Abstract
Emergencies on board an aircraft pose a challenge for all physicians but also for
all other participants. However, doctors can prepare for it: sound knowledge of the
physical environment and the resulting physiological characteristics with risks and
limitations of acutely ill passengers will aid informed decision making. Legal protection
and knowledge of the onboard medical equipment and certainty that this will appropriately
support the required interventions on board the aircraft may further facility the
willingness of physicians’ to act. Doctors looking for specific information with regard
to the medical equipment on board may receive valuable information from the individual
airlines only since standardization across the different carriers is still lacking
(8).
