Ryanair flight returns to Malta with sick patient

C. Vella

Sep 8th 2012, 00:30

It absolutely does not make any sense. You are saying that after three hours fifteen minutes of flight, the pilot flew the plane all the way back to malta for another three and a half hours and then flew back to Heathrow for a further three and a half hours.

First of all the plane would not have enough fuel for a full return once it is so near destination. Secondly it would have been easier for the pilot to land, deboard, board the passengers from heathrow and then fly back with the passenger who needed assistance (Since you are stating that the passenger wanted to go back to malta). If you had said that the flight was one and a half hours out of Malta, that is plausible but fifteen minutes out from destination is totally bull"""".

Next time you try to bash up a company with some bogus story taking extracts from directly from the Grimm brothers, at least make it a bit more credible.

I Micallef

Sep 8th 2012, 06:49

Maria, so you're saying you were 15mins away from landing in Heathrow and the crew decided to come back to Malta? Check your facts please before churning out such absurdities. 15 minutes before landing an aircraft will definitely not have enough fuel to go back to its departure airport. So you were either a lot more close to Malta than the "15 minutes" you're implying or you dreamt the whole thing up. And I'm sure you wouldn't give a hoot about other passengers connections if you suffered a heart attack mid flight.

Alexander Hilton

Sep 8th 2012, 10:10

once upon a time, I was flying with Ryanair and it only costs me 20 Euros return. The flight took off and landed as well. There was no trouble at all. And I have done it many times thereafter. I have only been late by 1 hour once and I have never lost my luggage, because I usually take the 10kg hand lugagge only. I never got any food poisening either, since I make iut a point to eat before I take off. The planes are usually in good condition and clean. And I have no doubt that if I have have a life threatening illness onboard a Ryanair flight, that the captain will do what is best for me. And since Ryanair has a very very close network in Europe, I am sure he can even save a bit of money landing on an airport that is more cost effective. Also I am not even sure if airport actually charge for emergency landings on medial grounds (if they do , might be time for some international agreement not to). And if one of my fellow passengers falls ill and I get delayed for this reason, I won't mind, because it could have been me. At the end of the day, there are many flights to catch but only one life tto save. Btw to all these moaners that complain about flight delays due to technical problems: If my captain does not want to fly with this aircraft because of some technical issues, well I certainly would not want to be either. So I rather wait a day or 2 , but get there in one piece.

D Portelli

Sep 7th 2012, 20:23

Dear Chris Spiteri

This is like thanking the waiter (which is against proper etiquette).

Following saftey regulation is not optional. If they didn't ... they would have gottin in big, big, trouble; that's why they did!! So no ... there is no need to thank Ryanair for that ..

James Dewar

Sep 7th 2012, 21:13

They may be a budget airline but I don't think even Ryanair would skimp on health and safety or passenger welfare issues! One would expect no less than total compliance!

Christian Sciberras

Sep 7th 2012, 22:53

D Portelli - RIGHT you are! Proper Maltese etiquette is to criticize and insult the waiter.

GL Calleja

Sep 7th 2012, 18:43

How very inconsiderate of you to make a comment like that. Maybe we can carry a birth certificate and a medical release form every time we board an airplane. Even young people get sick and sometimes need emergency care. Very inconsiderate.

Pippo De Marco

Sep 7th 2012, 18:49

You're all heart, Kenneth. Just be grateful that it wasn't a member of your family.

Victor Boyde

Sep 7th 2012, 19:05

Mr K Galea, it beggar's belief that you can make such a statement. I am sure this unfortunate passenger thought this through and decided to fall ill on a plane just to annoy other passengers!! You just show what a selfish, egoistic person you are. Of course it is an inconvenience for other passengers but I bet none of them felt the way you just expressed yourself. Where's your compassion for another human being? Hope this person recovers as quickly as possible.

James Dewar

Sep 7th 2012, 21:18

What an unbelievably inconsiderate, intolerant, selfish and short sighted response. Are you blessed with the eternal youth gene and not expected to become ill or frail? Anyway where does it make reference to the passenger being elderly? Young people also succumb to sudden illness so don't be so complacent and look after yourself!

Joe Attard

Sep 7th 2012, 22:38

How can someone think this way .Dont you know that it could happen to you or to a member of your family then what will you want other caring people do ,leave you there suffering.No one young or eldery person can ever know from beforehand if something can happen to them .Thank God that you have never been in such a situation

T Mifsud

Sep 8th 2012, 07:04

I hope you will post the same comment when God willing you will be 85 years old

martina bonello

Sep 9th 2012, 22:46

Kenneth, this person did not know that he was going to get a seizure ... It's called destiny ... And if it was you're family what would you have done ?you wanted you're family to break every bone in their body ... And if this person had to go abroad cause he had an important meeting or something ?

john grima

Sep 7th 2012, 17:42

Airport fees my friend. They'd rather fly back to Malta to its base as in Palermo they would have to pay to land there etc. If no one knows what's it about, then it's about money!

Patrick Zammit

Sep 7th 2012, 17:48

Maybe RyanAir does not have freebies at Palermo like it has in Malta.

John Vella

Sep 7th 2012, 18:06

Last time I checked,Ryanair flies to Palermo. If the plane landed 30 minutes after takeoff, then the plane could not have been more than 15 minutes away from Luqa.

GL Calleja

Sep 7th 2012, 18:49

Most of the time a pilot of any airline will proceed to the airport given to him by the Air Control Traffic Operator. An Air Malta pilot would have followed the same procedure.

T Mifsud

Sep 7th 2012, 19:56

GL Calleja, not if life was in danger and symptom not treatable such as heart attack, anaphylactic shock to the airway, severe seizure, severe physical injury affecting loss of blood, airway or heart, unexplained fainting etc. On Air Malta the crew consult if there is medics on board, consult doctors on radio and if patient is in danger, they divert to nearest city where there is a hospital to treat the passenger. This happened several times. Other times when passenger can be treated or is stable, the flight continues but alot of monitoring is done with the passenger.

James Dewar

Sep 7th 2012, 21:21

We seem to have just about as many aviation experts in Malta as there are road safety and crash specialists and for a small island that is quite something!

M. Micallef

Sep 8th 2012, 11:37

GL Calleja,
For info, it is the sole responsibility of the captain to divert and where. He/She will gather all information from crew, company and also Air Traffic Control, but once an emergency is declared the aircraft will have all the assistance required, including landing at any airport. All these are part of a specialised team for the safety of the passengers, however, the ultimate responsible person is the Aircraft Commander.
Also, Airliners do not drop like a brick, so if they were overhead Palermo, yes probably, it is faster turning towards Malta. The crew also take into consideration the familiarity of the airports so as to land as soon as practicable, however keeping in mind the general safety of the other passengers and aircraft.
Hope the passenger is fine and well done to the crew, maybe they were even Maltese!