Woman Dies on American Airlines Flight

[L1011Ret]

My first question NOW, because of the tragedy is, Is any member of the Flight Crew responsible to check the o2 levels of these Emerg. tanks, BEFORE Dept. ???

F/As do NOT have to check O2 levels.

 

[L1011Ret]

There is zero chance the cockpit door would be opened and the cockpit O2 used.

I think that would be the Captain's decision.

 

[700UW]

I know at US, the FAs have to check the portable O2 levels, I would believe it is the same at every airline, it is a safety check.

 

[FWAAA]

Complete BS. Absolute, freakin' nonsense.

Woman dies of natural causes. Two docs and two nurses try to save her. Family members make outlandish claims. Denial of O2? Broken defib? Utter BS.

Lawsuit Lottery, anyone?

There's only one real story here - and it's about how some low-class distraught relatives make up completely unbelievable stories to try to make the FAs and AA look bad.

Wonder if this family specializes in public transit lawsuits? You know, the type who jump on a muni bus as soon as it's been in a fender-bender?

 

[eolesen]

Hold on, FWAAA.... People do some pretty stupid things when they're upset....

If she was known to have heart disease, then the AED would have been useless. So would the oxygen. It might have bought her another hour, but heart disease means an overall deterioration of the pulmonary system in part or in general. I know -- my daughter has a mild form involving two of the four valves. If she ever arrests, the AED would be useless. CPR might work to keep blood moving, but if the valves don't work correctly, the blood won't be moving in the right direction...

 

[Skymess]

Complete BS. Absolute, freakin' nonsense.

Woman dies of natural causes. Two docs and two nurses try to save her. Family members make outlandish claims. Denial of O2? Broken defib? Utter BS.

Lawsuit Lottery, anyone?

There's only one real story here - and it's about how some low-class distraught relatives make up completely unbelievable stories to try to make the FAs and AA look bad.

Wonder if this family specializes in public transit lawsuits? You know, the type who jump on a muni bus as soon as it's been in a fender-bender?

I have to agree with you. The plane in question was an A-300. There are DOZENS of O2 bottles on the plane. Even if 2 were empty, which is HIGHLY unlikely, there were dozens more. The debibrillator is checked prior to each flight by the purser and usually one or two other chronic double checkers (which usually includes myself) and if it isn't working the battery is immediately changed and/or they get us a new one.

It is unfortunate someone died onboard. To blame the crew and AA is always an worth a try but they are going to need to get their story into a more non-fictional format if they hope to win anything.

Not to sound callous (but probably not succeeding) this is one of those flights where we have about 20-30 wheelchair passengers rolled on each flight, of which at least 10 look like they are already dead or will die inflight. When I was purser I used to ask one of the FAs to stand at the door just to ask our wheelchair passengers a question to make sure they were actually breathing before we let them on the plane.

 

[jimntx]

F/As do NOT have to check O2 levels.

Incorrect. The F/A manual approved by the FAA states very specifically that the f/as are responsible for checking all safety equipment--including oxygen levels on O2 cylinders--as part of pre-flight duties.
The manual specifies which f/a is responsible for the safety equipment in a particular area of the cabin.

 

[eolesen]

Not to sound callous (but probably not succeeding) this is one of those flights where we have about 20-30 wheelchair passengers rolled on each flight, of which at least 10 look like they are already dead or will die inflight. When I was purser I used to ask one of the FAs to stand at the door just to ask our wheelchair passengers a question to make sure they were actually breathing before we let them on the plane.

Not callous at all. I used to work the FIS at JFK and was amazed that as many made it thru the flight. What's ironic is how many find the will to walk once they get past Customs...

With healthcare so crappy in Haiti, they have no choice but to come here because our ER's have to treat everyone regardless of nationality or ability to pay...

 

[700UW]

She lives in NY, not Haiti.

AA stated there are 12 portable O2 cylinders on the plane.

 

[Veritas]

Airline disputes cousin's story of death

"American Airlines, after investigation, has determined that oxygen was administered on the aircraft, and it was working, and the defibrillator was applied as well," airline spokesman Charley Wilson said Monday.

There were 12 oxygen tanks on the plane and the crew checked them before the flight took off to make sure they were working, Wilson said. He said at least two were used on Desir.

Flight attendants are trained not to automatically give oxygen to every passenger who requests it but instead use airline criteria to judge when it's needed, said Leslie Mayo, a spokeswoman for the union representing American's attendants.

Wilson said Desir's cousin flagged down a flight attendant and said the woman had diabetes and needed oxygen. "The flight attendant responded, 'OK, but we usually don't need to treat diabetes with oxygen, but let me check anyway and get back to you.'"

Wilson said the employee spoke with another flight attendant, and both went to Desir within one to three minutes.

"By that time the situation was worsening, and they immediately began administering oxygen," he said.

Wilson said the defibrillator was used but that the machine indicated Desir's heartbeat was too weak to activate the unit.

Wilson said three flight attendants helped Desir, but "stepped back" after doctors and nurses on the flight began to help her.

"Our crew acted very admirably. They did what they were trained to do, and the equipment was working," he said.

 

[nbmcg01]

Airline disputes cousin's story of death

It is important to note that O2 bottles need to be changed out which could appear to the untrained as "empty". In all of my years of flying I have never known of a f/a refusuing to give someone O2. It was always considered a "quick fix" and the most harmless intervention. Good for hangovers, air sickness, fatigue, you name it. I'll bet that her condition did not require the AED so no shock was "given". I feel for the family and the crew.

 

[WingNaPrayer]

I haven't read the thread but, it is my opinion that it is highly unlikely that every canister of O2 was empty. If they were, they've been empty for a long time and that means the FAs aren't doing their job Re: safety checks. If any or all of the O2 tanks were empty, that plane never should have left the ground.

There is a communication breakdown somewhere and someone is not understanding the information they were given - most likely; the passenger.

Again, I highly doubt that every canister was empty and that flight left the ground with zero oxygen on board.

 

[etops1]

I know at US, the FAs have to check the portable O2 levels, I would believe it is the same at every airline, it is a safety check.

absolutely correct. at us we have to make sure the needle is in the green . that is part of our preflight. like 700 says i am sure other airlines follow this practice. if i am not mistaken it's actually a no go item if more than 1 o2 bottle is found empty.

 

[L1011Ret]

absolutely correct. at us we have to make sure the needle is in the green . that is part of our preflight. like 700 says i am sure other airlines follow this practice. if i am not mistaken it's actually a no go item if more than 1 o2 bottle is found empty.

According to an AA HI6 message the pax was administered O2 from a bottle and the defib worked fine.

 

[Skymess]

absolutely correct. at us we have to make sure the needle is in the green . that is part of our preflight. like 700 says i am sure other airlines follow this practice. if i am not mistaken it's actually a no go item if more than 1 o2 bottle is found empty.

Don't be too sure that all airlines follow the same procedures. When I started at AA we did NOT have to check that the O2 or extinguisher gauges were full. That was allegedly maintenance's job. I always checked them anyway because I worked for other airlines where that was my job and because I would be the one needing them if something went wrong. A few years ago AA changed that policy and we now have to check that the gauge reads full and all applicable seals are intact.

At other airlines during a manual safety demonstration all FAs are required to to point to door and window exits. AA's policy is that we don't. When I asked why in initial training the response was " because we're American Airlines and we don't do that". So, there you have it. We're AA and "we do what we want".