American Airlines cleared in Kevin Greenidge in-flight AED lawsuit

Key Takeaways

• Court ruled American Airlines not liable for 14-year-old Kevin Greenidge’s cardiac death following AED malfunction on flight.
• FAA requires AEDs and trained crews, but legal bar for proving airline negligence in medical emergencies remains high.
• Montreal Convention limits airline liability unless evidence clearly links crew actions or equipment failure to passenger death.

American Airlines recently won a court case involving the tragic death of a young passenger, 14-year-old Kevin Greenidge, who suffered a cardiac emergency during a flight. This difficult event raises many questions about airline safety, the duty to provide working lifesaving tools like automated external defibrillators, and the responsibilities of flight crew members to respond properly to serious medical incidents. To better understand what happened and why the decision was made in favor of American Airlines, it is important to look at the background, legal concerns, and broader impact on travelers, immigrant communities, and the airline industry as a whole.

What Happened on the American Airlines Flight

Kevin Greenidge was flying from Honduras 🇭🇳 to Miami 🇺🇸 on an American Airlines flight in 2022 when he suddenly became unconscious shortly after takeoff. Family members and other people on the plane said that Kevin suffered a cardiac arrest—his heart stopped working. Flight attendants responded to the emergency and tried to use the plane’s automated external defibrillator, or AED, which is a portable device that can deliver an electric shock to the heart to try to make it beat normally again.

Eyewitnesses explained that the crew tried to use the AED, but it did not deliver a shock. This was worrying because some passengers believed they heard the device telling people to stand clear, which would’ve meant it was about to give a shock. The fact that it did not do so pointed to either a problem with how the machine was being used or a possible mechanical failure, such as a dead battery or another internal problem. CPR—chest compressions to try to help blood flow and keep Kevin alive—continued until the plane made an emergency landing in Cancun 🇲🇽. Sadly, Kevin was pronounced dead after reaching the hospital.

Family’s Allegations and Lawsuit Details

Kevin’s mother brought a lawsuit against American Airlines, alleging that the airline’s staff and its equipment both failed her son. The main claims in the suit were:

• The automated external defibrillator was not kept in good working order—it may have had a dead battery or some other problem.
• The crew did not have enough training to use the AED correctly or to perform other life-saving steps.
• American Airlines did not meet its legal duty under both U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) rules and global air safety rules, including things like ensuring staff can perform CPR and use an AED, and that medical equipment on board works as required.

Her lawsuit asked the court to find that American Airlines was negligent, which means it did not use enough care or take the steps required by law, and that this lack of care led to her son’s death.

Montreal Convention and Legal Liability

American Airlines, in defending itself, pointed to the Montreal Convention, an international agreement that sets the rules for airline responsibility during international flights. According to the airline’s legal team, what happened to Kevin Greenidge did not count as an “accident” according to this convention. It’s important to know that under the Montreal Convention, airlines are not always responsible just because something bad happens during a flight—there has to be proof that what happened was unusual, unexpected, or directly caused by the airline.

The airline said that there was not enough evidence to show that the equipment or training failures were directly responsible for Kevin’s death, or that these failures counted as an accident under the law.

The Court’s Decision

The court agreed with American Airlines. While the precise details of the judge’s thinking are not widely available in public reports, it appears the court found that:

• There was not enough solid proof that a broken AED or insufficient training actually caused Kevin’s death.
• The lack of a working AED or the crew’s mistakes did not meet the very specific definitions of negligence or accident set by federal law and international agreements.

American Airlines released a short public statement saying they were sorry for the family’s loss, but did not discuss the details because legal matters were still being considered for part of the time.

The Role of AEDs and Crew Training on Flights

One of the most important questions in this case—and for all air passengers—is whether airlines are doing enough to make sure medical equipment like automated external defibrillators works properly, and that crews really know how to help someone having a life-threatening emergency. U.S. law, as enforced by the FAA, requires airlines to carry certain medical tools and to show that their workers have needed CPR and AED skills.

Advocacy groups and Kevin Greenidge’s family have stated that airlines should do even more to check these lifesaving machines and help crew members stay ready. They want changes not just for their own closure, but so that another family never faces the same heartbreak.

What Happened On Board: Sequence and Eyewitness Accounts

A closer look at the events aboard the plane shows just how urgent and stressful medical emergencies can be in flight. Once Kevin Greenidge became unresponsive, several steps were taken:

• Crew announced a medical emergency and called for any doctors, nurses, or people with CPR training aboard.
• Attempts were made to use the automated external defibrillator. According to multiple witnesses, the AED did not deliver a shock, even when the machine’s display asked people to stand clear.
• Bystanders and staff performed CPR, working together until the plane could make an emergency landing.

For the legal case, the question was not whether the crew tried to help, but whether their actions met required standards and whether the AED was in working order as required under the law.

Airline Safety and Regulation: What Is Required by Law?

All airlines operating flights to and from the United States 🇺🇸 must follow rules from the FAA when it comes to lifesaving onboard equipment. These include:

• Automated external defibrillators (AEDs): Planes with at least one flight attendant must have at least one AED on board. The device must be checked to make sure it works before each trip.
• Medical kits: The medical kit should have the tools and medicines needed to deal with many kinds of in-flight emergencies.
• Crew training: Flight staff have to show they can provide simple first aid, perform CPR, and use an AED if needed.

If you want to learn more about the FAA’s rules for medical kits and AEDs on planes, you can find the official details on the FAA’s website: FAA medical kit requirements.

In this case, the family’s lawsuit claimed that American Airlines did not meet these federal requirements. The outcome suggests that either the court did not find enough clear proof of this, or believed the failures—if they happened—did not directly cause Kevin’s death.

International Law and Immigrant Communities

This incident also touches on how immigrants and families from abroad may be affected during air travel. Kevin Greenidge was traveling from Honduras 🇭🇳 to Miami 🇺🇸, which is the kind of international trip covered by the Montreal Convention. These laws are designed to protect all passengers, including those coming to the United States 🇺🇸 for work, studies, or to join family.

Cases like this can leave immigrant families feeling especially vulnerable. If there is a health emergency on board—far from one’s home or native language—dependence on the crew and airline is total. It’s a strong reminder of why safe, effective emergency planning is not just a legal issue, but a basic matter of trust for millions of travelers, including newly-arriving immigrants.

Industry Calls to Action and Public Debate

Following Kevin Greenidge’s death, there have been strong calls for:

• Better checks and tests of AEDs and all onboard medical gear before flights leave the gate.
• Improved, ongoing crew training to ensure flight attendants remember exactly how to use AEDs and provide emergency care.
• More accountability for airlines when lifesaving measures fall short.

Several advocacy groups point out that cardiac arrests on flights, while rare, do happen—and being able to act quickly with the right tools and training can make the difference between life and death.

As reported by VisaVerge.com, this case has started new discussions about the limits of airline liability in medical emergencies and how laws could or should be changed to give more protection to air travelers. Although American Airlines was found not liable, many believe more industry-wide change is needed to prevent such tragedies.

How This Affects Travelers and What Comes Next

For travelers—whether U.S. citizens or immigrants—the outcome of this lawsuit sends a strong message: even if airlines are required to provide working medical gear and trained staff, the legal bar for proving wrongdoing after a tragedy is high. Courts will often look for very clear links between a crew’s actions or equipment failures and the specific harm suffered.

If you or a loved one is planning to travel abroad or immigrate to the United States 🇺🇸, it is worth knowing:

• Major airlines are required to have AEDs and trained crews on most flights.
• Not all emergencies can be fully managed on board, due to space, equipment, and training limitations.
• If you have a serious health condition, talk with your doctor before flying and carry important medicines with you.

Summary Table: Essential Facts at a Glance

This table helps make it easy to remember the facts behind one of the most discussed in-flight medical incidents of recent years.

Final Thoughts

The loss of Kevin Greenidge during his American Airlines flight is a heartbreaking reminder of the importance of both working lifesaving devices and ongoing staff training in air travel. While the court found that American Airlines was not legally responsible in this specific case, the story has fueled new debate about what airlines should do to protect passengers, especially those flying long distances or immigrating to new countries.

For concerned travelers, keeping up to date on flight safety rules and knowing your rights as a passenger remain important steps before any journey. For ongoing developments in air safety or airline liability, and for resources on how you can prepare for travel as an immigrant, the U.S. Department of Transportation provides helpful information at DOT Aviation Consumer Protection.

As cases like this come to light, the hope is that all airlines—from American Airlines to others worldwide—will keep working to improve emergency planning, maintain equipment like automated external defibrillators, and give their crews the best possible training so that every family has a safe journey.

If you want more updates or thorough analysis on travel safety, immigration law, or passenger rights, you can find trusted articles and resources at VisaVerge.com. Staying informed can help protect you and your family, no matter where you are traveling.

Learn Today

Automated External Defibrillator (AED) → A portable device that delivers an electric shock to restore a normal heart rhythm during cardiac emergencies on flights.
Montreal Convention → An international agreement that sets rules for airline liability in cases of accidents, injuries, or deaths on international flights.
Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) → U.S. government agency that regulates all aspects of civil aviation, including rules for onboard emergency medical equipment.
Negligence → A legal concept describing when an entity fails to use reasonable care, resulting in harm or damage to others.
Cardiac Arrest → A sudden loss of heart function, requiring immediate treatment such as CPR or an electric shock from an AED.

This Article in a Nutshell

American Airlines was found not legally liable after a 14-year-old died from cardiac arrest mid-flight, despite questions about AED usage and crew training. This verdict highlights gaps between safety regulations and legal accountability, raising new concerns and debates over airline emergency preparedness and immigrant traveler protections in the aviation industry.
— By VisaVerge.com

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