Explainer | Hong Kong experts share dos and don’ts for when a medical emergency happens on a plane
Doctors discuss dangers of flying with certain medical conditions, as veteran aviator shares cabin crew emergency protocols
Aircrew on a Cathay Pacific Airways flight from Hong Kong to Mumbai rushed to provide first aid to a 71-year-old German passenger when he collapsed just before take-off, with the man later declared dead after being taken to hospital.
With the death following a similar incident last week, the Post breaks down the guidelines for cabin crews and passengers when they come across a serious injury, illness or death on a plane.
1. Are such incidents common?
Local media last Wednesday reported that a plane was forced to land in Hong Kong when a Vietnamese woman, 47, fainted while the aircraft was travelling from Ho Chi Minh City to Seoul. She was pronounced dead after she was transferred to North Lantau Hospital.
Five years earlier, a 44-year-old woman lost consciousness on a flight to Hong Kong and was rushed to the same hospital, which is located close to the airport. She was later declared dead.
2. What should I do if I feel very ill on a flight?
Hong Kong Aircrew Officers Association chairman Paul Weatherilt urged any passenger who felt seriously unwell on a flight to tell the cabin crew, saying it was the most important thing to do.
