Grieving passenger collapses onboard Singapore Airlines flight, crew provided oxygen and moved her to Business Class
A passenger flying with Singapore Airlines (SIA) has expressed deep gratitude to the airline’s cabin crew after they came to her aid during a mid-flight medical emergency while she was travelling home to Ho Chi Minh City following her younger brother’s death.
The Facebook post, shared on Saturday (28 Feb), has since gone viral, garnering over 9,000 reactions at the time of writing.
The passenger, Mai Chau, recounted how she booked the earliest available flight to Ho Chi Minh City from Perth, via Singapore, after receiving the devastating news.
Wanting to return home as quickly as possible, she chose SIA as it had the earliest arrival time.
Source: Singapore Airlines
Collapsed while attempting to seek help
However, about an hour into the flight, she began feeling extremely nauseous and short of breath, which Mai attributed to changes in cabin pressure.
Seated at 61A by the window, she initially hesitated to disturb the two passengers next to her.
Source: Javaistan on Pixabay, for illustration purposes only
However, when her condition worsened, she informed the passenger beside her that she was unwell and needed to step out.
Upon standing up, she collapsed into the seat beside the aisle, struggling to breathe.
“I tried to walk toward the back of the aircraft, but I fell into the arms of the flight attendants,” she said.
Akin to a movie scene
The crew provided her with an airsickness bag while reassuring her calmly.
Source: Reddit, for illustration purposes only
An announcement was made asking if there was a doctor on board.
“These were scenes I had only ever seen in movies — but now I was experiencing them myself,” Mai said.
The crew also consulted the captain about the possibility of turning back to Australia should medical assistance not be available.
When a doctor examined her, Mai’s blood pressure had reportedly dropped below 100.
Moved to Business Class to rest
After stabilising her condition, the crew moved Mai to a Business Class seat so she could lie down and rest comfortably for the remainder of the flight.
Source: Singapore Airlines
Mai said the cabin crew checked on her constantly and treated her “like family” rather than “just another passenger”.
Before landing, one of the flight attendants even quietly handed her an envelope containing S$200 for Mai to consult a doctor and ensure she was fit to continue her connecting flight home.
The unexpected gesture left her overwhelmed and in tears, with Mai noting that the compassion made “a life-changing difference” in her journey home.
‘True humanity at 30,000 feet’
Mai described the crew’s actions as going far beyond their routine duty, calling it “true humanity at 30,000 feet”.
She also expressed gratitude to the doctor and medical professionals on board who stepped forward to assist her.
“In the middle of grief and physical distress, I was met with humanity, kindness, and professionalism beyond anything I could have imagined,” Mai wrote.
She concluded her message by thanking Singapore Airlines and the entire cabin crew, saying she would never forget what they had done for her.
Netizens praise cabin crew
Netizens were mostly filled with praise for the cabin crew and their handling of the situation.
Source: Facebook
Others were proud of SIA’s high standards and compassion.
Source: Facebook
In response to MS News’ queries, an SIA spokesperson said: “Singapore Airlines extends our deepest condolences to our customer, and we thank the customer for sharing the experience with us.”
SIA’s spokesperson also said that the safety and well-being of their customers are always their priorities.
Also read: ‘A customer for life’: Singapore Airlines gives handwritten card & goodie bag to pregnant passenger
‘A customer for life’: Singapore Airlines gives handwritten card & goodie bag to pregnant passenger
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Featured image adapted from Singapore Airlines and Mai Chau on Facebook
