a hydrulic problem on an aircraft after the passengers have boarded doesn't mean you go anyway as not to inconvenience them!!!!!

If for some reason that LIFE SUPPORTING ventilator failed, up there at 30,000 + feet he would have DIED.

Why can't anyone understand this?????????

 

[Hope777]

Maybe Tadjr who posts here often can shed some light on this matter since he is a TPA employee. My Questions is very simple, WHY WAS HE BOARDED IN THE FIRST PLACE ??????

 

[delldude]

ah ha ha...we get zapped with good publicity as of late.......
USPS fires us and now in what may be one of marketing most brilliant schemes we bounce a handicapped guy who was going to get surgery to breathe on his own...
genius...simply genius...

 

[desertfox]

5.4.1 of the Flight Attendant Emergency Manual states:

The following passengers are not acceptable for transportation.

(AT THE TOP OF THIS LIST IS....)

A passenger requiring use of a Life support system during flight or constant oxygen except if they meet guidelines for Inflight Medical Oxygen.

(THIS PASSENGER WAS ON LIFE SUPPORT)

What are the guidelines you ask?

14CFR part 121.574 (FAR)

Has requested oxygen at least 48 before departure....
.....has an attendant....

A passenger is NOT permitted to carry on their own personal oxygen supply. ONLY unit's provided by US Airways may be used onboard.
Bottom line here is that US did NOTHING wrong according to Federal Aviation Regulations. It seems that his denial was mainly due to the fact that he did not order oxygen from US Airways far enough in advance and wanted to use his own.

Was US only being money hungry? NO! FAA does NOT allow pax to bring on their own supply. WHY? Because who knows what might actually be in there. There could be an explosive device in there. ( I know oxygen is flammable, but you know what I am saying)

Vedict? Innocent

[post="248238"][/post]​

As long as we are quoting from rules....it appears that ventilators are not strangers to USAirs passenger cabins. In their website ventilators are specifically refered to.

"Assistive devices such as portable ventilators or CPAP machines that are used during flight must have their own power source. Aircraft power sources may not be used for assistive devices. "


Normally when someone mentions to reservations that a ventilator is going to part of their carry on, a call to the airline medical department or consultant would be made and the specific circumstances of the passenger are reviewed and either approved or disapproved. Authorization is added to passengers reservation record.

The declaration that a ventilator is life support equipment and therefore the passenger cannot travel is contradicted by USAir's policy in the website.

Heck, at 30,000 feet all the passengers are on life support equipment....the aircraft!

 

[tadjr]

I was working that night and can only say that the entire story was not portrayed accurately in the press. Surprised?
Some major details were left out of his story. We'll see when the investigation is done what the outcome is, but it wont be on page one, I'm sure.
I was not working the gate so I cant comment on what transpired there that night other than second hand info.
Medlink was involved ON THE GROUND which is procedure.

 

[Non Rev]

I too empathize with his plight. But why on earth would you choose to fly a connection when CO flies nonstop? Perhaps CO denied him?

 

[jcooke]

He was doing it for the miles....

And the surgery too.

I would wager either the CO nonstop cost more or he was denied on CO. The "letter" from the AG to US was a pitiful cry and I'm guessing there's alot more to the story.

Smells like McDonalds hot coffee?

-JC

 

[mweiss]

Heck, at 30,000 feet all the passengers are on life support equipment....the aircraft!

[post="248288"][/post]​

...which is designed to have sufficient redundancy built into the system to ensure an acceptable level of risk.

 

[Twicebaked]

Heck, at 30,000 feet all the passengers are on life support equipment....the aircraft!

[post="248288"][/post]​

The above comment is totally stupid. You know exactly what is meant by life support. Do you need special assistance to breathe on an aircraft other than that of the oxygen that is supplied due to pressurization? Well, Mr. Barrett does.