INDIA: Ailing Senior Citizens Not Allowed To Fly

MUMBAI (DNA), February 3, 2008: Mumbai resident Om Prakash Jawa, 67, was not allowed to board his Air India flight to Dubai on Saturday. Reason? The airport doctor declared him unfit for flying after he suffered his second mild heart attack. Though he insisted on taking the flight, the airline did not budge. “Throughout his treatment, Jawa kept vomiting but insisted that nothing was wrong, and he should be allowed to undertake the journey,” said an airline official. “The airport doctor recommended that he be hospitalised immediately. We did not let him board because it was risky for him.” It has become common for airlines to refuse old and sick passengers from boarding the flight. In a similar incident on January 31, Jamil Ali, 38, who was booked on Deccan Airlines Mumbai-Luknow flight, was refused for the same reason. “He was on a wheel chair. Even the airport doctor refused to give him a fitness certificate,” said an airport source. He passed away after being hospitalised. In both cases, the passengers were severely unwell and yet persistent to board the flight. “The reason behind their stubbornness is that they are scared of undergoing treatment at unknown places,” felt Dr LP Nakwah, medical officer, Air India. Last month, a passenger on Spicejet’s flight to Delhi, did not inform the airline about his illness. “His son — a doctor — was travelling with him. When he had a heart attack, his son did not come forward to treat him. He died on board,” said a SpiceJet source. According to Dr Nakwah, if a passenger feels dizzy or vomits persistently, he should not be allowed to travel. Ajay Jasra, spokesperson for SpiceJet, said that ailing passengers hide their medical condition for fear of being deplaned. Vijaya Menon, spokesperson of Deccan Airlines agrees: “If any passenger seems unfit to travel, we ask the airport doctor to certify him.” By Naveeta Singh © 2005-2008 Diligent Media Corporation Ltd.