Korean Air and Inha University Hospital Hold First "Air Emergency Call" Symposium

Korean Air announced on November 10 that it held the "1st Air Emergency Call Expertise and Risk Management Symposium" in collaboration with Inha University Hospital, the entrusted operator of the Air Emergency Call system, at Korean Air’s headquarters in Gangseo-gu, Seoul on November 7. The Air Emergency Call system refers to an in-flight emergency medical system that enables passengers to receive 24-hour consultations from medical professionals via satellite phone onboard.

Korean Air

This symposium was organized to strengthen the ability to effectively respond to sudden in-flight medical emergencies, as the number of elderly passengers has increased and long-haul routes have expanded. In addition, with the upcoming launch of the integrated airline, affiliates also participated to enhance their understanding of patient passenger transport systems and to explore ways to expand internal and external medical expert networks.

Approximately 40 participants from Korean Air, including Seo Hoyoung, Head of Human Resources Management, Choi Yoonyoung, Head of the Aviation Health Medical Center, as well as heads, team leaders, and staff from the flight, cabin, integrated control, and safety and security divisions, attended the symposium. In addition, around 20 heads, team leaders, and staff from the flight, cabin, integrated control, and safety and security divisions of affiliates such as Asiana Airlines, Jin Air, Air Busan, and Air Seoul participated, along with about 20 medical advisors and professionals from Inha University Hospital, Asan Medical Center, and Severance Hospital.

The participants focused on discussing ways to enhance risk management and response capabilities in aviation medicine. Since 2016, Korean Air has designated Inha University Hospital as the entrusted institution and has established and operated the Air Emergency Call system. The airline has also equipped its aircraft not only with the minimum legally required medical devices but also with advanced equipment such as remote electrocardiograms for passengers with serious illnesses.

The symposium also included discussions on the legal protection of in-flight medical professionals providing emergency care. Currently, domestic law provides legal safeguards to relieve the burden of liability for good-faith medical actions. There have been no domestic lawsuits involving medical professionals who responded to in-flight emergencies, but even if such cases arise, Korean Air has established a protection system for in-flight medical staff by supporting litigation defense costs, including attorney fees, through liability insurance.

A Korean Air official stated, "This symposium was organized to establish unified standards for integrated airline medical services at an early stage and to proactively secure a competitive edge in safety by sharing expertise and standard protocols in preparation for the launch of the integrated airline. Starting with this first symposium, Korean Air will institutionalize the event at least once a year to further enhance response capabilities for in-flight emergencies and systematically strengthen its safety competitiveness."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.