Lufthansa has equipped all long–haul aircraft with a mobile ECG system to better assess medical emergencies.

Claiming to be the first airline in the world to do so, Lufthansa has equipped all long–haul aircraft with the mobile ECG (Electrocardiogram) system, CardioSecur.

In case of onboard medical emergencies, the compact, intuitive system, which weighs just 50g, will allow flight attendants without cardiological expertise to record an ECG for passengers and send the test results directly to medical experts on the ground.

The system was tested in 2018 on the A380 fleet and will now be available for medical emergencies on all long-haul aircraft within the Lufthansa fleet.

“In good hands”

Cardiovascular complaints are the most common cause of medical incidents on flights, Lufthansa says. Previously, any doctors on board would use a defibrillator but an ECG should provide better results. The app which comes with the ECG kit also has an ‘expert mode’ which any onboard doctors can use.

Dr Sven-Karsten Peters, a cardiologist with the Lufthansa Medical Service, said: “The health of our passengers is very close to our hearts. Especially when they are feeling unwell on board, they should know that they are in good hands with Lufthansa. The results of the resting ECG conducted directly onboard the aircraft provide a better basis for deciding whether it is necessary to divert a plane in order to provide medical care on the ground in case of medical emergencies.”

Medical assistance

Lufthansa is also offering a new medical travel assistance service in cooperation with the service provider Medical Travel Companion. Passengers can choose to book either a nurse, a paramedic or a doctor to care of them during their entire flight. Lufthansa is the first European airline to offer this service.

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