A mother on board an AirAsia flight lavished praise on the crew who stepped up to help when her daughter had a medical emergency mid-flight.

In a touching post on Facebook on July 5, Jacyntha Florentius explained the incident in detail, naming and expressing immense gratitude towards the cabin and ground crew that came to her 19-month-old daughter's aid.

She, along with her husband and daughter, was on board flight AK 115, which departed Guangzhou on July 4 for Kuala Lumpur. 

About an hour and a half into the flight, the toddler woke up and was breastfed, said Florentius.

Suddenly, the kid became restless, switching between crying one moment and being quiet the next. Her face and lips turned pale and she looked like she was struggling to breathe and not very responsive, wrote Florentius.

"I immediately picked her up, patted her back, rubbed her hands and feet, and tried to make her cry," she said.

"At the same time, I asked the cabin crew for oxygen, (and they) responded quickly and efficiently. After giving her oxygen, she began to improve — her lips started to turn pink again."

The cabin crew then asked if there was a doctor on board, eventually finding one who examined the girl.

The pilot also lowered the plane's altitude slightly following the cabin crew's request, the mother said.

She added that her daughter became stable soon after, and the flight was diverted to Ho Chi Minh so that the child could get medical attention.

"During the 30-minute descent, the crew kept coming to check on (Natashya), massaging her hands and feet, and checking her pulse. They were so caring," Florentius wrote.

"As soon as we landed in Ho Chi Minh, a medical team was already on standby. They boarded the plane to assess Tashya and decided we should disembark for hospital checks." 

The family was escorted off the plane and straight into an ambulance by ground staff and their luggage offloaded quickly, according to the post. 

At the hospital, an AirAsia staff member stayed with them, and all tests, including ECG and X-ray, were completed within an hour, wrote Florentius.

AirAsia also provided a free flight for the family to Kuala Lumpur, she added. 

"Please reward your staff...they already did a very good job during this situation," she wrote.

AsiaOne has reached out to Florentius for more information.

'A powerful reminder'

Responding to AsiaOne's queries, AirAsia Malaysia CEO Fareh Mazputra Fairuz said that everyone at the company is "incredibly moved" by the story shared by Jacyntha and that they are relieved to know that her daughter is well.

"I'd like to extend my sincere thanks to Ms Florentius for recognising the professionalism and compassion shown by our crew during what must have been a very distressing situation," he said, expressing gratitude to the other passengers on board the flight for their patience and understanding throughout the diversion.

Fareh also commended the operating crew and ground team for acting in "true Allstar spirit — responding swiftly, professionally and with great care".

"While our crew are trained to handle a wide range of in-flight situations, the empathy and composure they showed in this moment truly stood out. Their actions are deeply appreciated and recognised," he said.

Fareh also thanked the doctor who helped the toddler.

"This situation is a powerful reminder that behind every flight are not only dedicated individuals but also a caring community committed to the well-being of one another," added Fareh.

bhavya.rawat@asiaone.com

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