estnet

R u a troll? If u "fell into a coma" u would not have "awakened weak", etc

If you know neither basic medical terminology, nor ft terms , why should we take u seriously?

flyingwheels

And who's the one who dropped the ball worst? Right, you. YOU know YOUR health history, YOU are the first one reponsible for your health, YOU are the one that has to deal with consequences, YOU could have oh so easily taken YOUR responsibility in it all.

Even on a great crew, they work with human beings. Human beings make mistakes. Anyone who trusts on others to take care of their health when there is no absolute need for it and a very simple way of taking that responsibility themselves, is acting in a very irresponsible way.

It would have been all to easy for you to;

- check on the meal actually being there BEFORE boarding, (human beings after all, mistakes can be made which you will then not find out until midair...... oops)
- after checking up on that discuss how to proceed with possible situations like sleeping, if you could be signaled if for whatever reason eating would be posponed etcetc
- be aware that most people do NOT know the ins and outs of ANY health issue, including something like diabetes. Even those who do know more than the surface will not know your personal medical history but WILL know no 2 illnesses are the same in 2 different individuals
- it could've been oh so easybreasy by making sure you do not make yourself 100% dependant on others for your health and possibly life by having food with you. Feel like a nap? EAT beforehand. After all; nobody can predict the future. Neither can you. For all you know, you fall asleep and crew would've woken you if it weren't for the bad turbulence that started soon after and resulted in passengers and crew being seated down for the remainer of the flight. Oops.....

Then you have the outlook you have and rant as you do. I'm sorry, but you are so blatently loud in your own total lack of responsibility, name calling and entitlement that it is impossible to not see the biggest problem kinda was you. And still is. Playing with your own health; your choice and perogative. But you then try to put the blame where it does not belong. Choices are a right. Taking your responsibility is nobodies duty other than your own.

I happen to be one of those that has some needs to being extra carefull with regards to food and health. And you know what? My health, my life, my responsibility given I can so very easily make sure I am safe. I do not look towards others for things I can control myself. I'm sorry but IMO you are trying to put blame everywhere but where it belongs. About time you'ld start learning something from this experience about how YOU can take your part.

skylady

Have you considered a travel companion, to save you from such a grave situation in the future? I am just so thankful that you were able to arouse from your coma in time for landing.

estnet

For those who don't know here is the definition of a coma

Definition

By Mayo Clinic staff Coma is a state of prolonged unconsciousness that can be caused by a variety of problems — traumatic head injury, stroke, brain tumor, drug or alcohol intoxication, or even an underlying illness, such as diabetes or an infection.Coma is a medical emergency. Swift action is needed to preserve life and brain function. Doctors normally order a battery of blood tests and a brain CT scan to try to determine what's causing the coma so that proper treatment can begin.Comas seldom last longer than several weeks. People who are unconscious for a longer period of time may transition to a persistent vegetative state. Depending on the cause of coma, people who are in a persistent vegetative state for more than one year are extremely unlikely to awaken.

Bluesky

Try to fly with Emirates... it's the best one and cabin crews were so friendly and thoughtful with the disabled people.

JDiver

Sad story.

But here's what I opine - nobody will care more about ourselves more than we do and should not be expected to. The best strategy is to let the cabin crew know our needs (different than "wants") so they can know to wake us when we want our special meal, or whatever. They're flight attendants, not psychics or mind readers.

It might be easier when we travel with a companion, or even an alert animal - but if we know ourselves, it's up to us to plan, IMO.

We live and learn - and if we live long enough, we learn to be assertive about our needs and leave it to the others to whine or gripe about their wants ("they didn't serve the pre-departure beverage!" "The seat color clashed with what I was wearing!")

Live long and prosper - that's my mission; they might not really care.

skylady

Cabin crews don't know what type of diabetes you have, based on your meal order. Also,they don't know when you need to eat, or fast. It's up to you to let them know exactly what your needs are. If you discuss with them your insulin schedule, they may be better prepared, as will you.

trevor2522

Being from the UK myself, I really can't believe what I am reading here from the American members. The Australian reader is at least somewhat understanding and constructive. Just to give another example of how airlines on the Europe-Asia routes (including Middle-Eastern ones) ensure passengers with special needs are competently identified and served, I refer readers to this email just received from a Swiss friend:

Again, yes, Vietnam Airlines served me my special meal b4 everyone else....no problems at all. cheers, m.

And Vietnam Airlines is considered one of the less-efficient and least up-to-date airlines in that part of the world!

The basis of this argument, I deduce, is one of American perceptions of humanity and service versus those prevalent in Europe and Asia. This is also mirrored in the murder rate (per 100,000 per annum): Americas 15.4, Europe 3.5, Asia 3.1. Colombia alone is 31.4 ... can I expect much humanity from a nation which kills over 26 times as many people as my own at 1.2?

Having experienced uncaring and just plain incompetent service on my first trip to the Americas, I have no desire to return, or use their airlines. I will stick to my familiar, civilised, old-world carriers who have served me well over a quarter-century of ordering special meals.

warthog1984

Tough Luck. Go ahead and stay in your comfy bubble then.

Yes, Avianca could have had better service or notified you, but you took no special steps to ensure your own health & well-being, appear to have little idea what you are talking about (a "coma" that only lasts 10hr and you wake up from on your own? that's not a coma, that's a nap), nor did you take steps to correct the problem once you became aware of it


If you are mentally disabled, there are services for that. Lack of preparedness isn't a qualifying condition though.

Corrected for truth. Did you ever consider... asking for your meal?

CDTraveler

First of all, I'd like to nominate the above for the "Silliest Post Ever Seen on FT" award. The OP is attempting to blame his own failure to communicate his needs to the cabin crew on the "murder rate" of various countries!

Hey, OP, since you bring up the murder rate in Colombia - which is directly connected to the illegal drug trade, here's a relevant stat for you to link it to in the UK:
So that high murder in Colombia that you're comparing unfavorably to your home country to is directly connected to the actions of UK citizens!

jib71

Oh come on. Stop being unreasonable. How would passenger do such a thing? I suppose you think there's a magic button on the armrest that a passenger can push for service? Or perhaps you think it's a simple matter to hail a passing FA? Perhaps you're even laboring under the illusion that a person can walk to the galley and ask?

oldpenny16

I usually order special meals on trans-ocean flights and have been doing so for decades.

The greatest part of the time I am served either first in my class of service or extremely soon thereafter.

In fact this cuts into my sleeping time when breakfast service begins.

Although I've had a few experiences when my meals were not loaded on to the flight, I have always been offered some sort of a meal and quickly at that.

crazypalooza

OP: welcome to ft and sorry for your troubles. Maybe tough love is hard to take, but truly, you need to take responsibility for yourself. The flight attendants, may not have been pro-active to your needs and that is unfortunate, but you should have rang the call-button and asked for whatever you needed so i think the buck stops with you. I sympathize with you in that a great/bad flight attendant can really affect the mood of the flight but at the end of the day its up to you! Welcome to FT and happy(er) travels!

DeafFlyer

How does saying that you need to inform the airline about your needs, and not expect them to just know, have anything to do with the murder rate or "humanity" of Americans, or any other place? You're not representing the UK very well here.

flyingwheels

You know what I read? A toddler throwing a huge temper tantrum. Stupid mommy, I want I want I want.

Now that might be normal when one is 2 or 3, but as an adult? Very not becoming, to say the least.

Playing the culture card; again entitlement-behaviour. This is not a "darn uncultured Americans" point of view. The norm globally is to be responsible for your own health when capable to be so (and no, having entitlement issues does not render one incapable). Which you could've oh so easily known had you cared about anything else but being told how wronged you were. It would've been very easy to know that not all that responded on this thread that told you to suck it up and learn to take responsibility for your own health are American.

No I'm not American and yes I do still think the biggest problem in this was and is you, yourself. But by all means; throw another tantrum about anything American. If I were American I would be very greatfull to not have to deal with such behaviour. Allthough given your behaviour here so far, it'll more likely be another tantrum strategy trying to get what you want instead of honouring a promiss.