Mr R Branson
Chairman of
Virgin Atlantic
Dear Mr Branson
I
am writing this letter to you since I know how passionate you are about
your enterprise.
On
8th June 2006, returning from San
Francisco to London
on Flight VS20, a medical emergency arose onboard the flight and the
Captain announced the assistance of a Doctor. Following the
announcement I identified myself to the Cabin Crew to deal with the
medical emergency. This was a case of a Diabetic patient who
checked-in her Insulin and syringe with her luggage and did not bring
it onboard.
After
my intervention, it appeared that there was no insulin onboard the
flight, and having interviewed the patient myself, I made an executive
decision that the patient should be fine for the remainder of the
journey, which was approximately 3 ½ hours. I reassured
the Head Cabin Crew that there was no need for panic and calmed the
situation.
This
happened to be the case and the patient remained fine throughout the
journey, until it landed at Heathrow airport.
To
deal with this Medical emergency, it took me 45 minutes, and after
returning to my seat, I was expecting, at least, the Captain or the
Head Cabin Crew to come and personally thank me for my professional
assistance, which without, could have caused panic and anxiety amongst
the other passengers. Unfortunately, this was not the case and it
seems that my Professional services were taken for granted by your
personnel.
On
returning home, having spoken about the story to my other colleagues,
they told me that under similar situations on flights from other
airlines, when they have offered their medical help, the Captain
personally thanked them after the incident, and up-graded them to a
first class cabin with full complimentary hospitality for the remainder
of the journey.
We
have been advised by our Medical Defence Unions, to be extremely
cautious when we offer our professional assistance and services outside
the UK
and NHS boundaries. There have been several cases of litigation
against Doctor?s who willingly offered their help in case of medical
and surgical emergencies.
As
a regular traveller with Virgin Atlantic at least once a year, after
this incident I will certainly no longer identify myself as a Doctor
onboard your flights due to the lack of courtesy by your Cabin Crew and
Captain.
I
hope you will discuss this matter during your Annual Appraisal with
your Flight Captain?s and Crew?s and perhaps similar situations in the
future can be handled with more courtesy.
Yours
sincerely,
B
Shafighian MD FRCS
Consultant
Orthopaedic Surgeon
Passenger
on Flight VS20 on 8th June 2006 ? Seat 56C
E-Mail
: Shafighian@AOL.com
Reply by Virginaircrewlies.com
Dear Doctor B
Shafighian,
Of course we are nothing to do with Virgin Atlantic
Airlines. Firstly I must thank you for helping a fellow passenger in
distress. I'm sure that your presence and soothing words from a
medical man must have help to calm the passenger. Unfortunately you
were traveling with a third class airline staffed by a third class crew
captained by a third class pilot. I wonder if it could have been
Captain Tony Slaney he seems to fit into the picture drawn by your
letter. He usually doesn't bother too much with passengers in distress
only bothered with his own ego.
My advice to you
is to tell all your friends "do not fly Virgin Atlantic it's not worth
it".
In the unlikely event that you
should receive an apology from Virgin Atlantic please feel free to draw
my letter and remarks to their attention. (They may offer you a
discount reward to fly with them again).