Do doctors have to help on a plane?

No Legal Duty, but Potentially an Ethical One The ethical duty stems from the fact that doctors and other medical professionals don't lose their training simply because they are off duty and out of uniform.



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The first thing to know is that off-duty doctors and other medical professionals are not legally required to help if a medical emergency arises on an airplane; however, there may be an ethical duty to intervene, as described in a 2015 article in the New England Journal of Medicine (NEJM).

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And the thing is, the answer is pretty much always yes. A doctor may not always be seated in the cabin on your flight, but most commercial airlines are aware that in-flight medical emergencies can happen (I've written about one or two such instances myself in my time at USA TODAY).

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The most common in-flight medical emergencies involve:
  • Seizures;
  • Cardiac symptoms;
  • Nausea or vomiting;
  • Respiratory problems and.
  • Lightheadedness or fainting.


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Read the fine print or contact your airline to assess whether or not a documented medical emergency is enough reason to waive a cancellation fee. Be in touch with your doctor so that he or she can vouch for you. Cancel more than 24 hours in advance.

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Exceptional circumstances for air passenger rights Put simply, the airline is not responsible for the delay or cancellation of the flight. For example, a medical emergency can cause delays at any time. In such cases, the airline may invoke an extraordinary circumstance.

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Medical emergencies occur on ˜1 of every 604 flights. The most common emergencies include syncope or presyncope, respiratory symptoms, or nausea and vomiting. For 90% of these emergencies, aircraft continue to their destination.

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A trained physician is aboard just about 11 of every 12 flights. The New England Journal of Medicine discovered that in-flight medical emergencies are rare to begin with. Of the 7 million flights between 2008 and 2010, there were 11,900 medical incidents reported. That's one incident for every 609 flights.

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Delayed flights: you may be able to claim compensation if your flight arrived 3 hours or more late. Canceled flights: you may be eligible for compensation if your flight was canceled less than 14 days before it was due to depart.

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However, if your first flight is delayed for more than 3 hours, you may be entitled to compensation from the airline that caused the delay. In addition to compensation, the airline must offer you a choice between: Reimbursement of your ticket and a return flight to your departure airport if you have a connecting flight.

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Most airlines offer long term disability that will pay a certain amount of your pay until the retirement age of 65. If you are able to come back before then, you are expected to return.

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if you suffer from or have had:
  • angina or chest pain at rest.
  • an infectious disease (e.g. chickenpox, flu), including COVID-19.
  • decompression sickness after diving (sometimes called 'the bends')
  • increased pressure in the brain (due to bleeding, injury or infection)
  • infection of your ears or sinuses.
  • recent heart attack.


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Infectious Diseases
An airline can deny boarding of any passenger who looks unwell, especially if they suspect the passenger might be infectious (infect other passengers).

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“It's totally up to the captain onboard the plane,” says Charlie Leocha, president and co-founder of Travelers United, a consumer advocacy organization. He says travelers face a conundrum: Show up sick and risk not being allowed to fly, or delay a flight because of illness and pay a penalty.

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Airborne Illnesses “You are at greater risk if the person is seated within two rows of you. But your risk is lower if the person is seated three or more rows away.” Upper respiratory infections, such as the common cold and the flu, are the most common illnesses that air travelers might be exposed to while in flight.

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A rough estimate of the probability of an airplane going down due to an emergency is about 1 in 11 million, meaning it would take us quite a few lifetimes before actually experiencing a plane crash.

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