Alexia Hartmann, air medic: "We connect all our fluids to pumps that push them into the body."

Alexia Hartmann is not only a doctor, she is also an active member of the crew during the medical flights she undertakes. On these types of missions, where patients requiring special care are transported, priorities change radically compared to a conventional flight. Entertainment takes a backseat, and the most important thing is to ensure the patient's stability throughout the entire flight.

On these flights, medical personnel are responsible for onboard safety. "We don't have flight attendants flying with us," explains Hartmann , who is also responsible for providing basic safety and evacuation instructions to the other occupants. The team's work is not limited to medical care; it also encompasses other key functions that a cabin crew member would normally perform.

The medical team takes control

In addition to caring for the patient, the medical staff coordinates logistical aspects . "At each airport, a police car comes directly to check us on the plane," explains the doctor, referring to the passport checks performed at the various stops. This circumstance highlights the unique nature of these journeys, which often involve multiple stops before reaching the final destination.

To communicate clearly and accurately, healthcare workers rely on the International Radio Alphabet . This tool is essential in noisy environments and emergency situations, where errors can have serious consequences.

A medical journey that crosses time zones

Repatriation flights can span different time zones, which complicates time management, especially for tasks such as administering medication or monitoring vital signs. To avoid confusion, "we use the initial time on the monitor as a guide," says Hartmann . This measure allows for standardization of all interventions, regardless of how many time zones are crossed.

There should always be a person on duty, as the high noise level can make it difficult to detect even medical alarms.

Rest breaks during the journey are also allowed, albeit in short intervals. In shifts of just fifteen minutes, the paramedics take advantage of the opportunity to recover without neglecting the patient. A person must always be on duty , as the high noise level can make it difficult to detect even medical alarms.

Adapt to air conditions

One of the biggest challenges on board is the impossibility of using gravity systems to administer intravenous medication. "We connect all our fluids to pumps that push the contents into the body," explains the doctor. The specifics of the air environment require different technical solutions than those used in a traditional hospital.

Hartmann 's experience demonstrates that every ambulance flight is a complex medical operation . It's not just about transporting a patient, but also about maintaining them in stable condition for hours, at high altitude, and under circumstances that require maximum concentration and technical preparation.

Saving lives thousands of meters away

While for most people, the plane represents a means of reaching their destination, for Alexia Hartmann and her team, it's a clinical setting where the priority is preserving life. "We often make many stops until we reach our destination," she recalls, making it clear that the journey is rarely direct and that each stopover is part of strict, meticulous planning.

In this demanding and changing environment, a medical vocation is combined with an absolute commitment to urgent care. Every flight is different , but they all share the same goal: getting the patient to their destination alive and stable. Because on these journeys, every second can make a difference.