In-flight emergencies: playing The Good Samaritan

On a recent holiday, one of the authors was asked to lend medical assistance to a passenger on the flight out and another on the flight back. Anecdotally, it appears that other doctors are also being asked more often than previously. This led us to investigate the area more closely. About three quarters of in-flight emergencies are managed by cabin crew but in the remaining situations it is off-duty medical professionals who offer their services as Good Samaritans.1 This review article aims to identify and clarify issues surrounding doctors who act as Good Samaritans onboard commercial airline flights. This includes discussion points ranging from common clinical scenarios to the legal protection of an intervening doctor.