Community Chat

[chrystaltree]

Just when you think you have heard it all.  Along comes a story about a Delta flight attendant who didn't believe there are any black women doctors in this country.  I kid you not.  And then this waitress in the sky had the audacity to think she could assess the doctors credentials.  I guess based on her ability to pass out peanuts.  And all the while, the passenger was lying there ill.  But she had no problems with the white guy who stepped foward claiming to be a doctor...lol   Omg!   

What rock did Delta dig under to find that flight attendant..

[JaneMarple]

I first read about this yesterday, what is wrong with people these days? Show credentials while a person may be dying? 

[SahmIam]

Hold on a sec. I read that story. I learned something: Airlines MUST ask and MUST assess credentials to make sure the person IS a doctor. I did NOT know that. Do the research and find out the disturbing and disgusting reasons why they have to ask this no matter how serious the medical issue may be.

This woman has every right to be angry and outraged; I am for her and would be as well HOWEVER the facts regarding why they have to check ALSO need to be known.

The checking wasn't the issue; the fact that the flight attendant blew her off because she was black and therefore couldn't be a doctor IS the issue.

[NewerNickname]

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@chrystaltree wrote:

Just when you think you have heard it all.  Along comes a story about a Delta flight attendant who didn't believe there are any black women doctors in this country.  I kid you not.  And then this waitress in the sky had the audacity to think she could assess the doctors credentials.  I guess based on her ability to pass out peanuts.  And all the while, the passenger was lying there ill.  But she had no problems with the white guy who stepped foward claiming to be a doctor...lol   Omg!   

What rock did Delta dig under to find that flight attendant..

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:-(

[JaneMarple]

I understand the reason for asking for credentials for liability sake but the male who also announced that he was doctor was not asked! Hmmmmm

[Noel7]

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@SahmIam wrote:

Hold on a sec. I read that story. I learned something: Airlines MUST ask and MUST assess credentials to make sure the person IS a doctor. I did NOT know that. Do the research and find out the disturbing and disgusting reasons why they have to ask this no matter how serious the medical issue may be.

This woman has every right to be angry and outraged; I am for her and would be as well HOWEVER the facts regarding why they have to check ALSO need to be known.

The checking wasn't the issue; the fact that the flight attendant blew her off because she was black and therefore couldn't be a doctor IS the issue.

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@SahmIam

The checking was a big part the issue.  The flight attendant didn't ask for credentials from the white male doctor who claimed to be an MD.

Also, what the flight attendant said to the female MD was demeaning, calling her "Sweetie" and saying no to her offer to help, telling her they needed a real doctor.

[SahmIam]

@JaneMarple  I've only read 2 articles (I'm sure there are more) covering this. The first one to hit said that. The second one I read said they did but it took time and someone in the plane said "but what if he dies while they make sure he's a doc?!"

I'll get hate for saying this: The focus is heavy on the color of the woman and rightly so... to a degree. I DID NOT KNOW that airlines had to check and verify someone was a doc. That includes doing CPR... have doing more research into it, I'm glad yet not glad because seconds can make a difference. 

It depends on what you read and how much more info is being put forth. Trust me, I was pissed as hell after reading the first article. After reading the second...it made me sit back and go "wow".  What I'm not sure about is if the airline staff even asked for the womans' info and she refused OR did they never ask because they assumed since she was black she couldn't be a doctor? 

Edited to add: the airlines can be sued for NOT checking to verify the person is a doc. So in the case, they can be sued by the woman AND by anyone on the plane witnessing they didn't verify the man was a doctor (as per one story). Again, the second story I read said they did and people were upset because it took time for them to do so and what if the man died, etc.

[ChynnaBlue]

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@SahmIam wrote:

Hold on a sec. I read that story. I learned something: Airlines MUST ask and MUST assess credentials to make sure the person IS a doctor. I did NOT know that. Do the research and find out the disturbing and disgusting reasons why they have to ask this no matter how serious the medical issue may be.

This woman has every right to be angry and outraged; I am for her and would be as well HOWEVER the facts regarding why they have to check ALSO need to be known.

The checking wasn't the issue; the fact that the flight attendant blew her off because she was black and therefore couldn't be a doctor IS the issue.

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And there accounts of airlines asking female doctors or doctors of color for credentials, but not asking males for credentials.

Here's a story from 2011 where a female doctor helped a passenger on a plane and was asked about her credentials but noted that a male EMT was not: http://www.kevinmd.com/blog/2011/09/attending-flight-emergencies-part-hippocratic-oath.html

There have been many more of these stories since this event was reported, too.

[Peaches McPhee]

Firstly, "Waitress in the sky" shows a lack of knowledge of all a flight attendant does or is trained to do.  If the flight does down that "waitress" can well save your life.

Secondly, they probably have to ask for credentials, because at some point in the distant past, some non-doctor yahoo presented himself as a physician, gained access to the sick passenger and did more harm than good.  Now there is another layer of procedure for liability.

[SahmIam]

@ChynnaBlue  You know what, in that case, I will lead the charge to go after the airlines for that blatant display of discrimination. It's just so freaking stupid on their part. Just...why?!  : ( : (