Why Flying Changes How We Care for Patients During Air Medical Transport

Most people don’t think much about what happens to the body once an aircraft lifts off. You find your seat, buckle up, feel the climb, and that’s about it. But for patients who are already sick or injured, even small changes in the air can matter. Flight crews watch these changes closely to keep patients safe the entire way.

The higher you go, the more the air around you changes

A simple example: if you’ve ever opened a bag of chips during a flight and noticed it puff up, that’s because air expands as pressure drops. The same thing can happen inside the body.

That can affect patients in a few ways:

• Air trapped in the body from an injury can grow larger as the aircraft climbs.

• Extra pressure in the stomach can make breathing uncomfortable.

• Breathing tubes may need small adjustments because the tiny air-filled cuff around them can tighten.

Most healthy people don’t notice any of this, but for someone who’s already struggling, these small changes can add up.

When trapped air becomes a problem

If a patient has air trapped around a lung from an injury, it’s usually not an issue on the ground. In the air, though, that same pocket of air can suddenly take up more space. That’s why flight crews check carefully before takeoff and make sure there’s a safe way for that air to escape if needed.

Breathing machines act differently in flight

Some patients need a machine to help them breathe during transport. These machines are designed for flying, but the change in pressure can slightly affect how they work. Because of that, crews always double-check the settings once they’re in the air to make sure the patient is getting the right amount of support.

Altitude can affect how the body feels

Even in a pressurized cabin, the air is a little thinner than it is on the ground. Most people do fine with this, but patients with health problems may feel the change more.

For instance:

• Someone whose blood pressure is barely stable might drop a little once the aircraft climbs.

• A patient with breathing problems may need more oxygen than they did on the ground.

• The heart may have to work a bit harder in the thinner air.

These changes aren’t dramatic, but they’re important. That’s why flight crews check vital signs often and make small adjustments throughout the trip.

Why all of this matters

Flight crews don’t just care for patients—they care for them in a moving environment that’s constantly changing. Understanding how altitude affects the body helps them stay one step ahead and prevent small issues from becoming big problems.

Air medical transport isn’t just about getting someone from one place to another quickly. It’s about knowing how flying itself affects the body and adjusting care to keep patients safe from takeoff to landing.