Vnitr Lek 2025, 71(3):E17-E25 | DOI: 10.36290/vnl.2025.038

Health aspect of airplane travel

Dana Lauková

PaF ambulancia Internej kliniky FN Nitra

Almost 2 billion people travel aboard commercial airlines every year. Health-care providers and travellers need to be aware of the potential health risks associated with air travel. Changes resulting from three physical laws about gas occur during routine commercial flights. They lead most often to mild hypoxia and gas expansion (risk od hypoxemia, barotrauma and decompression), which can exacerbate chronic medical conditions or incite acute in-flight medical events. The association between venous thromboembolism and long-haul flights, trapping gas, jet lag, and cabin-air quality are growing health-care issues associated with air travel. In-flight medical events are increasingly frequent because a growing number of individuals (incl. elderly people and children) with pre-existing medical conditions travel by air. Resources are available onboard to assist flight crew and volunteering physicians in the management of in-flight medical emergencies. Fitness for air travel is a growing issue because many passengers are unaware of health implications associated with commercial air travel. Physicians are often expected to identify individuals unfit for air travel and give them useful advice.

Keywords: air travel, risk of hypoxemia, risk of barotrauma, risk of decompression, pulmonary hypertension, health complications.

Accepted: April 28, 2025; Published: May 16, 2025  Show citation