Tony Aldapa was on United flight diverted on December 14, when the plane bound for Los Angeles International Airport was diverted during a medical emergency. A man suffered what was initially considered a heart attack. The passengers say the man had coronavirus-like symptoms, and his wife told airline staff that she tested positive for COVID-19 the previous week.
Several experienced medical passengers intervened to help resuscitate the man, including Aldapa, who allegedly performed CPR for nearly an hour.
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“When I woke up again on Wednesday, my whole body was still in pain. I had a headache, a little cough, and then about – every day, since then, my cough will be a little worse or the pain my head will make it a little worse, I feel like I was hit by a train. Not very well, “said Aldapa.
He has since given negative results and is awaiting the results of a second test.
Passengers wonder why the man was allowed to fly.
A person who says he was on the flight sent it to United on Twitter.
@United May I ask you how you left a positive and covid man in my flight last night? She was shaking and sweating as she boarded the plane. He was clearly ill and then died in the middle of the flight. I made an emergency landing in New Orleans and didn’t even change planes after that. We all stayed
– megan💎 (@callmemagen) December 15, 2020
She claimed that the airline staff “cleaned her blood and germs with wet wipes”.
The man’s wife told everyone on board and the staff and nurse that she was a positive coward. I was 3 rows away. I heard what was said. The wife said she had been symptomatic for more than a week. The nurse who worked on him told everyone nearby to get tested
– megan💎 (@callmemagen) December 15, 2020
Passenger Megan Hubbard said the man was shaking and had difficulty breathing.
Hubbard said she and Cameron Roberts were just three lines away and heard their wife talking to the EMT.
“She immediately said she tested positive for COVID a week ago and that she has symptoms, breathing problems,” Hubbard said.
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The airline said in a written statement that at the time of the incident, it was established that the passenger “suffered a cardiac arrest, so passengers were given the option to take a later flight or continue their travel plans.”
United says all passengers have decided to stay on the plane.
Hubbard and Roberts said they were not given the option to leave the plane.
“It was more like, if everyone feels comfortable, we’ll move on and continue once we recharge everything,” Roberts added.
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Hubbard and Roberts say they were tested and quarantined, but no one from United or CDC has contacted them so far.
United said the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention contacted the airline.
“We share the requested information with the agency so that they can work with local health officials to contact any client that the CDC believes may be at risk of possible exposure or infection,” United said in a statement. . “The health and safety of our employees and customers is our highest priority, which is why we have various policies and procedures in place, such as mask warrants and requiring customers to complete a ‘Ready to Fly’ checklist before acknowledging that they have not been diagnosed with COVID-19 in the last 14 days and show no symptoms related to COVID. “
An infectious disease expert explained the risks associated with flying during the pandemic.
“We also ask passengers to get tested before they fly, but a negative test two days ago does not mean they are not spreading the virus today because they were incubating when the test was performed,” said Dr. Suman M. Radhakrishna, along with Dignity Health California Hospital, told Eyewitness News on Friday.
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