Nurse gets loud cheer on plane for quick act

A nurse was given a standing ovation for her quick thinking following a “terrifying” ordeal that unfolded on a budget US airline.

Plane passengers stood and cheered after a nurse helped rescue a baby who had reportedly stopped breathing during a flight.

US meteorologist Ian Cassette, who was aboard the Spirit Airlines flight from Pittsburgh to Orlando in the US, documented the shock incident on Twitter on Thursday.

He said about 30 minutes into the flight, a baby girl three rows in front of him had stopped breathing, prompting fellow traveller Tamara Panzino, who is a nurse, to take immediate action.

“Thankfully a nurse was able to get the baby to breathe again,” he wrote on Twitter, alongside video of dad and smiling baby Angelé, at the front of the plane.

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A baby on-board a US budget airline flight had stopped breathing. Picture: Twitter/iancassette_wx

Mr Cassette, who is a meteorologist for Fox 35, said the parents of the three-month-old girl were “terrified” and had never experienced anything like this before.

“They praised the positive energy of the plane and the heroic actions of Tamara for saving her,” he tweeted.

However, a nurse was quick to act, helping to save the baby. Picture: Twitter/iancassette_wx

In an interview with Fox 35, Ms Panzino said: “When you have to step forward and do what’s right, you do it. It was just a happy story, and it made me feel really good.”

With her help, the baby started to breathe again, prompting passengers to give the nurse a standing ovation, while also cheering and applauding her “heroic actions”.

“Great job Tamara Panzino! As a sister trauma nurse, I know you ‘jumped in’ and did what you knew to do,” one person responded to the video.

The three-month-old can be seen smiling as passengers cheer and applaud the nurse for her quick response. Picture: Twitter/iancassette_wx

“No time to think it out but somehow you did what needed to be done without a second thought. Tamara Panzino you were that baby’s life line. Congratulations!”

Mr Cassette said he’d never felt that much nervous energy before.

“The second we saw those helping Angelé start to smile we all breathed a sigh of relief,” he tweeted, adding, “[The] flight attendants should be commended for their quick action for helping as well.”

In the clip, the little girl can be seen smiling again as her father cradles her in his arms.

“Oh my goodness that baby’s smile just makes you melt! Glad this had a happy ending!” one person wrote.

A Spirit Airlines spokesperson thanked cabin crew and the nurse for the quick response.

“Our flight attendants are trained to respond to medical emergencies on-board and utilise several resources, including communicating with our designated on-call medical professionals on the ground, using on-board medical kits, and receiving assistance from credentialed medical professionals travelling on the flight,” the spokesperson said in a statement.