A former flight attendant has shared her views after a plane heading for Gatwick from Spain had to be turned around shortly after takeoff because a passenger lost her life
A former cabin crew worker has opened up about how “horrific” it is when a passenger dies – after a “shocking” incident involving a dead British grandmother on an easyJet flight last week.
Horrified holidaymakers claimed the 89-year-old woman was already dead (something easyJet denies) when she was helped onto the Spain to Gatwick flight by her five relatives who reportedly told airline staff she was unwell and had fallen asleep.
However, shortly after taking off, staff were alerted to the woman’s death, and the plane returned to the runway, resulting in a 12-hour delay.
Skye Taylor, who was a flight attendant with Virgin Atlantic for 16 years, has since shared her insight into what happens when somebody dies during a flight.
She made the ominous revelation that incidents “happen a lot more” than people think, telling the Mirror: “I remember once it did happen, and the rest of the passengers weren’t aware, and that shows it was a really good crew because none of the passengers were actually aware of what had happened.
“I have witnessed it myself which isn’t very nice with somebody passing away on board. There is probably not one person in aviation who hasn’t witnessed that.
“A death on board is quite horrific and a lot of the time you get people coming from places they have retired to and they are coming back to pass away basically to come home and be with their family and pass away and sometimes they don’t make it.”
She said staff are trained to carry out strict procedures, including where to place a body. Skye explained how they had a direct line with experts on the ground, from doctors, surgeons to cardio specialists, so they can get immediate help if a passenger suddenly becomes seriously ill.
She then explained that if the situation had happened mid-flight, the pilot would have continued to Gatwick without circling back or carrying out an emergency landing.
Skye clarified that if a passenger dies midflight, you simply have to be as dignified as possible as a member of staff.
She recalled people asking her in the past why they were not landing the aircraft after a death had occurred, but she explained to us that it costs “millions” to turn an aircraft around for this reason, and that there was simply “no point”.
She added that it was “vital” for ground staff to tell cabin crew of any suspicions they may have, because on the whole, there is little they can do to help once they are 35,000 feet in the air.
After the eastJet story broke, the airline insisted that the woman was alive when she boarded the plane, and there was no reason not to allow her on board.
One passenger, Tracy-Ann Kitching, wrote on social media: “easyJet – you are unbelievable! Why did you let a dead person on our flight?!
“Special assistance [the service for boarding passengers with a disability or reduced mobility] are responsible too; they should have raised the issue.’
“I saw her wheeled onto the plane; someone was holding her head as they went past me!”
A Malaga Civil Guard spokesman confirmed they were called onto the plane because of an elderly British woman, adding: “She was pronounced dead on the aircraft which had been due to leave Malaga for London just after 11am yesterday morning.”