American Airlines ordered to pay $11 million to a passenger who had a stroke on a Transatlantic flight

"Jesus Plasencia was traveling with his wife, Ana Maria Marcela Tavantzis, in November 2021 on board American Flight 68 from Miami to Madrid. Court documents say that while the plane was still at the gate, Plasencia briefly lost the ability to speak and was suddenly unable to pick up his phone. His wife, worried that he was showing symptoms of a stroke, then alerted a flight attendant and the pilot."

"But instead of following American Airlines' established protocols, such as consulting its medical hotline or requesting help from a medical professional on board, the pilot "dismissed Tavantzis's concerns, joked with Plasencia, and cleared him for take-off," per the complaint. While flying over the Atlantic Ocean, Plasencia then suffered a stroke. Court documents say that he was taken to the hospital after landing in Spain, remaining in critical condition for more than three weeks before returning to the US via air ambulance."

Jesus Plasencia traveled from Miami to Madrid in November 2021 with his wife, Ana Maria Marcela Tavantzis. While the plane was at the gate Plasencia briefly lost the ability to speak and could not pick up his phone. Tavantzis alerted a flight attendant and the pilot. The pilot declined to consult medical hotline or seek help from onboard medical professionals, joked with Plasencia, and cleared the flight for takeoff. While over the Atlantic Plasencia suffered a stroke and was hospitalized in Spain in critical condition for more than three weeks before air ambulance transport to the US. Plasencia can no longer speak or write and requires daily care; his wife became his primary caregiver. Jurors found American Airlines negligent under the Montreal Convention and awarded $13.28 million.

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