As a retired airline pilot, I would like to comment on the recent complaint against the airlines for their inability to deal with a severely handicapped passenger.
Airlines do not operate full-service air ambulances, nor should they be expected to. The airlines are responsible for the safety of all passengers.
As tragic as it must be to be so handicapped, that person would have accepted that there are some things that their limitations would prevent them from being able to do. Perhaps flying should be included.
In the case of a ground emergency requiring passengers to evacuate a burning aircraft, how many flight attendants would be necessary to help this person, which would make them unavailable to assist other passengers to safety? How many may not escape because of this? How many exits would be blocked, preventing others from reaching safety?
I would remind you of Air France Flight 358 running off the runway in Toronto several years ago, where the aircraft broke up with more than 300 passengers onboard. Thanks to the training, the flight attendants could get all passengers and crew out of the plane in record time – 60 to 90 seconds. Thirty seconds later, the aircraft was engulfed in flames. One still onboard would have perished. As it was, no one died, although there were some injuries.
I can’t imagine the results had there been a severely handicapped passenger on board. The outcome might have been drastically different given the urgency of the evacuation and the challenges involved in assisting individuals with limited mobility or special needs during such a critical situation.
Please folks, time for some common sense here!
Lorne Christensen
Sooke
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