The radiotelephony message PAN-PAN is the international standard urgency signal that someone aboard a boat, ship, aircraft, or other vehicle uses to declare that they need help and that the situation is urgent, but for the time being, does not pose an immediate danger to anyone's life or to the vessel itself.

In aviation, the term is actually "Pan-Pan" (derived from the French word panne, meaning a breakdown). It is the international standard urgency signal used to declare a situation that is serious but does not pose an immediate danger to life or the aircraft itself. In 2026, a pilot would broadcast "Pan-Pan" three times to alert Air Traffic Control and other aircraft that they have an urgent problem—such as a non-critical system failure, a passenger requiring medical advice (but not in immediate cardiac arrest), or becoming slightly lost—requiring priority attention. It is the step below a "Mayday" call, which is reserved for grave and imminent danger. Using Pan-Pan ensures that the radio frequency is cleared for the pilot's specific needs without triggering a full-scale emergency response from all nearby search and rescue units unless the situation later deteriorates.