[In-flight emergencies].

Abstract

It is estimated that at least one billion passengers travel by air every year. It is predicted that this number will double in the future, including an increasing number of aged passengers. It is further estimated that for every ten million passengers, 225 acute in-flight incidents and one death will occur. Modern commercial aircraft impose certain physical and physiological stresses on passengers, due mainly to the lowered barometric pressure in the cabin during cruising. The top five in-flight incidents are vasovagal, cardiac, pulmonary, and gastrointestinal attacks and minor traumas and burns. Travel by air is, however, safe and can be tolerated by most people. Each aircraft is equipped with emergency oxygen and medical kits, the crew is trained in advanced first aid, and a link to a ground-based medical centre often exists. Ill and elderly people can have their journey specifically prepared for by communication between their physician and the medical service of the particular company, providing the best opportunity for a smooth journey.