MedAire

Air Europa Enhances Safety on Board by Incorporating Specialized Medical Assistance During Flights

•It becomes the first Spanish airline to implement MedAire’s integrated ecosystem across its operation, giving crews access to real-time medical support across all phases of flight while helping identify potential risk situations before departure.

Madrid, Spain, April 16, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Air Europa takes another step forward in improving passenger safety on board. The airline will be the first Spanish company to implement and put into service a set of advanced medical assistance solutions across its entire fleet, ensuring that healthcare professionals are available to assess emergency situations. In order to do so, it has established a strategic alliance with MedAire, a leading provider of safety and medical assistance services to the aviation industry, whereby, starting this March, all its flights benefit from the most advanced technology in this field, as well as the knowledge accumulated throughout more than four decades of serving crews around the world.

The project significantly expands emergency response capabilities. Air Europa and, progressively, Air Europa Express will have efficient prevention and intervention systems in place, both before boarding and during the flight.

From now on, ground staff can use MedAire’s Passenger Fit-to-Fly digital tool to assess passengers who appear unwell or who may have recently experienced a medical event, such as hospitalization or surgery. With support from healthcare professionals, the tool helps determine whether a passenger may be at increased risk of in-flight medical events, potentially preventing serious in-flight medical events. On board, crews will have access to the MedAire In-Flight App, which provides AI-guided, step-by-step support during medical incidents, as well as MedLink, MedAire’s real-time in-flight medical advisory service. Through satellite communications or onboard connectivity, crew can contact directly with aviation-trained emergency physicians, who can assess the situation, advise on the use of onboard medical kit contents, and support operational decision-making, including whether diversion should be considered.

All of the above contribute to the ongoing improvement of service and overall safety on board, which is why Air Europa has just been recognized as the first European airline to receive the prestigious Seven Star PLUS certification from AirlineRatings.com. Crew members already undergo regular first-aid and cardiopulmonary resuscitation training, enabling them to deploy the necessary procedures to assist passengers in any situation. This includes everything from stabilising a patient and making clinical assessments to taking operational decisions based on the above information. They also have first aid kits, medical kits, automatic external defibrillators, and rapid response equipment on board, which, together with the new solutions, allow them to act with complete confidence in complex scenarios where responding as quickly as possible is key.

"We are constantly working to ensure the maximum safety of our passengers, and being able to respond quickly, accurately, and efficiently, especially while in flight, is part of that. Deploying these solutions reinforces the solid preparation of our crews and provides even more peace of mind for travelers, as we now have the direct support of professionals who are used to dealing with any emergency situation. Furthermore, the fact that we are the only Spanish company capable of providing these services demonstrates our spirit of continuous improvement," explains Ivan Gutierrez, Director of Operations at Air Europa.

“Air Europa’s crews will now have access to the same proven medical support ecosystem trusted by more than 300,000 crew members worldwide,” says Peter Tuggey, Managing Director, Europe, Middle East, Africa and Asia Pacific, MedAire. “What makes these tools so powerful is not only the speed of access to expert support, but the depth of operational insight behind them. The MedAire In-Flight App guides crew through structured onboard assessments informed by more than one million real aviation medical cases, while MedLink connects them in real time with emergency physicians who can assess the same information and help guide care and operational decisions. With the future addition of clinical-grade 12-lead ECG capability, Air Europa will be taking another important step forward in strengthening onboard cardiac response.”

Project in progress

The solutions deployed by Air Europa across its entire fleet and throughout its various routes will benefit over 12 million passengers who fly with the airline each year. They also place the company in a unique position amongst Spanish airlines. The MedAire In-Flight App’s AI-guided assessment protocols have been trained on more than one million real-world in-flight medical cases managed by MedAire, the largest dataset of its kind in aviation medicine. This means that Air Europa’s more than 2,200 cabin crew members have at their disposal assessment algorithms built not on theoretical models, but on actual emergency scenarios encountered across thousands of flights worldwide. This significantly increases the reliability and accuracy of guidance provided during critical moments.

In a second phase, and also in a pioneering move in Spain, Air Europa will equip its Boeing 787 Dreamliner long-haul fleet with lightweight ECG devices designed for use by non-medical personnel. Paired with a crew member’s mobile device, the system enables comprehensive cardiac data to be captured and transmitted in real time to MedLink emergency physicians, supporting more confident diagnosis and care recommendations.

About MedAire
MedAire, an International SOS company, has been the preferred partner to the aviation industry since 1985. Today, MedAire is the aviation industry's proven leader for integrated travel health and aviation security solutions. Six of the world's largest business jet manufacturers (Boeing, Bombardier, Embraer, Gulfstream, Honda Jet, and Textron Aviation) come standard with MedAire's service. Additionally, 180+ of the world's leading airlines and more than 6,800 private aircraft - including 75% of Fortune 100 Companies - trust MedAire for their travel health and security risk management needs.

MedAire's integrated solutions include aviation security intelligence, real-time health and security advice and assistance, training, equipment, and professional services for crew and passengers in and beyond the cabin. MedAire handles thousands of calls annually to help crew and passengers manage medical and travel safety events in the air and on the ground with 24/7 access to emergency care doctors, nurses, and aviation security specialists.

About Air Europa 
Flying since 1986, Air Europa is a Spanish airline and a member of the SkyTeam alliance. The company's fleet of 59 aircraft is among the most modern and sustainable in the industry, ensuring maximum operational efficiency and passenger comfort. It currently consists of Boeing 787 Dreamliner and Boeing 737 models, which will soon be joined by new Airbus A350-900s. Air Europa flies to more than 55 destinations around the world and has a strategic position in the Adolfo Suárez Madrid-Barajas airport hub, connecting Europe and America. The company stands out for its firm commitment to sustainability and decarbonization, as well as for its commitment to innovation through the implementation of the most advanced technologies for the digitalization and optimization of its processes. In addition, Air Europa offers a high level of excellence to its passengers and is regularly ranked among the most punctual airlines in Europe. 

Attachments

• AED applied to unwell passenger in the Galley
• MedLink In-Flight App used to Mitigate an In-Flight Illness

Christopher Potter MedAire, an International SOS Company 1-480-367-3762 chris.potter@medaire.com