AIrline Inadequecy claims life
Airline malfunctioning make the headlines yet again as in a very ‘unfortunate’ incident, an 80-year old man collapsed after suffering a heart attack owing to the unavailability of wheelchairs.
The elderly man along with his wife landed at Mumbai’s Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport from the Air India flight hailing from New York, which was supposed to arrive at 11:30 am but got delayed and touched down at 2:10 pm.
They had already pre-booked two wheelchairs for themselves and were waiting for it after the plane arrived in Mumbai.
The aged couple’s waiting was inadequately fulfilled when they found out that they could access only one wheelchair.
This shocking malfunctioning from Air India’s behalf had a tragic ramification on the elderly duo. The wife was wheeled on the chair towards the immigration counter as the husband decided to walk abreast with her.
Wheelchair Shortage despite pre-booking
The scarcity of the mechanical aid claimed the life of the octogenarian, just as they reached the immigration counter. He sustained an intense heart attack after walking 1.5 km from the plane to the counter.
Moreover, they weren’t the only people to not receive a wheelchair. It’s paucity was also reflected when an airport source revealed that of the 32 wheelchair passengers onboard, there were only 15 wheelchairs with accompanying ground staff available to aid them.
“Due to a shortage, only one wheelchair assistant showed up for the couple. The wife sat on the wheelchair, while the husband decided to follow her and walked alongside.” said an anonymous source in a report.
The account also states that the 80 year old man, an Indian-origin US passport holder, decided to walk along with his wife. He must have walked about 1.5 km where he instantaneously collapsed from suffering a heart attack.
He was rushed to the medical facility at the Mumbai airport and was carried to Nanavati hospital from there.
Travelling from New York to Mumbai, in economy class on Air India flight AI-116 the couple are identified as Indian origin citizens carrying a US passport.
Air India Assisting the Family
In reply to the deeply distressing events of the officials struggling to cope with the heavy demand of the wheelchairs, a spokesperson from Air India declared that the staff had requested the passengers to wait for a while as they arrange for the required wheelchairs. However, the man chose to walk with his spouse.
Reasoned by a ground staff, the decision of the man to tag along with his wife was due to the pattern seen when aged partners a resilient to leaving each other alone and travelling separately from the aircraft to the airport.
Couples with mobility or hearing impairments usually are not comfortable to part ways and will stay together along the journey to the terminal.
The airline company is regularly in touch with the kith and kins of the deceased and are willing to offer any help or assistance required by the grieving family.
