Woman’s calm flight with Philippine Airlines spirals as a sick passenger disrupts the trip: ‘Keep your medicine in your carry-on bags’
Anything can happen when you are travelling, especially when you are travelling alone. You can either have a good experience or a bad one. While the former is easily forgettable, as unfortunate as it sounds, the latter cannot be erased from memory so easily. For TikTok user @sabrinapangilinan, it was a bad experience that prompted her to come to TikTok and share her story.
On April 24, 2024, Sabrina uploaded a video to her TikTok account recounting her experience travelling on a Philippine Airlines flight, focusing on her encounter with an elderly co-passenger. Long story short, the flight Sabrina was on was cancelled, and she was booked onto another flight by the airline, which was after a long wait. She also had to find hotel accommodation. She befriended the elderly lady who was her passenger, and after all of this, when she boarded the plane, the lady started experiencing chest pains because she had not taken her medication for a long time. What’s even worse is that Sabrina had brought the lady Tylenol, of course, after she asked, and it’s possible that it made matters worse.
TikTok user @sabrinapangilinan had a rollercoaster experience Philippine Airlines flight experience
Starting her video on a strong note, TikTok user @sabrinapangilinan said that when she boarded her Philippine Airlines flight back home, she was so exhausted that she passed out. When she woke up three hours later, she found that passengers were being served cookies and that the flight had not yet taken off. Later, it was announced that her flight would be cancelled, and all passengers were rescheduled to another flight departing at midnight. Additionally, the airline announced it would provide free accommodation and food to everyone. Sabrina, who was travelling alone, wanted a support system during this strange experience, so she befriended a Lola (an old lady) and a family of four.
Afterwards, a lot of drama unfolded between Lola, the grandmother, and Sabrina, with Lola assuming she would stay with Sabrina at the hotel. However, Sabrina, concerned about her safety, refused to share her room with Lola and asked the family she befriended if Lola could stay with them. Fortunately, they agreed. Cut to Sabrina boarding the new flight with the rest of the crowd. While standing in line for her boarding pass, she and other passengers were disturbed by a woman speaking very loudly, claiming she wouldn’t get on the flight because something bad would happen. Her words caused panic in Sabrina, and when boarding was delayed, she let the woman’s voice affect her, causing her to start spiralling. Eventually, everyone boarded the plane. During the flight, Sabrina sat next to Lola, who then asked her for some Tylenol. Sabrina fell asleep, and when she woke up, she learned that Lola had not slept at all. At one point, she went to get water for Lola, but upon returning, she found Lola clutching her chest and breathing heavily. As tensions mounted and Sabrina became frantic, a man intervened, asking Lola if she was taking any maintenance medication. She replied affirmatively, saying she hadn’t taken them in the past 24 hours because they were in her checked luggage, which only increased Sabrina’s worry. Lola also told the man she had taken Tylelol, and he warned her she shouldn’t have taken it. Hours passed, and Sabrina worried about Lola’s health, but fortunately, they arrived safely.
People have a wide range of reactions to TikTok user @sabrinapangilinan’s story
People in the comments section of Sabrina’s TikTok video are amazed by her unique experiences. User @onemanvan wrote, “girlie went from a normal flight to canceled flight to murder documentary to final destination to Grey’s anatomy then finally to her destination.” User @uglywoodenpotato wrote, “the build up was insane, I was expecting some final destination action from the lady screaming at the airport.”
Many people commented, saying they would have panicked if they faced similar circumstances. User @2goth4you wrote, “I would’ve had a meltdown. That’s way too much.” User @tsurucandy wrote, “SO MANY THINGS HAPPENED I LITERALLY WOULDVE GONE INTO CARDIAC ARREST.”
Medical emergencies on flights are rare
An article published by Frommer’s on January 2, 2026, highlights that a recent JAMA Network study found that medical emergencies occur on 1 in every 212 flights. The most common types of in-flight health crises are fainting, vomiting, and respiratory distress. Additionally, the study found that approximately 2 per cent of these medical emergencies led to a plane diversion, especially when cardiac problems were involved.
According to an article published on the website of Jacob D. Fuchsberg Law Firm on February 6, 2020, there is a possibility that a healthcare professional will be on the flight you are travelling on, but it isn’t mandatory. In the absence of one, flight attendants will assist the patient and provide first aid. It is important to note that they cannot treat everyone and that their ability to help is limited. That said, if a person doesn’t improve after receiving first aid, flight authorities may decide to divert the flight and drop off the patient at the nearest airport.
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