The Mayday call originated in the 1920s. ... As much of the traffic at Croydon airport at that time was to and from Le Bourget Airport in Paris, Mockford proposed the expression “Mayday" derived from the French word “m'aider" that means “help me" and is a shortened form of “venez m'aider", which means “come and help me".

What is the meaning behind Mayday?

May Day, also called Workers' Day or International Workers' Day, day commemorating the historic struggles and gains made by workers and the labour movement, observed in many countries on May 1. In the United States and Canada a similar observance, known as Labor Day, occurs on the first Monday of September.

What happens when you call Mayday?

When should I use a Mayday call? When you make a Mayday call, the U.S. Coast Guard jumps into action. They direct massive resources across long distances to get to you as soon as possible -- regardless of the risk and the cost. Therefore, Maydays must be reserved for truly life-threatening situations.