Indian-origin SIA steward wins plaudits for trying to save a driver suffering heart attack

SINGAPORE: An Indian-origin flight steward won praise at the Singapore Airlines (SIA) CEO Service Excellence Award for his efforts in reviving a car driver he had hired for his trip to work at the airport. Venoth Balasubramaniam was among 69 individuals and teams who received the award on Monday night at the national carrier’s annual award ceremony to celebrate the achievements of its employees, reported The Straits Times on Tuesday.

Balasubramaniam, 34, was sitting at the back of a private-hire car en route to Changi Airport when he heard a loud groan and saw the driver slump in his seat in November 2022.
The father of two pulled the car’s handbrake to stop the vehicle while on his way to report for a flight to London, switched on the hazard lights and dialled 995 immediately. He then stepped out to direct the traffic.

Helped by his first-aid training at SIA and his experience working at Changi General Hospital as a care ambassador at the height of the Covid-19 pandemic, Balasubramaniam performed cardiopulmonary resuscitation and revived the unconscious driver, who was in his late 40s or early 50s.
This act, along with his personal touch in the skies, won him praise at the national carrier’s annual award ceremony.
Balasubramaniam said he usually reaches the airport an hour before his flight reporting time, so he still made it to work on time.
“When I returned from London, the driver’s wife called me to thank me, but that was when she told me that he had died,” he said, adding that he was still in touch with the driver’s family.
Balasubramaniam, who will mark his 10th year at SIA in November, was also lauded on Monday for his ability to remember and greet passengers by name without checking their boarding passes.
Asked about this skill, he said he does not have a special technique but looks at the flight manifest before take-off and observes what each passenger is wearing and if they have unique features.
He said he does this in all cabin classes from economy to premium economy to business.
He said the award would motivate him to work harder and set an example for up-and-coming cabin crew members.
“I feel I have a role to play in upholding the reputation of the airline,” he added.