Remember the folks on a United Airlines flight who risked their own lives by performing CPR on a fellow passenger who turned out to have COVID-19?
Though the man was eventually pronounced dead, the heroic efforts by Tony Aldapa – a paramedic – and Steven Chang did not go unrecognized by the airline.
Although some might question the definition of ‘recognition.’
According to an article published by TMZ, the two men were apparently given just a $200 flight voucher each, barely enough to cover a roundtrip flight to some destinations.
Aldapa told TMZ he got a call from a United rep Thursday thanking him for his assistance during the crisis and letting him know a $200 electronic travel certificate would be emailed to him.
Tony says the rep didn’t mention anything about the man who died having the coronavirus, and the email from United simply says … “We apologize for the inconvenience you experienced on your recent trip.”
Chang also received the same email and $200 voucher. Neither Chang’s wife, who was also on the December 14 flight from Orlando to Los Angeles, nor fellow passengers Megan Hubbard and Cameron Roberts, who also tried to help, received vouchers.
The man collapsed during the flight, which had to be diverted to New Orleans. At the time, the man’s wife said during the emergency that he had recently lost his sense of taste and smell and had trouble breathing. He later died at a hospital ER in New Orleans.
Aldapa told TMZ it took a full 10 days before he was contacted by the L.A. County Dept. of Public Health with the confirmation that his fellow passenger had COVID-19.
TravelPulse reached out to United for a comment on the situation and the reward but did not hear back from the airline.
