Southwest Airlines wouldn't let woman call suicidal husband
Widow Says Southwest Didn’t Let Her Call Suicidal Husband
Last month, Karen Momsen-Evers was flying back to Milwaukee after a girls’ trip to New Orleans. Right before takeoff, she received a text from her husband, Andy, that read, “Karen, please forgive me for what I am about to do, I am going to kill myself…”
The text reached her just as flight crew were finishing cabin checks, so Momsen-Evers texted back “no” and tried to call her husband. But a flight attendant intervened, asking her to turn her phone off.
“The steward slapped the phone down and said you need to go on airplane mode now,” Momsen-Evers said. The unidentified crew member explained that it was “FAA regulations.”
“I begged her, I said I’m sure someone can make an emergency phone call,” says Momsen-Evers but the other crew member told her nothing could be done.“I just wanted someone to go and try to save him.”
Momsen-Evers says she spent the duration of the two-hour flight sobbing in her seat and was only able to call police after the plane arrived at the gate in Milwaukee. But when Momsen-Evers arrived home she was greeted by officers who told her that her husband had already taken his life.
In response to the incident, Southwest Airlines released the following statement to WTMJ:
“Our hearts go out to the Evers family during this difficult time. Our flight attendants are trained to notify the Captain if there is an emergency that poses a hazard to the aircraft or to the passengers on-board. In this situation, the pilots were not notified.”
The airline has since offered Momsen-Evers a refund for her ticket but has not provided an explanation of its handling of the situation.
You know it's super unlikely that one of your family members will text you and tell you they plan to commit suicide while you are sitting on a Southwest flight where a stewardess won't let you call anyone, right?
You know it's super unlikely that one of your family members will text you and tell you they plan to commit suicide while you are sitting on a Southwest flight where a stewardess won't let you call anyone, right?
Yes
However, why waste money with a company that has no compassion for the now widow when I could fly American or Delta that would most likely let me call my suicidal spouse.
However, why waste money with a company that has no compassion for the now widow when I could fly American or Delta that would most likely let me call my suicidal spouse.
I don't know, perhaps they have the best deal or the quickest flight. I don't fly - no need - so I wouldn't know.
I's been a while since I've flown but, from what I remember the cell signal messes with the equipment on board.
I understand if the didnt let her off the plane to make a call, but in this case I can't really blame em. People's lives are at stake.
If someone I loved sent me that text I would not sit down and take it like a sheep like she did, I would have called 911 and made them delay the plane, kick me off, get arrested if that's what it took. Either way I would be making the phone call.
However I don't think in this case it was going to matter. I am sure she thinks there is something that could have been done but this was well planned out. They didn't release time of death in the article, they didn't say how he died my guess is he killed himself after that text he was not going to answer any phone calls. That's my gut feeling.
I's been a while since I've flown but, from what I remember the cell signal messes with the equipment on board.
I understand if the didnt let her off the plane to make a call, but in this case I can't really blame em. People's lives are at stake.
It has been proven time and time again that cell phones don't cause any interference on airplanes and there has been discussion between the FCC, FAA, and airlines about allowing people to use the cellular radio on planes.
They need to pay for the funeral IN FULL and also give her a lot of money in compensation.