British Airways is the first airline in the world to successfully transmit live human data from a commercial flight over the ocean to land.

The ground-breaking trial used a recording from a cardiac monitor to transmit a heart rate reading to Medlink’s medical experts on the ground.

Medlink’s doctors are experts in emergency medical care in remote locations and assist the crew via an air to ground link.

British Airways plans to install the cardiac monitors on long-haul aircraft over the next 12-18 months.

Dr Nigel Dowdall, a British Airways senior occupational physician who took part in the tests said: ” Although medical incidents on-board planes are rare it can be difficult to decide whether an incident is potentially serious. Often chest pain is due to indigestion or anxiety.

“The cardiac monitor will further enhance in-flight medical care for our customers and will complement the extensive medical kit and defibrillators we carry on all our planes.”

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