Flight Attendant Injury

Actually Chicaga kind of hit the nail on the head.

The guy I knew who this happened to spent a little time observing the FA and determined that during the boarding process, she seemed completely fine and what happened in the jetway was a little 'dramatic'.

He more or less said, "Well, if you need to seek medical attention, let me know and I'll arrange it with ops."

Turns out that one of the other flight attendants notified the captain discretely that she's been trying to get off the trip for a few days for one reason or another and had a recurring 'absenteeism' problem.

Now if the captain had kicked her off the trip, it'd been a lot easier to justify it to her supervisor because of the captain's authority. But if she called in sick mid-trip for a questionable injury, it would have been another issue entirely in reference to her 'absenteeism'.

Just something to think about!
 
The flight attendant is a required crewmember. If s/he is unable to perform the duties of the position, s/he must be replaced. If it causes financial hardship to the FA or a delay to the pax, I'm sorry, but as Captain, SAFETY OF FLIGHT is my top priority, and this is a potential safety issue. Glossing it over is just not an option.

FL270
 
[ QUOTE ]
The flight attendant is a required crewmember. If s/he is unable to perform the duties of the position, s/he must be replaced. If it causes financial hardship to the FA or a delay to the pax, I'm sorry, but as Captain, SAFETY OF FLIGHT is my top priority, and this is a potential safety issue. Glossing it over is just not an option.



[/ QUOTE ]

I think we can all agree with that, sitting behind the comfort of our computer screens. However, this decision would not be so black and white If it invloved a real FA who needed the trip to pay rent and support her family. Under those circumstances you might be more willing to bend the rules.
 
[/ QUOTE ]

I think we can all agree with that, sitting behind the comfort of our computer screens. However, this decision would not be so black and white If it invloved a real FA who needed the trip to pay rent and support her family. Under those circumstances you might be more willing to bend the rules.

[/ QUOTE ]

Actually, having been in the situation myself I can tell you that the safety of flight DOES come first. Period. It has to, people's live depend on it. I have had to call in sick at an outstation twice (once for an allergic reaction to the water in a hotel, and another for shutting my thumb in the cargo door of an ATR) and neither was an easy decision, nor was it easy to leave my airplane in the incident where I smashed my elbow (see my above post). It's tough to 'abandon' a crew and an airplane, but I couldn't put myself in a position where I may be unable to perform my FAR mandated duties. Especially at Eagle, where I was usually the only flight attendant, the cabin safety was entirely my responsibility, I took that responsibility very seriously.
 
With all the things consitered, I would have to go with Aloft's answer, it is a work related injury, so there will be no financial harm to the FA, the only problem is getting the company to fork over the money to pay for medical care. The pax will have to deal with the delay, the FA is a required crew member and must be on board and able to perform all the duties. Hell, comp them some drinks to shut them up...
wink.gif
Sometimes the company does understand that Crap happens and sometimes that Crap delays a flight.

Marilyn
 
[ QUOTE ]
Putting her broken hand aside, if she's unable to perform her duties, it compromises the safety of everyone on board the aircraft. I can't let her fly with us.



[/ QUOTE ]

I agree 100%. What happens if she needs to attend to a passenger? They are your first priority...ILS
 
The company has no choice to "fork over" the money. The claims aer paid by their comp insurance company. If they happen to have a deductible then the comp company sends a bill to the airline, but the medical bills are already paid.

I've been learning a lot about comp lately, as I now consult for several employer organizations and insurance companies.
 
She's is obviously incapable of performing her duties so you have no choice but to call in a reserve and delay or cancel the flight. She'll be entitled to Worker's Comp at least.

Aside: My first round of IOE in the J41 was cancelled because the captain fell down the stairs and almost broke his arm. They had to find a reserve CA and FO.
 
Well....in all my injured crewmember incidents that ive encountered in all 37.4 hours of C-152 driving....i would have to say:

1) Pushback
2) Depart
3) Open Door
4) Jettison injured crewmember for slamming her hand in the door

Anyone who slams (and breaks) there hand in a 3 lb styrofoam door probabally shouldn't be a "required" crewmember....on my ship at least

-Falcon
 
Thanks steve, i feel like part of the family already. It's also nice to know that there is a CONSTRUCTIVE forum in the world where people dont's sit around and blame everything on the president. Nice to meet ya man.

-Seth
 
Oh, but you misunderstand.
It is all his fault!
That conversation belongs in the Squawk Box, though.
grin.gif
 
[ QUOTE ]
Thirty minutes prior to pushback, you hear a scream and a flight attendant gets her hand crushed by the lavoratory door in a freak accident.

She's obviously in pain and is visually distraught.

Her hand is also starting to swell horribly.

Situational Facts:

(a) She's out of sick time (would not be compensated for missing the trip)
(b) Single mother
(c) Thirty minutes prior to "pushback"
(d) Departure city is an 'outstation' (not at a flight attendant base)

[/ QUOTE ]



I'd treat her like a Queen. First, I'd give her two sets of keys. One for my car, and the other for my house. I'd tell her to go, relax, and not worry about a thing. I'd tell her to feel free to put ice on it (plenty in the freezer). Also, I'd give her my credit card if she needed to buy anything while I was gone for the trip. And finally, after I got back from the trip, I'd pay in cash the same amount as she would have made had she done the trip.
 
Doug, I like the idea of this forum, but examples like this one are a bit too cut and dry. This one is obvious, you must pull the F/A from the flight.
 
It may seem 'obvious' when you see it in written form on a forum, but when things like this happen in the real world, with real world situations and real people, it's not so 'cut and dry'.
 
MQA is correct though.

When you actually have to look the FA in the eye and say, "You're not fit for flight" and she looks at you like you're a doofus and refuses to get off the jet because she's not going to be paid and get admonished by her supervisor, thing get a little tricky.

How far do you go?

Should you "let it ride" the next base?

What if she won't get off the jet?

Are you willing to not sign the "dispatch release", delay the flight and demand that the FA get off your jet?

Would you have her arrested?
 
My comment was based on the facts given. The way it was written, it sounds like she broke her hand and that she requires medical attention.

Of course you have to take each situation as it comes in the real world, but as I picture the events you describe in my mind, she would not be fit for duty.

As for "not getting paid", I don't see that as an issue, since this should be a worker's comp thing, and thus she would get compensation for the on-the-job injury. Perhaps those rules don't apply to airlines, I really don't know, but they sure do in most businesses.
 
[ QUOTE ]
Well....in all my injured crewmember incidents that ive encountered in all 37.4 hours of C-152 driving....i would have to say:

1) Pushback
2) Depart
3) Open Door
4) Jettison injured crewmember for slamming her hand in the door

Anyone who slams (and breaks) there hand in a 3 lb styrofoam door probabally shouldn't be a "required" crewmember....on my ship at least

-Falcon

[/ QUOTE ]

I 2nd That. I havent dont any flying but going to start training hopefully over the next few months in a Beechcraft Sport but if anyone does something like that on a inch deep lavatory plastic door, god help them. How do you manage to do that on a lav door. I say, your incapacitated for duty
smile.gif
. Get off and we will get a replacement and dont sign the dispatch until the F/A is off.
 
[ QUOTE ]
Get off and we will get a replacement and dont sign the dispatch until the F/A is off.

[/ QUOTE ]

Aahhhh, easier said than done at an outstation where there is no flight attendant base!
 
Poor thing, I guess there will be no handjobs that trip. Seriously,I would get medical attention for the F/A, then I would call the company and tell them we need a substitute F/A. I would then take down the information for the NTSB report, how the injury happened, what I did about it, and such. If memory serves me correct, a report has to be made to the NTSB, if a crewmember is hurt or ill, and can not perform their duties.
 
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