A woman onboard American Airlines flight AA329 from Dallas to Minneapolis this morning died in the lavatory.
A passenger seated near her said she went to the bathroom “about halfway” into the scheduled 2 hour 23 minute flight.
During landing preparations, flight attendants discovered that there was someone still in the lavatory. When there was no response to their knocks, they opened the door and found the woman. An announcement was made for a doctor or nurse who could assist, and one of each responded and attempted to resuscitate her using the onboard defibrillator.
On landing, emergency medical technicians boarded the plane while the rest of the passengers were asked to remain seated. That’s when they “dragged the lifeless body of a half-naked woman from the back of a commercial airliner and down the aisle for many people aboard to see…” She was unclothed from the waist down.
Art Endress was on the flight and said an emergency medical technician (EMT) came aboard with other responders and removed the woman from the back and had her by the hands as he “dragged her down the aisle” as she was faceup and naked from the waist down.
“The EMT was out of line on that one,” said Endress, 63, of Dallas. “Also, the flight attendants could have thrown a blanket on her” as her body went past many of the 150 or so seated passengers and off the aircraft, Endress added.
According to an airport spokesperson, though, the emergency responders “were focused on trying to save her life and get her in the jetway, where they can continue to try to resuscitate her.”
Unfortunately people do die on aircraft. Often they cannot be pronounced dead until landing when a medical authority can do so. If there are no empty seats on the aircraft, there’s little that can be done besides placing them back in their seat (although if there are empty seats, they might be given an empty row to themselves or if no empty row surrounding passengers could be moved). In the event of an emergency and right before landing, the focus is on saving the life… not dressing the woman or returning her to her seat.
Interestingly it’s apparently against American Airlines joint venture partner British Airways’ policy to leave a dead body in the lavatory. Two months ago Delta left a dead body in their cargo hold for two days.
(HT: Ken A.)
I’m confused. A passenger is in the toilet for an hour (halfway 2 hour 23 minute flight) and not a single FA notice, questioned, checking or even aware? Plain lazy or pure ignorance?
Get off the airlines back. It’s like the trump derangement syndrome
Opioid crisis
I don’t believe this article, if someone died in bathroom, f/a are not removing him or her from the bath and dragging them anywhere. They are taken out of the bathroom and laid on floor near the back galley in order to attempt CPR.
Maybe the passenger was killed? Japanese manga of Meitantei Conan/Case Closed describe in details on how to kill a passenger in the plane and leave the body on the toilet….
Sorry, Gary, putting a blanket on the undressed, possibly dead woman, is just common sense. Lifesaving or not, treating a patient’s privacy is always to be respected. Your constant defense of American Airlines, is getting pathetic.
JohnB, the EMTs on landing were dealing with the deceased’s body. American Airlines had nothing to do with it.
Allison: Try reading the article. It says nothing about flight attendants dragging the body through the aisle. This was an EMT and it was *after* they landed.
I think @JohnB might be the first to suggest I’m a defender of American Airlines, certainly THEY don’t think that I am! (And it wasn’t American Airlines who took her off the plane, it was EMTs, and I’m not defending just presenting both sides of the story.)
The lack of education or common sense is appalling in these comments thus far
FACT/ cAbin crew do not keep track of who is in bathroom and for how long. How do you propose they even do this?
FACT/ she was pulled out if the bathroom and attended to by. Doctor and 3 nurses. They did shock her. If her pants were down, is most likely she was found that way
FACT: EMTs took off plane to attempt resuscitation. Stopping to make sure she’s covered up wastes time. Second count in CPR.
FACT/ That person offended needs his head checked.
FACT: Ask 100 people if they suddenly went into arrest, would they worry about their modesty? Since seconds can mean life or death, I would assume all 100 would rather have people try to save their live, rather than waste time looking for a blanket!
The comment about flight atts knowing how long someone is in the bathroom is just plain ignorant.
Do you think they sit and watch when and who goes into the bathroom? And how long they stay there?
I would have to say you ” James” are the ignorant one.
Humane solution: roll stairs to rear door and deplane the poor soul there.
Caveat: Unless it’s a supersize American
(1) I’m betting drug mule or OD.
(2) as she was already deceased they should have taken care to preserve her dignity by at least covering the body. Also many prudish passengers would not want their kids to see the woman in this state.
(3) Why don’t they deplane living passengers first who may have connections, etc.? I know this sounds cold but she’s already dead and not in a rush to get somewhere. I am always annoyed when the living are inconvenienced.
The cabin crew is there for your safety not your modesty.
I still can’t believe Boraxo made such a selfish and inconsiderate comment.
I think that is full prove murder. Toilet dead is possible but after three-hour was passed someone doesn’t check this toilet. How this possible? That is planning a murder. I don’t believe that so please collect all information about this and please share with us. we are waiting for your reply. Thanks for writing.
Nora o had a point
I would rather stay dead than to have my modesty on display like this.
FACT: there’s a lot more to life and death than what you believe or have been told.