United Crew Oblivious to Passenger Death
H O N G K O N G, Feb. 22 -- A United Airlines passenger died flying fromHong Kong to Singapore but flight attendants didn't notice untilafter the plane had landed and they tried to wake him, the carriersaid today.
The man was a U.S. citizen who lived in the United States butneither United Airlines nor the U.S. Embassy in Singapore wouldrelease his identity or hometown, citing airline policy and privacyrules.
The South China Morning Post said the man was from New Jerseybut gave no identity or hometown.
Passengers Noticed After Plane Landed
The South China Morning Post reported the man died Friday andwas first noticed to be unconscious by the passenger sitting behindhim in economy class on Fight UA1, which goes from Los Angeles toHong Kong and then to Singapore.
"As we all got up to get off the plane, I looked down on himand he was slumped over and looked really asleep," the newspaperquoted the passenger as saying.
"I punched him in the arm a few times but he didn't move,"said the passenger, who was not identified by the newspaper.
The newspaper quoted the passenger as saying he told a flightattendant that the man near him was unconscious but she had notchecked on the man by the time the seats in that part of the jetwere clearing out.
An ‘Unfortunate Incident’ Says United
United issued a terse statement on the "unfortunate incident"on Flight UA1.
"Upon arrival in Singapore, United's flight crew was made awareof a customer who was not responding to attempts to wake him,"United said. "Flight attendants tried in vain to wake thepassenger, and then acted quickly to contact local medicalpersonnel as additional United crew members tried to revive thecustomer."
United said its staff had "acted professionally and inaccordance with local and airline regulations."
The passenger who spoke to the South China Morning Post saidthat before the man died, he had gotten up several times during thethree and a-half hour flight.
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