Philips wins contract to supply defibrillators to KLM and Air France

30 November 2012

Royal Philips Electronics has announced an agreement to equip all KLM Royal Dutch Airlines and Air France passenger flights with Philips’ HeartStart automated external defibrillators (AEDs).

Philips will serve as the preferred supplier of AEDs to KLM Royal Dutch Airlines and Air France, replacing the defibrillators currently on board. KLM will also install the Philips HeartStart FRx AED on its Transavia passenger flights. All flight crews will be fully trained on the new device.

Having AEDs on board flights enables treatment of passengers suffering from sudden cardiac arrest. This leaves the heart unable to beat regularly, and it is only by resetting the heart’s rhythm with an electric current, delivered by a defibrillator, that a normal heart rhythm can be regained.

It is estimated that every year, sudden cardiac arrest claims the lives of approximately seven million people globally. Sudden cardiac arrest can happen to anyone, regardless of age or physical fitness, and there are often no symptoms leading up to a collapse. The best chance of survival from the most common causes of sudden cardiac arrest is defibrillation from an AED within the first few minutes of collapse. For every minute that passes without CPR and defibrillation, survival decreases by seven to 10 percent, making quick access to AEDs crucial in these emergency situations.

The HeartStart FRx AED has been tested and certified for airline use and does not interfere with airplane electronics. Its unique infant/child mechanism turns the HeartStart FRx into a paediatric defibrillator, offering the potentially life-saving simplicity and versatility of being able to use the same set of pads on adults, children and infants.

“This product is the result of 50 years of innovation in cardiac resuscitation and sudden cardiac arrest technology at Philips,” said Mike Mancuso, CEO Patient Care and Clinical Informatics at Philips Healthcare. “As the global leader in this market, we are committed to doing everything we can to help travellers survive a sudden cardiac arrest while in the air or at the airport.”