I spent many years in the ski industry. Sometimes lifts stop due to mis loading passengers, high winds, etc. normally depending on the length of stoppage the resort may have programs for irate guests. An example would be a lift that was stopped for up to a half hour people might get a free hot chocolate, longer durations could get a lift ticket, half day, whatever.
in the mid ‘90’s I was a manager staffing a mountain top hut devoted to fixing guest problems. The gondola stopped for about a half hour, a guest had had a heart attack while going up the hill. When the gondola got to the top and the doors opened the lift operator found guests giving CPR to the victim. He stopped the lift and called ski patrol and the on-site doctor. Patrol came to continue to do CPR and use the AED while waiting for the doctor, all of this happening inside the gondola. Fast forward about 30 minutes, sadly the gentleman is dead and never resuscitated. Situation is dealt with and gondola starts moving again.
everyone is obviously sad and upset a few people who hear about it and ask questions. Except one guy who comes stomping up to me saying that he wanted a free full day lift ticket, that it was absurd that we held the gondola stopped while working on the guest. I still remember his exact words “they should have pulled him out he was already dead, I should know I’m a cardiac surgeon”. Apparently he was in the gondola right below the one with the victim.
closest I ever came to losing it with a guest. I said “well thanks for your help” and walked away from him never looked back and never offered any assistance. I believe he went to higher mgmt through guest services at the time, I was a mid-senior mgr then. The team backed me up and he was told that perhaps that wasn’t the best resort for him.