Honeymoon Flight Turns into Lifesaving Medical Rescue at 30,000 Feet
TL/DR –
Dr. Jacquelyn Lacera suffered a sudden arrhythmia during an American Airlines flight from Hawaii to Los Angeles, leading to a mid-air medical rescue by Emily Haley, an emergency room physician assistant. The medical equipment on the plane included a pulse oxygen monitor and glucose monitor that were non-functional, a twisted up stethoscope, and an automated external defibrillator (AED) which was eventually used to stabilize Lacera. The incident underlines the importance of well-equipped and functioning medical kits on planes as well as the need for comprehensive training for the crew members.
Mid-Air Medical Crisis on Honeymoon Flight Highlights Need for Better In-Flight Care
Physician assistant Emily Haley went into action when Dr. Jacquelyn Lacera suffered a sudden medical emergency during their shared flight from Hawaii to Los Angeles. This incident underscores the potential dangers of in-flight medical emergencies, calling attention to the need for improved medical equipment and training aboard airplanes.
Lacera experienced intense chest pain and nausea an hour into the American Airlines flight from her honeymoon in Hawaii. As a family medicine doctor based in Riverside, California, Lacera feared she was experiencing a heart attack, reminiscent of her sister’s sudden cardiac death at age 37.
The flight crew’s call for aid was answered by Haley, who was also returning home from Hawaii with her family. Haley’s initial assessments were hampered by malfunctioning equipment, including the plane’s pulse oxygen monitor and glucose monitor. The lack of reliable equipment highlights the need for better quality medical supplies onboard commercial flights, a concern shared by many advocates.
This incident demonstrates the necessity for standardized medical equipment and training amongst flight crews, an issue currently left up to individual airlines. The Federal Aviation Administration regulations only require that at least one crew member be trained to use an AED, with each plane carrying a basic emergency medical kit.
Despite the difficulties, Haley managed to stabilize Lacera using an AED. Lacera was taken to the hospital upon landing and remains in cardiac rehabilitation. Since the incident, Lacera and Haley have become advocates for improved in-flight medical care.
Programs such as Doctor on Board, a European initiative that trains and registers medical professionals for in-flight emergencies, demonstrate potential solutions. However, even with such programs, the lack of standardized medical supplies and equipment on commercial flights remains a concern.
In-flight cardiac arrests are more common than one might expect, with the American Heart Association estimating 350 air travel-related cardiac arrests annually in the U.S., and 2,000 globally. A quarter of these occur directly on planes. Older passengers are particularly vulnerable due to confined spaces, dehydration, low oxygen, and stress during flights. A 2019 study found that passengers over age 50 could show signs of cardiac stress at 7,000 feet equivalent cabin pressures.
Incidents like the one Lacera and Haley experienced underscore the urgent need for improved in-flight medical care. As Lacera notes, “To rely solely on the passengers is a real big issue because, I mean, I got lucky.”
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