An uncontrollable episode of coughing causes a girl to get kicked off a plane, even though a physician on board said she’d be ok to make the flight.
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What sort of evaluation was that doctor really able to give in the passenger section?
Think about the differential for acute cough and dyspnea. There are plenty of no-fly diagnoses.
The pilot was right to drop her off.
The doctor was stretching to say she was fit to go, especially since he was aboard as a passenger, which is a conflict of interest.
As a pilot I have to agree with the Captain.
This was a very long flight, most of it hours from any safe divert airports should the young lady’s condition take a turn for the worst.
The Captain no doubt also considered the remote but real possiblity that the oxygen masks might be required at some point in the flight.
The Captain also had to conisder the well being of the other hundreds of passengers who might not care to be trapped in a metal tube for 10-12 hours next to someone coughing uncontrollably for undetermined reasons.
The airline couldn’t win, they’ll probably be sued either way, so the Captain made the correct decision.
Lawsuit? Did someone mention a lawsuit!?
mo’ money
Mo’ Money!
MO MONEY!!
Paging John Edwards.
The doctor said she was okay to fly, which is not nearly the same as saying she wasn’t contagious. If I were one of the other passengers I’d say the captain was right.
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