United Airlines helps connect with passengers after it was determined that a man who died on a Monday could have died of a heart attack from COVID-19 complications, The New York TImes reports.
The plane, scheduled to fly from Orlando to Los Angeles, made an unplanned landing in New Orleans after a man aboard the flight suffered a medical emergency.
While the man was being cared for for his cardiac arrest, flight crew members overheard his wife tell the first responders that her husband had symptoms consistent with COVID-19. He had not disclosed symptoms, including loss of taste and smell, before boarding, according to the Times.
It has not been confirmed whether the man was infected or not.
“We implore passengers not to travel if they have been diagnosed with Covid-19 or have Covid-related symptoms,” United Airlines said. “When in doubt, the best option is to get tested.”
The airline was contacted by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) after the incident and has complied with its request to provide passenger information, the Times reports.
“We are sharing the requested information with the agency so they can work with local health officials to stay in touch with any customer the CDC believes may be at risk of potential exposure or infection,” the airline said.
News of the possible COVID-19 exposure to airline passengers spread on social media, with one passenger noting that their temperature had not been checked before boarding and that there was no plane change after leaving New Orleans.
The man behind me on this flight. DIED. FROM COVID. MIDDLE FLIGHT.
I have so many questions.
– Jo LaFlame (@jobreauxx) December 15, 2020
One man literally died on my plane when I got back from Disneyworld, a nurse who worked on him on the flight and tried to revive him said it was covid-related. Family got on the flight with him showing severe covid symptoms … and we didn’t change planes even after he passed …
– Shay (@shaylabobmonsta) December 15, 2020
So I was on this flight too. 1) We never got out of temperature because the airport had no stations, which is rubbish. 2) PPL saying “I bet he was white” No, he hadn’t stopped trying to bring race into these pigs https://t.co/uH93KmNyfs
– Shay (@shaylabobmonsta) December 15, 2020
United Airlines addressed the lack of action in a statement to the Times, saying, “The decision to continue to Los Angeles was made after medical professionals initially viewed the emergency as a heart problem. A change of plane was not warranted. option to get off the plane and catch a later flight or continue to Los Angeles. All passengers chose to continue. ”