In-flight Deaths During Commercial Air Travel

Abstract

Do passenger deaths occur during commercial air travel? If so, how often and from what causes? We reviewed information reported to the International Air Transport Association on in-flight deaths that occurred during commercial air travel for the eight years between 1977 and 1984. Of the 120 airlines in the International Air Transport Association, 42 carriers reported deaths during these eight years. A total of 577 in-flight deaths were recorded, for a reported average of 72 deaths per year. Deaths occurred at average rates of 0.31 per million passengers, 125 per billion passenger-kilometers, and 25.1 per million departures. The majority of those who died were men (66%, 382/577) and middle-aged (mean age, 53.8 years). Most of the individuals (77%, 399/515) reported no health problems prior to travel. Physicians aboard the aircraft offered medical assistance for 43% (247/577) of the deaths. More than half of the deaths (56%, 326/577) seemed to be related to cardiac problems. Sudden unexpected cardiac death was the cause of death in 63% (253/399) of the apparently healthy people and seems to be the major cause of death during air travel. These observations support the initiation of programs to train cabin personnel in the skills of basic cardiopulmonary resuscitation and in the use of automatic external defibrillators.

Commercial aviation in‐flight emergencies and the physician

“…When a physician is involved in the decision to divert an aircraft, 49% of the emergency cases are admitted to hospital, compared with only 15% where there is no medical input, indicating that physician triage may be effective in potentially selecting the more serious cases 14 . The IATA study in 1988 estimated that a physician helped in 43% of the emergencies studied 5 . The actual role of volunteers is discussed next.…”

“…One of the first large‐scale studies of the more serious emergencies was published in 1988 by Cummins et al . concerning in‐flight deaths 5 . This study collected data from 42 airline members of IATA for the 8 years from 1977 to 1984.…”

Air Travel Can Be Safe and Well Tolerated in Patients with Clinically Stable Pulmonary Hypertension

“…[3] Cardiovascular events represent the major cause of in-flight deaths. [4] Due to engineering and financial constraints, the ambient in-flight cabin pressure is maintained to the equivalent of a maximum altitude of 2438 m.[56] This reduction in cabin pressure is the equivalent of breathing 15% oxygen (compared with 21% oxygen at sea level).…”

“If There is a Doctor Aboard this Flight…”: Issues and Advice for the Passenger-Psychiatrist

“…This represents 125 deaths per billion passenger-kilometres or 0.31 per million passengers. 9 More than 50% of these deaths were cardiac and 66% were men aged more than 50 years. Considering ventures such as the Air New Zealand run to Rarotonga in the 1970s, which involved terminally ill patients flocking there to attend a charlatan 'medical oncologist', many of whom failed to complete the round trip, these figures may not be a true reflection of the incidence of inflight deaths.…”