Indain-origin Shanu Pande had eagerly awaited her father’s flight from India to Canada after he gained permanent residency. The journey turned tragic when her father, Harish Pant, fell seriously ill mid-flight.
Despite his worsening condition, the flight continued for hours before landing in Montreal, where paramedics were unable to save him. “He was deteriorating in front of my eyes,” Shanu Pande was quoted as saying in the report.
Shanu’s grief has turned to anger, believing that the airline, Air Canada, was “inhumane and callous.” Air Canada denies responsibility, stating that its crew followed proper procedures, though they did not disclose these procedures. Shanu Pande said her father was “at the mercy of the pilot and Air Canada people”.
In-flight medical emergencies are challenging to define and manage, with no consensus among airlines. Passengers may be left in the dark about decisions made by flight crews. The cost of diverting a plane is significant, but there is no mandatory reporting of diversions for medical emergencies.
Shanu’s father deemed healthy for permanent residency just months prior, experienced severe chest pain and other distressing symptoms during the flight. Shanu desperately pleaded with the crew to divert the plane but was denied.
Medical experts later confirmed that her father’s symptoms indicated a serious cardiac event, and they criticized the decision not to divert. Shanu is left with regret, wondering if she could have done more to save her father. The family is now pursuing a lawsuit against Air Canada.
