According to a recent study, medical emergencies happen on 1 in every 212 flights, with nearly 2% of those events causing the plane to divert, usually in the case of cardiac issues. The most common kinds of in-flight medical emergencies are fainting, respiratory issues, and vomiting.
“Cabin pressure, lower oxygen levels, and reduced mobility can make a person’s underlying heart, lung, or other health problems worse,” says Dr. Asim Cheema, a cardiologist. Fortunately, the death rate for in-flight medical emergencies is only around 0.3%.
In January 2025, I was traveling solo back to Thailand, where I was living, after being in the U.S. for work.
On the 13-hour flight from Los Angeles to Seoul, South Korea, I began feeling overheated and weak. While walking to the back of the plane to get water, I fainted in the aisle.
What happens immediately after you have an in-flight medical emergency
I have since learned the safer course of action would have been for me to remain seated.
“Ring the call light when you begin to feel sick instead of waiting for help when you lose consciousness,” advises Emily Demirdonder, a former flight attendant with Virgin Australia. This can allow the crew to get you sufficient treatment and prevent “a full-blown emergency,” she says.
I didn’t know it at the time, but as a crew member on my flight to Korea helped me to the jump seat—and I went in and out of consciousness—an orchestrated emergency protocol had kicked into gear.
“Medical emergency protocol starts when a flight attendant alerts pilots about a passenger in distress,” explains commercial pilot Justin Crabbe. “The crew quickly contacts company operations and ground-based emergency services.”
Federal Aviation Administration regulations require all commercial airlines to carry a first-aid kit and an emergency medical kit (EMK) on all aircraft. According to Crabbe, the EMK includes essential items such as airway supplies, IV equipment, and syringes.
After I fainted a few more times, I was laid down across the back row of seats. In cases where that’s not an option (if the seats are occupied, for instance), flight attendants might have the ill passenger lie down on the floor of the plane’s galley.
“Moving a sick person to the galley gives us space to lay them flat and access medical equipment without blocking the aisle,” says Demirdonder, the former flight attendant.
You or anyone you might be traveling with will be asked to provide your medical history, too, so that medical responders know of any relevant underlying conditions, medications, and other factors relating to your health.
“Passengers should carry their prescription medication with them instead of in the overhead bin,” Demirdonder says. Additionally, “carrying a health summary card in your wallet helps crew relay your history to ground support.”
After a crew member on my flight requested volunteer assistance from any medical personnel on board, it was surreal to see people sprinting to the back of the plane to tend to me. An ER doctor, a trauma nurse, and a travel nurse all headed my way.
The crew brought the EMK to the medical folks. My vitals were checked and I was covered in ice packs. My blood pressure and oxygen levels were very low, so I was administered two full portable oxygen tanks.
Know your rights during an in-flight medical emergency
Trained medical workers are not required by U.S. law to assist during in-flight emergencies, though most feel an ethical obligation. The Aviation Medical Assistance Act of 1998 shields them from liability as long as they provide care in good faith.
“Medical staff maintain complete protection from lawsuits unless they show intentional behavior or act with reckless disregard, which allows them to take immediate action without worrying about legal consequences,” explains attorney Andrew Wachler.
As for the patient, FAA regulations entitle flyers to certain medical accommodations. “You have the right to ask for assistance from professionals on board and to require the crew to consult with medical experts on the ground,” Wachler says. “You have the right to ask for anything you may need from the emergency kit.”
In my case, I wanted to ask to see the credentials of one of the people tending to me, but I wasn’t sure if I was allowed.
Turns out I was not. “Passengers don’t have the legal right to see the medical professional’s credentials,” Wachler notes.
Medical personnel often share their credentials verbally during these situations. Dr. Cheema stresses that it’s important for a volunteering medical professional to “state their level of training” as well.
I was also concerned I’d be asked to pay for the medical tools used during my treatment in the air. But Wachler says, “Passengers aren’t charged for the medical supplies and treatment given.” He adds, “Airlines aren’t allowed to bill the care that’s given to someone while onboard the plane.”
What happens if there aren’t any medical professionals on board?
If no medical professionals had been on board during my emergency, the crew would have treated me instead.
“Flight attendants call MedLink or STAT-MD, where emergency doctors guide the crew in assessment, treatment, and how to use the available medical equipment,” says Crabbe, the airline pilot.
Explaining things from a flight attendant’s perspective, Demirdonder says, “We provide doctors on the ground with the patient’s vital signs as they talk us through procedures. Flight crew trains extensively about managing emergencies, including childbirth, stroke recognition, splinting fractures, methods for and controlling major hemorrhaging, and severe allergic reactions.”
How the flight crew determines whether to divert the plane during a medical emergency
During my emergency, one of the medical personnel suggested to the captain that we should divert and land in Alaska, as they were unable to make a diagnosis.
When I learned of the plan to divert the flight, I didn’t want to follow that course of action because I don’t have insurance in the U.S., but it ultimately wasn’t my call.
Passengers can express a preference for or against diversion, but the captain makes the final decision. Medical professionals provide input, but they can’t override the captain’s authority.
“The pilot may declare a medical emergency and bypass to the closest appropriate airport,” Crabbe explains. “Captains must weigh the medical emergency against other safety factors including weather, options for airport diversion, fuel levels, and safety for the passengers and crew.”
Fortunately, in my situation the ER doctor ultimately decided I was stable and advised the pilot not to divert.
In Seoul I was transferred to my next gate in a wheelchair and I went to see my doctor a few days later in Thailand. I had the choice to stay in Seoul and go to the hospital, but preferred to continue with my final flight.
Related: What Happens When Somebody Dies During a Flight?
