Airline Diverting ?

spoolinup22

spoolinup22

Well-Known Member
So lets say your flying your part 121 airlilne and your flight attendant lets you know that there is a sick passenger. When it comes to diverting, does the Captain make the decision where to go, or is it Dispatch, or a combination?

Also, does the airline get reimbursed for the expense?
 
Depends on the airline, of course.

But my airline uses UPMC (or did for a long period of time and the medical provider may have changed recently) and generally when we have a sick passenger in flight, the flight attendant will coordinate with any medical personnel on the aircraft and a air-ground link to an on-call medical center. If the passenger is ill enough to require a divert, we'll work something out to find the most appropriate airport to land at to facilitate the best care for the passenger.

It's especially a big deal when flying over the ocean. The nearest divert alternate might be the absolute worst place to land because the nearest services may be a significant distance away from the field.
 
Like Doug said, there are a lot of factors taken into consideration during any medical emergency.

As a rule, the Captain is always the final authority as to the operation of the flight, so, ultimately, s/he is the final decision maker as to whether or not a diversion happens and what airport is used. However, dispatch (the company), Med-Link (or whatever medical liaison is involved) and even any medical personnel onboard who are treating the pax all give input and assist in the decision making process.
 
In my medical evac this morning, I was medic in the back. The pilots wanted to do a ground transfer at the local airport in OLS, but I got to override them and have the patient flown to the trauma center in TUS straightaway.
 
DPApilot said:
Somebody's been watching Pan Am!
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Haha caught me! I was just wondering that wouldn't the captain a) thought about closest medical facilities b)figured runway distances c)flown into a different airport where the lights would have been visible way beyond 50 feet?

granted I know it's TV, but just kinda curious about modern day!
 
Doug Taylor said:
Is that what happened? When I turned it on I remember them dumping a body on the TARMAC (eek! TARMAC!) but I didn't watch the rest of the show.
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You missed a short field takeoff. Textbook style. Parking brake set, flaps 20, max thrust, and FULL AFTERBURNER !
 
TMK the airline just eats the cost of the divert as it is just part of doing business. What I don't know is they have to compensate the pax as the divert is out of control just like a weather divert. I've only had to do one once and it gets really busy in the cockpit. one pilot flying the plane and talking to ATC. The other pilot is talking to med-link and the FA and relaying info both ways and also trying to talk on third radio to the company. In my experience it was a group decision on the best course of action to take based on the problem with the patient.
 
Bandit_Driver said:
TMK the airline just eats the cost of the divert as it is just part of doing business. What I don't know is they have to compensate the pax as the divert is out of control just like a weather divert. I've only had to do one once and it gets really busy in the cockpit. one pilot flying the plane and talking to ATC. The other pilot is talking to med-link and the FA and relaying info both ways and also trying to talk on third radio to the company. In my experience it was a group decision on the best course of action to take based on the problem with the patient.
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I have never been compensated as a revenue pax for a divert, but have only seen one that was medical.

Diverting for poor fuel planning on the other hand seems to happen all the time (to me), but I am sure the bean counters have figured that not taking that 1,000lbs of dead dinosaur juice saves more than the somewhat infrequent stop to get more of it.
 
drunkenbeagle said:
I have never been compensated as a revenue pax for a divert, but have only seen one that was medical.

Diverting for poor fuel planning on the other hand seems to happen all the time (to me), but I am sure the bean counters have figured that not taking that 1,000lbs of dead dinosaur juice saves more than the somewhat infrequent stop to get more of it.
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Well it sucks that someone didn't do the math right....but then again I'd rather take an hour delay then crash!
 
drunkenbeagle said:
I have never been compensated as a revenue pax for a divert, but have only seen one that was medical.

Diverting for poor fuel planning on the other hand seems to happen all the time (to me), but I am sure the bean counters have figured that not taking that 1,000lbs of dead dinosaur juice saves more than the somewhat infrequent stop to get more of it.
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spoolinup22 said:
Well it sucks that someone didn't do the math right....but then again I'd rather take an hour delay then crash!
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Definately take the short fueling delay and get to your destination. Be happy the pilot didn't roll the dice. If the ex spirit guys I fly with aren't pulling my leg, Spirit did this back in the day with their mad dog fleet. Depart Detroit for the west coast and if at point X you didn't have enough remaning you went to your tech stop. If you had enough then you continued.
 
In 121 operations, everything is joint planning and decision making between the pilot in command and the dispatcher, except when operating under emergency authority. Then the Captain has the final say.
 
MikeD said:
In my medical evac this morning, I was medic in the back. The pilots wanted to do a ground transfer at the local airport in OLS, but I got to override them and have the patient flown to the trauma center in TUS straightaway.
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I think the HEMS world is slightly different - on a helicopter forum there were some pilots that were flabbergasted that medical crews had anything to say in regards to flight operations, but really they do.
 
I_Money said:
I think the HEMS world is slightly different - on a helicopter forum there were some pilots that were flabbergasted that medical crews had anything to say in regards to flight operations, but really they do.
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Completely. The med crew makes the medical determinations and are the ones who (in AZ ops) coordinate which hospital to go to depending on a number of factors. The pilot(s) job is to take those instructions, determine how to make them happen in a safe manner, and execute it.
 
Bandit_Driver said:
Definately take the short fueling delay and get to your destination. Be happy the pilot didn't roll the dice. If the ex spirit guys I fly with aren't pulling my leg, Spirit did this back in the day with their mad dog fleet. Depart Detroit for the west coast and if at point X you didn't have enough remaning you went to your tech stop. If you had enough then you continued.
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Don't think it has ever been the time for fueling, so much as taking the extra weight. But it has never been me talking to dispatch, so I honestly don't know...

I have listened the Barbie jets at Dulles ask to head back to the gate for gas a bunch of time when told by ground they would have a whole 15 minutes in the penalty box on the way out...

The benefit of not flying with an engine - I don't need to worry 'bout this very often now - the lack of a lav for the pax is the main reason for me to head down these days!
 
Doug Taylor said:
Depends on the airline, of course.

But my airline uses UPMC (or did for a long period of time and the medical provider may have changed recently) and generally when we have a sick passenger in flight, the flight attendant will coordinate with any medical personnel on the aircraft and a air-ground link to an on-call medical center. If the passenger is ill enough to require a divert, we'll work something out to find the most appropriate airport to land at to facilitate the best care for the passenger.

It's especially a big deal when flying over the ocean. The nearest divert alternate might be the absolute worst place to land because the nearest services may be a significant distance away from the field.
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It's STAT-MD now.... if you cared
 
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