Virgin Atlantic Upgrades Medical Kit on All Flights

Virgin Atlantic aims to save lives and reduce flight diversions after upgrading its onboard medical equipment through a partnership with German tech company CardioSecur.

The airline announced that all of its planes would now include the world’s smallest and lightest transportable electrocardiography (ECG) equipment.

Chief customer and operations officer Corneel Koster said: “The upgrade to this new state-of-the-art mobile ECG capability on board all our aircraft clearly demonstrates further leadership in shaping the future of customer health and I’m proud to be the first UK airline to offer CardioSecur’s new kit.”

The airline claimed that the most typical reason for medical flight diversions is cardiovascular problems.

In the early 2000s, the airline was the first in the world to have an entirely ECG-equipped fleet. It continues to be the only airline in the UK to have an in-flight ECG system.

As per the contract, CardioSecur will make its expertise accessible through an app-based solution to address serious in-flight medical issues.

Cabin staff will be able to record 12-lead ECGs using the lightweight, user-friendly equipment, which weighs 50 grammes, and transmit the data to a ground-based medical service via Wi-Fi and satellite.

The airline said that the kit’s quickness and sophistication will give the aircraft vital input, outlining the next medical actions and whether or not a diversion is required.

The technology uses a vectorcardiography-based system which performs a comprehensive 12-lead ECG with only four pick-up points on the body, Virgin Atlantic added.

Koster said: “Our work with CardioSecur underpins our continued commitment to customer health, which will always be our top priority.

“We were proud to be the first airline in the world to have a fully ECG-equipped fleet and we’ve continued to remain at the forefront of aviation medicine.”

CardioSecur founder Felix Brand, the company’s chief executive, said: “We are thrilled to collaborate with Virgin Atlantic, a visionary airline that shares our commitment to leveraging cutting-edge technology to enhance passenger and crew safety.

“Our partnership will empower airlines to provide swift and accurate support in medical emergencies and make a significant impact on in-flight healthcare.”