A federal jury in San Jose has held American Airlines responsible for ignoring its own safety rules during a flight, leading to a massive $9.6 million payout to a California chef who suffered severe strokes mid-air. The verdict came down Thursday after years of legal battles, spotlighting passenger health emergencies on international flights.
Jesus Plasencia, a 67-year-old chef from California, was on a dream trip with his wife, Ana Maria Marcela Tavantzis, flying from Miami to Madrid in November 2021. Just before boarding, Plasencia had what doctors call a “mini stroke.” He suddenly couldn’t speak or even grab his phone. His wife alerted a flight attendant and the pilot right away, but they brushed it off, even joking with him before clearing the plane for takeoff.
Under American Airlines’ policies, the crew should have called for medical help immediately. Instead, they didn’t follow protocol. Once the flight was in the air, Plasencia suffered a second, more devastating stroke. He had to endure the pain all the way until landing in Spain. Paramedics rushed him to a hospital there, where he spent three weeks in treatment before heading back to the U.S.
The couple’s lawsuit claimed the crew’s mistakes made everything worse. After the second stroke, flight attendants asked other passengers to keep an eye on Plasencia but never looped in the pilot—who could have decided to reroute the plane for emergency care. Today, Plasencia still can’t speak or write and needs round-the-clock in-home care plus intense rehab. The family argues that sticking to the rules could have changed his life for the better.
The jury ruled American Airlines liable under the Montreal Convention, the global treaty that covers airline passenger rights and safety during international travel. This isn’t the first time the airline has faced heat over stroke-related incidents. Back in 2017, a similar lawsuit accused American Airlines staff of letting a 67-year-old woman, who seemed agitated and distressed at JFK International Airport in New York, wander off unsupervised. She ended up in oncoming traffic but luckily wasn’t hurt, though police found her later, confused and shaking on the curb.
American Airlines isn’t backing down from the latest ruling. In a statement, the airline said: “The safety and well-being of our passengers is our highest priority. While we respect the jury’s decision, we disagree with the verdict and are currently evaluating next steps.”
This case raises big questions about how airlines handle medical emergencies on flights and the importance of following health and safety protocols to protect passengers.
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