Passenger having a seizure

A seizure can look different between people — from brief staring or confusion to full-body jerking movements, loss of consciousness, and sometimes loss of bladder control. It is generally caused by unusual electrical activity in the brain and can affect someone with no prior history, not only known epilepsy patients.

Protecting the passenger from injury is the main priority: moving nearby hazards like trays, cups, or hard objects out of the way, and gently guiding the person away from obstacles if they are jerking, rather than trying to stop the movement.

Crew clear a small safe space and stay nearby, timing how long the seizure lasts, since the duration is important information for medical assessment afterward.

What crew should NOT do: never restrain the person's movements, never put anything in their mouth, and never try to force their mouth open — these common misconceptions can cause injury rather than prevent it.

After the jerking stops, the passenger is often confused or very tired; placing them in a safe recovery position and staying with them while they reorient is standard practice, along with informing senior crew and the flight deck.

Emergency medical assistance is generally required if the seizure lasts an unusually long time, repeats without full recovery in between, happens in water or an unsafe position, or if the passenger does not regain normal responsiveness afterward.