QF A380 Diverts to Fiji due medical emerg

[markis10]

QF12 this morning diverted to Nadi with a medical emergency, must of made for some interesting issues with ground equipment etc!

 

[Kendall Roy]

FijiVillage.com - Fiji's home on the world wide web

 

[SFSC]

... must of made for some interesting issues with ground equipment etc!

And with crew duty hours.

 

[munitalP]

Silly question most likley, would the ground tugs be able to connect to a 380 (or even move it) if the airport is not equiped yet for 380's? Also, are the bottom doors the same height (from the ground) as a 747 (regular aircraft into Nadi)?

Hmm, I wonder if the PAX were allowed off the plane at all...?


Mr!

 

[docjames]

"Carrying more than 500 passengers" - QF refitted it already or just worked out how to fit 2 pax in the one seat?

 

[markis10]

Hmm, I wonder if the PAX were allowed off the plane at all...?

Given that its now scheduled to arrive into Sydney 24 hours late I hope the Pax are enjoying a coughtail by the pool at Denarau with the crew :mrgreen:

 

[moa999]

pprune reports rear cargo door damaged, crew out of hours, and no free hotel rooms (not unexpected over Xmas period)
empty 744 and new crew being ferried up for rescue missions

 

[flyboysp]

I was on QF12. It left the gtae at 2310 and did not take off until about 2330. The original reason for the divert was because of a heart attack. After landing at NAN, we stopped and parked on the runway at the 2nd last taxiway at the northern end of 02. We were parked for at least an hour in that location. Engines 1 and 2 were shutdown (mentioned by the captain) so that they could remove the passenger. During this time teh captain said that on landing,a warning light came up which he could not get rid of. This combined with airconditionuing issues, we eventually moved of the runway and on to the taxiway, where we were told after a few hours of trying to sort things out, we would be spending the night in Nadi. As i type this, i am at the Hexagon hotel along with other PAX. We will departing NAN at 0500

 

[mcm72]

Thanks for an Update, , from the "horses mouth"
Much better then the tripe the Media roll out.

Hope all goes well in the morning ,,
0500,,,,, Ohhh my god its early !! LOL

 

[Evan]

Silly question most likley, would the ground tugs be able to connect to a 380 (or even move it) if the airport is not equiped yet for 380's? Also, are the bottom doors the same height (from the ground) as a 747 (regular aircraft into Nadi)?

Hmm, I wonder if the PAX were allowed off the plane at all...?


Mr!

Bottom doors same height.

The A380 has in the cargo hold a tow bar especially for it (or so i have been told, for exactly these situations)

E

 

[pksw]

I was on QF12.

Good that they didn't keep you on board. How do they fit all the passengers into hotel rooms? Do they make everyone share, and do they accommodate the J/F pax in better rooms?

 

[flyboysp]

Good that they didn't keep you on board. How do they fit all the passengers into hotel rooms? Do they make everyone share, and do they accommodate the J/F pax in better rooms?

I think it was 1 room per person, with the exception being for families. I'm dont know if they were, but i would think so. The paged all F,J and Y+ pax all at the same time, and sorted them out first, then economy.

 

[Rick93]

" Heart Attack " .....

That can mean a number of things. Not all events are fatal. A number of scenarios can wait a few hours before treatment.

I think I may of opted to continue on, to the main city of destination. Have you ever been in a Nadi hospital?

The Fijian registered nurses often have to undergo additional education / training before they can practise to our ' Australian ' standards. ( as do many other foreign trained medical staff )

As far as I am aware, Qantas international flight crews are trained to a high standard, in the use of semi automated defibrillators ( the ones that 'talk' you through the procedure ), and the use of a 'doctors' bag ( as it is sometimes known ).

Surely, there was at least one doctor or RN on board, who could have assisted in stabilising the patient ( with the gear on board ) until Sydney ??

GORDO

 

[file51]

" Heart Attack " .....

That can mean a number of things. Not all events are fatal. A number of scenarios can wait a few hours before treatment.

I think I may of opted to continue on, to the main city of destination. Have you ever been in a Nadi hospital?

The Fijian registered nurses often have to undergo additional education / training before they can practise to our ' Australian ' standards. ( as do many other foreign trained medical staff )

As far as I am aware, Qantas international flight crews are trained to a high standard, in the use of semi automated defibrillators ( the ones that 'talk' you through the procedure ), and the use of a 'doctors' bag ( as it is sometimes known ).

Surely, there was at least one doctor or RN on board, who could have assisted in stabilising the patient ( with the gear on board ) until Sydney ??

GORDO

At what cost do you put on one's life Gordon?

I am sure an assessment was made as to the severity of the medical situation and by no means should any commercial flight continue when there is an opportunity to divert and have the passenger treated in a more appropriate manner. Regardless of what we think of the Fijian hospital system and staff, they will always be able able to provide better care than a crew member who whilst trained to high level for such situations, it is not their primary roll.

What happens if the pilot makes the call to continue on only to have the passenger pass away when there was a viable alternative. I would think Qantas not only would be sued, the negative publicity could cost billions in lost revenue.

Bear in mind 2 new players are entering the Trans Pacific route in the next 6 months, if one airline starts to show distain towards a passengers health, then watch the other take a large chunk of market share and increase services.

Without all the facts it is very hard to know what the situation was, IMO I think the correct option was taken.

 

[serfty]

There is a very good thread on this on FT:

Pax suffered diabetic shock (not a stroke or heart attack as has been reported earlier). The stricken pax was treated and discharged the same day in Nadi (as you would expect from this illness). ...

See this post for detail:

• Update on QF12 A380 diversion to Fiji - FlyerTalk Forums

I was crew on that flight. Here are the facts: ...

 

[ColinP]

ben dover :shock::shock::shock:.

 

[drron]

The condition was a diabetic coma as reported by one of the crew on the FT thread.The patient was unconscious.Therefore the doctors on board and the crew had no option than to land at Nadi.
The Fijian medical system is not as bad as described as to the actual medical treatment.Fiji has a medical school with a lot of Australian assistance in teaching.Fijian graduates can get some of their training in Australia.So dont equate poor physical stock of the hospital with poor medical treatment.The fact that an unconscious,intubated patient with a diabetic coma was able to be released the next day tells me the medical trearment in Fiji wasnt too bad.
Possibly the major problem was the US medical system-it is quite possible the pax was getting worse before embarking at LAX but did not seek medical help because of cost-but this is pure speculation(so not out of place on a travel forum!).

 

[turtlemichael]

There is a very good thread on this on FT:





See this post for detail:

• Update on QF12 A380 diversion to Fiji - FlyerTalk Forums

Very good if you can sort your way through the medical mumbo jumbo being spouted by some who have not the slightest idea what they are talking about I thought it a good thread to stay out of. We should send drron over there as he, imho, describes the likely medical situation best.

And ben dover seemed to get to the bottom of it.

 

[comint]

...the doctors on board and the crew had no option ...

While I don't disagree, I imagine the decision making process is a little different. My understanding is that the pilot would have contacted their base regarding the medical situation. The base would have contacted Qantas' emergency medical assistance provider, and finally they would have put their doctor (on the ground) in direct contact with the pilot. As much as the services provided by any onboard medical practitioners are appreciated by all, it is this ground based doctor that will make the call for appropriate action. (Probably not too different from what any onboard medicos may suggest anyways.) This decision will be made only on medical grounds (without worry about marketing implications etc.). The pilot then follows this instruction from the ground doctor, pending any technical/flying reasons not to.

 

[Rick93]

OK, I take a few points here....

1. If condition was reasonably assessed as being 'cardiac', then yes, perhaps best to divert, as well stated.

2. Given the 'new' diagnosis of " Diabetic Coma ", well, that's different. It's far less an issue !!

"Diabetic Coma" = state of reduced conscious, due to hypoglycemia, or very low blood sugar. Very easily fixed, by injection of Glucagon ( ever seen the bright orange plastic boxes ? ) They are carried on Qantas flights, and the crew have been instructed in their use. The kit contains a vial of white powder, another of vial of pure water, and a syringe / needle to administer.

The condition of the patient would have been confirmed, by the use of the on board 'glucometer' ( for taking the exact blood sugar reading ). If the reading was very low.... use the glucagon injection. If the reading was within 'normal' range... then suspect another issue, eg. cardiac or other, such as 'drug overdose'.

This is where a 'second opinion' from a passenger, who identified as a 'doctor' or 'nurse' could of been useful.

But hey !.... the potential implications of financial loss to the airline will probably always over ride any assessment by either crew or passenger.

Makes you wonder, if that principle could be used as a means of 'wilfully & knowingly' diverting an aircraft ???

regards,
GORDO