Zach1213

My only experience was, luckily, seemingly not too serious. However, it took me a bit off guard. This past April, I was flying AS from SEA-MCI when, about an hour after takeoff, the call came across for a doctor. Like any good Seattle flight, it seemed as though half the plane ringed their button, including the couple (both of them) across the aisle from me.

The issue was a few rows back, but I could not quite figure out what was going on. They eventually deemed it serious enough to plug in to the jack in the overhead bins (never knew there was one) to, I assume, talk to ground. That took about 20 minutes. Really seemed like we were going to have to divert.

Eventually, everything seemed to be sorted out, we continued to MCI, and landed a bit early. The paramedics met us and told us to stay, but after one officer went back to the passenger in question, they said everyone in front of him (including myself) could get up and go. So, I never really found out what happened.

It was great to see so many people eager to help out a complete stranger on a flight. Also, the AS crew were nothing short of spectacular and dropped everything to take care of the passenger in need. It was only my second AS flight, but I was very impressed.

Sorry my story wasn't more exciting...but I'm kind of glad it wasn't!

Guercifgal

Flying from Hong Kong to LAX, and there was a request for a doctor about two hours after take-off. At least 6 people responded; turned out to be a heart attack and we had and emergency landing in Taipei. The problem was the sick person was a PROC national and it took some diplomatic negotiations to allow her and her husband off the plane for medical assistance. This was in the early 1990s before people from Taiwan and the PROC could freely travel between each country.

sunnyjl

I'm a medical professional, though not a doctor, and I have not been in clinical practice for some time. I would only offer to help if there was no one else on board qualified. Some help > no help.

LtKernelPanic

From a similar thread a few months ago. I updated a few details after rereading my travel log when writing a different post about that particular flight.

They didn't ask on the only flight I've been on that's had a medical emergency. It was a 50 seat CRJ so there wasn't really a need - everyone could see what was going on.

The flight had been delayed almost 90 minutes while we waited for a replacement pilot and to top things off we flew the 40 minutes from MSP to SUX but were greeted by pea soup fog. After circling for 20 minutes the visibility had dropped to 1/8th mile so back to MSP we went. The lady next to me (I forget how old she said she was but it was close to 90) who had been so excited to go see her kids, grandkids, great grandkids didn't take it so well. She had been traveling for over a day enduring almost 24 hours of delays just getting to MSP and used the last full dose of her inhaler right before take off. From what I could tell had a mild to moderate panic attack when she realized instead of landing in a few minutes and getting a new inhaler from her daughter at the gate that she was going back to MSP without any medication. The FA onboard was very professional and did everything she could to make her comfortable on the trip back. The DL ground crew gets a big ^ for having a jetway reconfigured for the smaller CRJ ready with the paramedics waiting inside when we arrived. I'm not sure what happened to her but she wasn't on the rescheduled flight the next morning. I was rather surprised when I talked to her daughter when we finally got home that DL had no idea which hospital they took her to.


On an unrelated note I was annoyed when AA replaced DL here because I liked connecting in MSP over flying almost 2x the distance to ORD but the ER-145s AA flies to ORD are so much nicer than those soda can sized CRJ-200s DL used especially getting an "A" seat in the 1-2 config.

chloedena

I'm a Nurse Practitioner and fly about 4 times a year. About 25% of those flights they call overhead and ask for medical assistance, I always volunteer. This past April on a flight from Chicago to Beijing with my husband and children they called for help after about 1 hour into the flight. The passenger was sick, but not sick enough to land the plane. I was able to give her a shot and she was good the rest of the flight. The staff was really appreciative and offered me on upgrade from coach to business class, 2 seats, which was great! They also told me that often they do not have anybody volunteer and while they have some training and the ability to call to the ground for assistance, they often have no idea what to do. Thankfully people do volunteer, I hope if something ever happens to me that somebody steps up to help. BTW they asked me to see another passenger (a child) that was also sick on that flight, I was happy to help!

Gamecock

I have never heard the request.

A friend, an ICU nurse, was on a flight from FRA-JNB and responded to a call for help somewhere over the Southern portion of Africa. The flight crew wanted to know if the plane should land know or if the passenger could make it to JNB, which would have a higher level of care. my friend felt the pax could make it 2 more hours to JNB and he stayed with the pax. In return he received a free Business Class Ticket on LH. Pretty sweet deal.

Oh, when I was a Paramedic, back in the early 80s, I responded to a call at CAE and had to take an elderly patient off of a plane, the flight had diverted to CAE due to a medical emergency....

ukdoctor

I am a medical doctor and have been asked to help 3 or 4 times in the last 10 years. I fly around 20 long haul and 30 short haul sectors a year.

ironmanjt

I've heard the announcement maybe 2-3 times total in over 3,000 flights, and none of them diverted. Actually, in all 3,000 flights I've had a grand total of one diversion ever....I think I've been overly lucky, however.

MSchott

In 2011 on a flight from DTW to SFO they called for assistance for an older woman and we diverted to Denver. I couldn't tell what happened but whoever took care of her was quite professional and the FA's were well trained and efficient.

Captain Flush

I've heard it twice. The first was on a US hop from LAS to PHX last year while we were still on the ground and in line for departure. It seemed to be due to a panic attack of some sort, and we simply taxied back to the gate so the woman could be deplaned. The second was actually just two days ago aboard US 299 while en route from CLT to PHX--I was in F and one of the front row aisle pax started having chest pains. A doctor came forward from Y and took only about two or three minutes to determine that it was nothing serious, so no diversion (and no further complaints from the pax for the remainder of the flight). It actually took the FAs much longer to stow the medical kit and oxygen they had already taken down from the overhead than it did for the diagnosis.

FlyingDoctorwu

I answered the call not too long ago... it was the first time I have heard it (though apparently a couple years ago on a transpac they made the call but I was asleep)....

Transpac again, ICN-LAX. Patient was only Chinese speaker and had taken some medication because of a heart problem and felt really really bad...

I was able to deduce what happened but was really conflicted about the need to divert. The options were NRT at 5 hours, ANC at 3.5 or continue on to LAX at 6.5 hours... Ultimately we decided to continue, but I really struggled with the decision... the patient was stable and wished to continue....

I got to crack open the medical kit and there is definitely some useful stuff in there....

FDW

MileHawk

Happened a couple of years ago on one of my flights. A child the row in front of me had an extremely severe peanut allergy and the parents never notified the flight attendants, so naturally things went very very wrong during snack time. An EpiPen, oxygen mask, and emergency landing later, everything was fine.

ysolde

I've been flying for longer than some of you have been alive (sometimes several times a week, sometimes only once or twice a month). In all that time, I have never heard, "Is there a doctor on board?" I think if it happens, CC is extremely discreet about it.

producerkoof

I've heard the call twice:
First was on a flight from LAX to OAK on Southwest. Man had a heart attack or something similar and they moved the people out of his row and stertched him across the three seats. We landed real fast in OAK and paramedics met us at the gate.

Second time was ORD to CDG. Somewhere over Scotland came the call. Not sure what happened cause it was about 10 rows ahead of me.

Both times several people answered the call.

moeve

Actually LH is very good with this. They will give you 5.000 miles just for registering with them when you fly and they have extra insurance to cover you if called upon.

Those of you doc s out ther might want to look in to their programme.