Family holds funeral for 'economy class syndrome' wife

The funeral of a mother who died from a massive haemorrhage which her family believe was caused by so-called economy class syndrome takes place tomorrow.

Friends and family will pay tribute to Shirley Henderson during a service at Daldowie Crematorium in Uddingston, Lanarkshire, tomorrow morning.

Mrs Henderson, 46, from Carluke, Lanarkshire, collapsed after a flight to Singapore to visit her husband Alistair, who was working in the Far East, in April.

She had gone there to celebrate the couple’s 24th wedding anniversary.

After she collapsed, Mrs Henderson was treated in Singapore and appeared to have recovered.

But after she returned to Scotland her condition worsened and she died in hospital on June 28.

Mr Henderson, 48, and his local MSP Karen Gillon, Labour member for Clydesdale, Lanarkshire, have called for public inquiries into the tragedy.

They want a general inquiry into economy class syndrome and an investigation over the treatment Mrs Henderson received after her return to Scotland.

Mr Henderson believes his wife should have been more closely monitored by medical staff in Lanarkshire.

Mrs Henderson, a keen horserider, flew to Singapore with her daughter Rhona but collapsed shortly after leaving the plane following the 11-hour flight.

She spent five days in a hospital intensive care unit in Singapore, where a cardiologist told the family she had deep vein thrombosis (DVT).

She later flew home, where she remained on medication and had medical checks initially on a weekly basis but then less regularly.

She suffered a massive haemorrhage at her home on Tuesday June 26 and was taken to Wishaw General Hospital where she died two days later.

Mrs Gillon has said a public inquiry was needed to establish why Mrs Henderson died and how her death could have been prevented.

She has written to the procurator fiscal in Lanark asking for an inquiry.

Meanwhile Mr Henderson, an underwater cable engineer who works all over the world, has not ruled out taking legal action against British Airways, which flew his wife to Singapore.

He said: ‘‘I must find out what happened to her and why she died. Something went wrong and someone has to admit what happened. If I could save someone else that would make a difference.’’

DVT has been dubbed economy class syndrome because of the suspected links with blood clots - which can be fatal if they reach the lungs or brain - and cramped conditions in cheaper airline seats, but can affect travellers in any class.