Norwich: Woman lucky to be alive after mid-air heart attack

Judith Tait's Qantas flight to Heathrow had to be diverted to Athens after she suffered a medical emergency. 

The 73-year-old spent five days in a Greek intensive care unit before being well enough to fly back to the UK.

Judith Tait recovering in her Athens hospital bed (Image: Judith Tait)Now recovering at her home in Newmarket Road, the property landlord could not thank the crew enough for their life-saving actions on January 2.

But Mrs Tait has been left "frustrated" at the customer service from Qantas after the airline made no effort to inform her family of her near-death scare.

"I really am lucky to be alive and I would love to find out the names of the stewardess and doctor who came to help me," she said. 

"But we have found it pretty much impossible to have any meaningful contact with the airline."

The Sismanoglio Hospital near Athens where Mrs Tait was treated (Image: Judith Tait)

Mrs Tait had been visiting her son and family in Thailand and was flying back home on her own when the incident happened.

She started having trouble breathing 10 hours into the flight, prompting a stewardess to lay her on the floor and give her oxygen before a doctor on board came to her aid.

" I gave the crew all my details and asked them to call my family.

"I blacked out at that point and the next thing I remember is being stretchered off the flight."

Mrs Tait's partner, Alan Ives, had been waiting for her plane to arrive at Heathrow but became concerned when he saw it had been diverted.

Judith Tait in intensive care at a hospital near Athens after suffering a heart attack mid-flight (Image: Judith Tait)

He said: "Initially I was frustrated it had been delayed but about four hours later, I got a text from Judith saying she was in hospital.

"No one from Qantas could tell me anything and I was left feeling very anxious.

"We still haven't had any official message from them and whenever we try to call we get cut off or no one gets back to us. It's disgraceful."

Mrs Tait had travel insurance and Mr Ives was able to travel to Greece to be with her at the hospital and help her get home.

The couple expected a hefty bill for the medical treatment but the hospital in Athens asked for 1,000 euros which they regarded as cheap given the care they had received.

Mrs Tait, who continues to recover from her ordeal, added: "I am still pretty angry with the way we were treated afterwards by Qantas and think their customer care was very poor.

"Poor Alan had been left high and dry at Heathrow and I really feel that Qantas could have done more to contact them."

Qantas has been approached for comment.