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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

AIBU to be annoyed with the parents on RyanAir flight today

115 replies

catgirl1976 · 11/08/2019 15:22

Flew home from holiday today.

A family got on with a small child screaming. Not a problem - small children do this and I was initially full of sympathy for the parents as we’ve all been there.

Small child (not a baby but not quite a toddler) continues to howl (really, really badly)and just as we are about to get ready to take off a call comes out asking if there is a doctor or nurse on board. Couple of people come forward and it’s clear there’s an issue with the child.

Further transpired it’s fallen on the shuttle bus and really hurt it’s arm. A retired nurse, a midwife and a third year medical student all look and feel it could be broken. All advise the parents should leave the plane as the pressure could make it more painful, risk of blood clots and any turbulence could result in child being further injured. Parents dither. Child is screaming and clearly distressed.

Cabin crew then say the Captain advises they leave the flight and get the child checked as there are no medical staff on board and also mention the air pressure making things worse etc. Parents dither. Parents are advised there is a later flight today to the destination and as it is a medical issue they can get that one instead for no extra cost. Further dithering.

Paramedics are then called and advise all the same things. Parents dither further. Then (after delaying flight for everyone) decide to stay in flight against all advise and sign a disclaimer.

AIBU to think if five medical people and an airline pilot have advised you leave a flight and get your child checked out and there is a possibility of a broken bone and further damage or pin being caused by air pressure and turbulence you don’t stay on the plane whilst your child screams in agony, delay a flight and then decide you’ll just chance it and see how they are?

Rant over....but the poor thing sounded in agony and clearly needed to be checked properly IMO

OP posts:

Leakinglikeacolander · 11/08/2019 16:36

Isn't this the kind of situation where the Captain makes the decision based on the information he has at the time in the interests of all passengers' welfare?

growingfrenchlavender · 11/08/2019 16:38

The captain isn’t a doctor, though, and getting off the plane, collecting luggage, going through the airport and to hospital would take the best part of two hours.

BlueberryFool123 · 11/08/2019 16:39

The dithering would also have driven me mad, but some people are just not good in these situations - my DH is terrible in a crisis. Can’t make a decision. He would have been dithering. Even though we have great health insurance etc. He’s a high intelligent man, good job, but literally would find a scenario like this overwhelming.

LatteLove · 11/08/2019 16:40

They sound like total dicks. I’m surprised the captain couldn’t require them to get off though given the medical advice.

BlueberryFool123 · 11/08/2019 16:42

Although talking of health insurance issues, went on holiday to the states when a student. Friend fell on last day and injured wrist. Had no health insurance. We dosed her up on pain killers and got her on the plane. Landed at Heathrow and went straight to A and E.

Leakinglikeacolander · 11/08/2019 16:43

No the Captain isn't a doctor but he could make a decision based on the medical advice available to him at that time.

Lujie · 11/08/2019 16:45

It was a short flight so assuming in the EU? So with your Ehic card there shouldn't be any or little cost. I just had to pay my food bill after an operation and three day stay in hospital. I think it was 27 euros. I did also have insurance but just used the ehic.

Yodude · 11/08/2019 16:51

I think I may have stayed on the flight too. I would much rather take my child to a hospital in the UK. I know nothing about the type of care a hospital in other countries may offer. It was a possible broken arm. You would be left waiting in a waiting room for hours with that so obviously not an urgent emergency. I would have wanted to just get her home and get it sorted.

Redtartanshoes · 11/08/2019 17:10

It’s all very well spouting “they should have had travel insurance” insurance doesn’t get paid directly to the hospital, you have to pay up front.

Some people have access to hundreds of pounds, and credit cards. Others don’t

Hmmmbop · 11/08/2019 17:14

I think it's the dithering that's the issue. I may well have remained on the flight- I know that the hospital is less than 15minutes from our local airport, so 2hour flight, 30mins through the airport and 15mins to the hospital is probably faster than get off, wait for luggage and carseat, taxi to hospital, which may have been 1hr+ from the airport, depending on where you are.

Quartz2208 · 11/08/2019 17:14

DS fell on the second to last day of holiday cried but nowhere near as much or the same as when he had broken his leg. We were up in the mountains and as we got to the first aid point the clinics up there had shut (which we knew given he had gone to them with an uncontrolled fever at the start of the holiday). He had stopped crying and the first aid person and us thought it likely to be a sprain or bruised. It was strapped up and he was fine on painkillers the next day of the holiday.

Morning of the flight back he started complaining more that it was hurting and by the time we reached the airport it really hurt him. At this point we made a decision that getting him on the plane and then to the car and straight to the local A&E was the best one. Which we did. Turns out very small minor fracture 10 days in a temporary cast waiting for a fracture clinic appointment. Week in removable splint. Much better to deal with at home and had no effect on treatment at all.

As for waiting has anyone actually gone to A&E with a broken bone - 6 hour wait with his leg (fractured twice) 4 hour wait with him arm (very small fracture) dosed up on painkillers. The treatment for simple fractures is just supporting it in place anyway.

Wandastartup · 11/08/2019 17:15

My mum broke her wrist on the last day of her holiday. She went home with it broken as didn’t want to delay flight home or go to hospital in Spain. She’s a retired dr with a very high pain threshold though!

LostAmongstTheWheat · 11/08/2019 17:34

VivaLeBeaver Turbulence aside I can't see how flying would make it worse. The cabin is pressurised so the air pressure change thing is bollocks ...

The cabin is only pressurised to the equivalent of being 2500 metres above sea level (altitude sickness can start around 2500-3000 m). So the pressure does change with take off and landing, just not as much as it's changing outside the plane.

No idea how much effect this would have on broken bones, but flying bunged up with cold was agony.

I understand why the parents wanted to stay on the flight, but the dithering is infuriating!

rosesandcashmere · 11/08/2019 17:34

The airline I work for, wouldn't have let them fly. I'm surprised Ryanair did against advice

Original poster

catgirl1976 · 11/08/2019 17:34

I have to say the ineffectual dithering was highly annoying. If they’d gone - we will stay as we can get him to a hospital in the uk ASAP when we land or said - we will get off and get him seen it would have been way less annoying

I hope the little chap is ok and hasn’t actually broken anything

OP posts:

rosesandcashmere · 11/08/2019 17:36

Also (I have just RTFT) you're right, insurance doesn't always pay up front. If you can't afford it - don't travel. It isn't a mandatory thing

Cryalot2 · 11/08/2019 17:42

Gosh poor kid ..
Wrong to fly and I am surprised the pilot allowed. I had a broken arm years ago and was going on holiday and had to have "Fit to fly" medical letters and paperwork and correct medical insurance before I left UK for my holiday .
Perhaps the parents didn't have insurance.
Poor kid it must have been awful .

CoolWivesClub2019 · 11/08/2019 17:48

Costs or no costs, my child is my priority and should be every parents priority in my opinion

Easy to say when you have the means to cover the costs. If you don’t, you have no choice and no ability to pontificate about your ‘priorities’.

catofdoom · 11/08/2019 17:51

I'm surprised the captain let them stay.

I'm not entirely sure and happy to be corrected but even with a disclaimer I'd have thought the airline could be in trouble of something went further wrong because of letting them fly.

Sometimes disclaimers are over ridden by certain things.

Or I may just be talking rubbish.

Toddlerteaplease · 11/08/2019 17:57

If they were flying home I can see why you'd do that and go straight to the nearest Hospital as soon instead of having to navigate an unfamiliar health service. I've had patients at work who've done that.

jennymanara · 11/08/2019 17:57

Travel insurance is not automatically cheap, it can cost a lot depending on pre existing conditions. And there is usually an excess to pay.

catofdoom · 11/08/2019 17:58

I do see their point. My Gran fell in Greece and had a hip replacement and they ballsed it right up and she was terrified. She's never been pain free since.

LadyRannaldini · 11/08/2019 17:59

I'm surprised that they were given the option, if there is a chance of a medical emergency on board known before take-off airlines can insist you leave the flight.

Lovemenorca · 11/08/2019 18:01

Your delay would have been substantially longer had they decided to get off

Their luggage found and taken off. Takes an absolute age

Lovemenorca · 11/08/2019 18:01

And it really can not have been that serious if the paramedics left the choice up to the parents.

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