Medical assistance in an airport: how does it work?

Medical assistance is reserved for people with fragile health or disabilities that prevent them from moving around. It is very rare that this type of service is available in an airport. However, it is possible to request special assistance for the trip. It is therefore essential to find out about the steps involved in obtaining medical assistance at the airport.

The use of wheelchairs

Some airports provide assistance in advance for passengers with health problems. In this case, the airport staff can offer wheelchairs to relieve them while waiting for the flight, or to perform an emergency Medical Evacuation.
A wheelchair can be offered either to a passenger suffering from sudden migraines, for example, or to a passenger suffering from a motor disability. In either case, the objective is to provide them with special attention because of their health condition.
These passengers benefit from a medical service even if it is offered by a simple airport employee rather than a nurse. This is the minimum level of support an airport can provide.

Use of an ambulance

This is also a means of assisting passengers in pain. Nevertheless, the airport only uses this service when there is a medical evacuation emergency. However, it can only be done after a flight has landed.
In fact, it is when a passenger is injured or has a seizure during or after the flight that the airport staff calls for an ambulance. If it happens during the flight, the co-pilot or one of the stewardesses can warn the control tower before landing that there is an injured person on board.
Thus, the airport staff will hurry to call an ambulance to proceed with the emergency evacuation of the passenger. Therefore, an airport can only provide medical assistance on the ground and not during a flight. On the other hand, if one of the passengers feels unwell after the plane has landed, for example, care is much faster. This is only possible if the airport already has a medical service that can provide first aid until the ambulance arrives.