Appreciate all of those things and looking at the route map there’s obviously a dearth of options (Broome, Adelaide, then when you start looking and saying things like “Yulara might work” you know you’re grasping)
That said, and this is where I’m really hoping the news reports are not accurate, the idea that someone has been held in prone restraint for “several hours” is extremely disturbing to me. There is a reason those mental health and law enforcement agencies that haven’t banned the practice outright have set time limits (eg NSW health “continuous prone restraint should NOT exceed three minutes”- emphasis theirs). Prone restraint cardiac arrest is a very real risk. I have been involved in the mop up from a few similar cases and it is not pleasant for anyone. Now I recognise that if someone is truly going bonkers, having one death is preferable to 180 odd but zero deaths is generally considered the standard to aim for on a holiday flight. Within the aeromedical space there is a requirement to restrain “by any means necessary”, it’s easier given chemical restraint options are available but I understand the challenges if that isn’t possible
I’m not a total idiot, I was cabin crew (although my daughter just reminded me I haven’t flown for 18 years), and have been working in healthcare including aeromedical retrieval for 22 years this year
Tldr, I’m hoping the news reports are inaccurate. Props to the crew for managing a challenging situation, but I’m not sure this is quite ready for levity
www.9news.com.au
