import { Tip, Warning, Info, ProTip } from "@/components/mdx"

Dear Passengers Emergency Situations: Complete Response Guide

Emergencies in Dear Passengers are inevitable. The game does not ask if you can handle a crisis -- it asks when, which type, and how many at once. The players who excel are not the ones with the fastest reflexes. They are the ones who have internalized response frameworks, who stay calm when alarms are competing for attention, and who understand that the first decision in any emergency is deciding what matters most. This guide covers every category of emergency the game can throw at you, with specific response procedures, prioritization frameworks, and recovery strategies.

The Universal Emergency Framework

Before we dive into specific emergency types, understand the framework that applies to every crisis, regardless of its nature. Memorize this sequence. Practice it until it is automatic.

Aviate, Navigate, Communicate

This is the fundamental hierarchy of priorities, borrowed from real-world aviation:

1. Aviate -- Fly the aircraft

Your first and overriding priority is to keep the aircraft under control. Attitude, airspeed, altitude -- these come before everything else. If you are in an unusual attitude, recover to straight and level flight before you do anything else. If an engine has failed, maintain control of the aircraft before you touch a single switch for the engine failure checklist. If the cabin is depressurizing, get the nose down and start descending before you make a radio call.

Aviate does not mean "fix the emergency." It means "ensure the aircraft is still flying." That distinction matters. An engine fire at 35,000 feet is an emergency, but the aircraft flies fine on one engine. Take the three seconds needed to confirm stable flight before you address the fire.

2. Navigate -- Know where you are and where you are going

Once the aircraft is stable, assess your position, your options, and your plan. What is the nearest suitable airport? What are the weather conditions there? Do you have enough fuel to reach it? Can you descend to a safe altitude given the terrain? Answer these questions before you pick up the microphone.

The navigation display is your friend here. The "Nearest Airports" function (accessible from the FMS or the map page) shows distance, runway length, and weather for the closest suitable airfields. Use it.

3. Communicate -- Tell people what is happening

Only when the aircraft is stable and you have a plan do you communicate. ATC gets the first call -- declare the emergency, state your intentions, and request what you need (vectors, priority handling, emergency services on the ground). Then brief your crew. Then, when appropriate, address the passengers.

Communicating before you have a plan means you will need to call back with updates, which wastes time and clogs the frequency. Have the plan first. Then talk.

The Time-Criticality Spectrum

Not all emergencies require the same response tempo. Mentally categorize the emergency on a spectrum:

• Immediate action required (seconds): Engine fire, cabin depressurization, stall warning, wind shear. These kill you in under a minute if you do not respond. Execute memory items instantly, then consult the checklist.
• Urgent action required (minutes): Engine failure (non-fire), electrical failure, hydraulic leak, serious medical event. You have time to be methodical, but not to delay. Read the checklist as you execute.
• Managed response (tens of minutes): Minor system degradation, moderate medical events, weather deviations, unruly passengers. Time is on your side. Plan thoughtfully and execute deliberately.

<Info> Memory items are checklist steps you must execute from memory because there is no time to read. In Dear Passengers, memory items include: engine fire immediate actions, cabin depressurization immediate actions, stall recovery, and wind shear escape maneuver. If you do not know these by heart, spend time in the Training menu drilling them. </Info>

Medical Emergencies

Medical emergencies are the most frequent crisis type in Dear Passengers, occurring on roughly one in every four flights above Medium difficulty. They range from minor (a passenger with a headache) to life-threatening (cardiac arrest at 35,000 feet).

Types of Medical Events

Minor Medical Events:

• Motion sickness and nausea
• Mild allergic reactions
• Minor cuts, bruises, and burns
• Anxiety and panic attacks

These require attention but not diversion. A flight attendant with basic first aid supplies can handle most minor events. Monitor the situation and check back after 10 minutes.

Moderate Medical Events:

• Asthma attacks (with inhaler available)
• Severe motion sickness with dehydration
• Fainting or near-syncope
• Moderate allergic reactions

These require closer monitoring and may need a decision about diversion if the condition worsens. Assign a dedicated crew member to monitor the passenger. Consult the in-flight medical advisory service (available through the comms panel).

Life-Threatening Medical Events:

• Cardiac arrest
• Severe allergic reaction (anaphylaxis)
• Stroke symptoms
• Major trauma (from severe turbulence, for example)
• Diabetic emergency with loss of consciousness

These demand immediate action and a diversion decision. The standard protocol is:

1. Call for medical professionals on board (there is a PA announcement for this).
2. Retrieve the emergency medical kit and AED.
3. Begin treatment using the interactive medical procedures (follow the on-screen prompts).
4. Simultaneously, the pilot or co-pilot should begin evaluating diversion options.
5. Declare a medical emergency with ATC if diversion is required.

Diversion Decision Framework

For serious medical events, you must decide whether to continue to the destination or divert to a closer airport. This decision weighs:

• Medical urgency: A heart attack requires landing as soon as possible. A broken arm does not.
• Time to diversion airport vs. time to destination: If the nearest diversion airport is 20 minutes away and your destination is 25 minutes away, continuing makes sense. If the nearest diversion is 20 minutes away and your destination is 90 minutes away, divert.
• Diversion airport capability: Does the airport have medical services? A small regional field with no ambulance is a poor choice for a cardiac emergency. The airport information page shows medical service availability.
• Fuel state: Do you have enough fuel to divert and still have reserves? If diverting means landing with minimal fuel, factor that into your decision.
• Weather at diversion airport: Diverting to an airport with a thunderstorm over the field trades one emergency for another.

<ProTip> Pro Tip: Pre-identify diversion airports during your pre-flight planning. Know the en-route alternates along your route of flight. When a medical emergency occurs, you should already know the nearest suitable airport rather than searching for one under time pressure. </ProTip>

Passenger Communication During Medical Events

Medical emergencies are visible to nearby passengers. If you say nothing, speculation and anxiety spread through the cabin. Make a brief, calm announcement within two minutes of the event:

• Acknowledge that a passenger requires medical attention.
• State that trained crew members are providing assistance.
• Reassure passengers that the situation is being managed.
• Promise an update when more information is available.

Do not share the passenger's name, seat number, or specific medical details. Privacy matters. A simple "a fellow passenger requires medical attention, and our crew is providing care" is sufficient.

Mechanical Emergencies

Mechanical failures are where systems knowledge and procedural discipline matter most. Each failure type has specific checklist items, but the general approach is consistent.

Engine Fire

An engine fire is the most time-critical mechanical emergency. The indications: fire warning light, fire bell, high EGT on the affected engine, and possible smoke or flames visible from the cabin.

Immediate Actions (memory items):

1. Autothrottle off (if engaged)
2. Affected engine throttle to idle
3. Affected engine fire handle pulled (this closes fuel, hydraulic, and bleed air valves and arms the fire bottles)
4. Fire bottle discharged (rotate the fire handle and press the discharge button)
5. Wait 30 seconds. If the fire persists, discharge the second bottle.

After the fire is out:

• Declare emergency to ATC. "Mayday, Mayday, Mayday. [Callsign], engine [1/2] fire, fire extinguished, single engine, request vectors to nearest suitable airport."
• Plan a single-engine approach and landing. The aircraft will fly on one engine, but performance is reduced. Expect a higher approach speed and longer landing distance.
• Brief the cabin crew to prepare for a precautionary landing.

If the fire persists after both bottles:

You have exhausted your fire suppression capability. The fire may burn through critical structure. Land immediately -- do not wait for a perfect airport. Any runway is better than a fire that burns through the wing spar.

Engine Failure (Non-Fire)

An engine failure without fire -- indicated by loss of thrust, decaying N1/N2, and falling oil pressure -- follows a similar but less urgent path:

1. Maintain aircraft control. The aircraft will yaw toward the failed engine. Apply rudder to compensate.
2. Identify the failed engine. Confirm with your co-pilot or AI crew.
3. Attempt a restart if the failure was not preceded by abnormal indications (a flameout from fuel starvation is restartable; a mechanical disintegration is not).
4. If the restart fails, secure the engine per the checklist and fly the single-engine approach profile.

<Warning> Single-engine handling is different. The aircraft will require rudder trim to fly straight. Turns toward the failed engine require more bank angle. The climb rate is drastically reduced -- do not expect to maintain altitude if you are heavy and high. Accept a drift-down to a lower altitude where single-engine performance is adequate. </Warning>

Cabin Depressurization

Covered in detail in our aircraft management guide, but the critical memory items are:

1. Crew oxygen masks on (your mask first).
2. Initiate emergency descent (idle thrust, speed brakes extended, descend at Mmo/Vmo).
3. Level off at 10,000 feet or minimum safe altitude, whichever is higher.
4. Verify passenger oxygen masks have deployed.
5. Declare emergency to ATC.
6. Once stabilized, assess: can you continue to the destination at 10,000 feet (dramatically increased fuel burn), or must you divert?

Hydraulic Failure

Hydraulic failure severity depends on which system is lost:

• Single system loss: Manageable. Some systems may be degraded. Land at the nearest suitable airport, but you have time.
• Dual system loss: Serious. Flight controls become heavy. Flaps may be inoperative. Landing gear may require manual extension. Land at the nearest airport. Consider a longer runway for the higher approach speed.
• Total hydraulic loss: Catastrophic. The aircraft cannot be controlled. In reality, this is not survivable. In Dear Passengers, you have a small window to attempt an emergency landing using differential thrust (asymmetric engine power for turning) before control is completely lost.

Electrical Failure

Complete electrical failure (dual generator failure plus APU failure plus battery depletion) results in the "dark cockpit" scenario:

1. Battery power provides approximately 30 minutes of essential instruments.
2. Identify the nearest airport and fly toward it.
3. Conserve battery by shedding every non-essential electrical load.
4. Expect to fly a visual approach without instrument guidance, approach lighting, or landing aids.
5. The landing will be manual, without flaps (if electrically actuated), and with reduced braking (if anti-skid is electric).

Weather Emergencies

Weather emergencies differ from mechanical emergencies in one key respect: you usually see them coming. The weather radar provides advance warning. The decisions you make before entering severe weather determine the outcome.

Thunderstorm Penetration

You should not penetrate a thunderstorm. The correct response to a thunderstorm cell on the weather radar is to deviate around it, giving it at least 20 nautical miles of clearance (the most severe turbulence and hail can extend well beyond the visible cell).

If penetration is unavoidable -- trapped between converging cells, for example:

1. Secure the cabin (seatbelt sign on, crew seated, service carts stowed).
2. Set turbulence penetration speed (roughly 280 knots or the aircraft's turbulence speed, whichever is specified).
3. Disconnect the autothrottle (the autothrottle will chase airspeed fluctuations and make things worse).
4. Maintain attitude rather than altitude. Ride the updrafts and downdrafts rather than fighting them.
5. Do not extend speed brakes in severe turbulence.
6. Accept altitude deviations. Report them to ATC when safe, but do not chase the assigned altitude through severe turbulence.

Wind Shear

Wind shear -- a rapid change in wind speed or direction -- is most dangerous during takeoff and landing, when the aircraft is low and slow. The wind shear warning ("WINDSHEAR, WINDSHEAR" aural alert) demands immediate action:

During takeoff:

• TOGA (takeoff/go-around) thrust immediately.
• Rotate to the go-around pitch attitude.
• Do not change configuration (flaps, gear).
• Climb away from the shear. Accept any altitude loss as long as you are climbing out of the shear.

During approach:

• TOGA thrust.
• Rotate to go-around pitch attitude.
• Execute a go-around. Do not attempt to salvage the landing through wind shear.
• Climb away and reassess the approach once clear of the shear.

Wind shear is one of the few emergencies where you may trade altitude for airspeed. A momentary altitude loss during the escape maneuver is acceptable if it preserves your airspeed and keeps you flying.

Icing

Structural icing -- ice building up on wings, tail, and engine inlets -- degrades aerodynamic performance and adds weight. Indicated by ice accumulation visible on the windshield or wing inspection lights, and by a reduction in airspeed for a given power setting:

1. Activate all anti-ice and de-ice systems (engine anti-ice, wing anti-ice, pitot heat).
2. If in icing conditions and performance is degrading, change altitude. Climb above the freezing layer if performance permits, or descend to warmer air.
3. Ice increases stall speed. Maintain a higher approach speed. Do not extend flaps fully if ice is present; follow the icing approach profile.

Security Emergencies

Security incidents are less common than medical or mechanical emergencies, but they require a different skill set focused on de-escalation and crew coordination.

Unruly Passengers

An unruly passenger -- intoxicated, aggressive, or refusing crew instructions -- must be managed without escalating the situation:

1. Attempt verbal de-escalation. The lead flight attendant should approach calmly and engage the passenger non-confrontationally.
2. If de-escalation fails, the captain has the authority to issue a formal warning. The options menu includes a "Warn Passenger" command that escalates the situation formally.
3. If the behavior continues or worsens, consider restraint. The cabin crew can physically restrain a passenger who poses a safety threat, but this is a last resort.
4. File a report with the destination airport's security services through the comms panel. They will meet the aircraft on arrival.
5. In extreme cases -- a passenger attempting to enter the cockpit or threatening violence -- declare a security emergency with ATC and divert to the nearest airport.

Suspicious Items

A report of an unattended bag or suspicious item follows the standard aviation security protocol:

1. Do not move or touch the item.
2. Question nearby passengers to determine ownership.
3. If unclaimed, relocate passengers away from the area.
4. Report to company operations and the destination airport.
5. Continue the flight; do not make a cabin announcement that could cause panic.

Crew Coordination During Emergencies

Your crew is your most valuable resource during a crisis, whether the crew is AI or human co-op partners. Effective coordination means:

For AI Crew

• Use the crew command wheel to assign specific emergency tasks. The AI handles well: running checklists, communicating with ATC (routine calls), managing the cabin, and preparing for landing.
• The AI handles poorly: making judgment calls, prioritizing between competing emergencies, and adapting procedures to unusual situations. Do not delegate decision-making. Delegate execution.

For Human Co-Op Partners

See our co-op strategy guide for detailed frameworks, but the emergency-specific guidance is:

• Divide, do not duplicate: If both players work the same checklist, everything else is neglected. Assign domains: one flies and handles the immediate emergency, the other handles communications and secondary systems.
• Verbalize everything: Silent action during an emergency is invisible. Say what you are doing before, during, and after. Your partner needs to know what ground you have covered.
• Do not cross-monitor: Trust your partner to handle their assigned domain. Checking their work during the emergency doubles the workload and delays action.

Passenger Communication

Passengers react to emergencies based on what you tell them and when. The worst approach -- and the most common mistake -- is silence followed by a panicked announcement.

The communication timeline:

1. Within 60 seconds: Make an initial announcement acknowledging the situation. "Ladies and gentlemen, we are experiencing a technical issue that we are addressing. The aircraft is under control. We will update you shortly."
2. Within 5 minutes: Provide a substantive update. Be honest but calm. "We have shut down one engine as a precaution. The aircraft is designed to fly safely on one engine. We will be landing at [airport] in approximately [time]. Emergency services will meet us as a precaution only."
3. Before landing: Brief passengers on what to expect. "We will be landing in approximately ten minutes. You may see emergency vehicles on the runway; this is standard procedure and not cause for alarm. Please remain seated with your seatbelt fastened until we come to a complete stop at the gate."
4. After landing: Acknowledge the experience. Walk through the cabin if time permits. Thank passengers for their cooperation.

Post-Emergency Recovery

The emergency does not end when the aircraft stops. Recovery affects your score, your crew's morale for the next flight, and in career mode, your reputation and progression.

Immediate Post-Landing

• Complete the emergency checklist items related to shutdown and securing the aircraft.
• Coordinate with emergency services on the ground.
• Ensure all passengers deplane safely.
• Debrief your crew. Even a two-minute debrief significantly improves crew morale recovery.

Documentation

The post-flight debrief screen after an emergency flight is more detailed than a normal debrief. It includes:

• The incident timeline with second-by-second breakdown
• Response time metrics (how quickly you initiated each checklist item after the alert fired)
• Decision quality assessment (did you choose the right diversion airport? The right altitude? The right approach?)
• Passenger feedback specific to the emergency (did announcements help? Were they calm?)

Study this data. Emergency performance improves dramatically when you review your response and identify the specific moments where a different decision would have produced a better outcome.

Crew Recovery

Crew morale takes a significant hit after an emergency flight. Before starting your next flight:

• Acknowledge the crew in the debrief.
• Consider running a short, easy route to rebuild morale before attempting anything challenging.
• Check crew fatigue levels. A fatigued crew on the next flight compounds the morale penalty.

Practice: The Only Way to Get Better

Reading about emergencies is not the same as handling them. Dear Passengers includes a Training mode where you can load specific emergency scenarios and practice them repeatedly:

• Practice engine fires at different phases of flight. A fire at V1 on takeoff requires different decisions than a fire during cruise.
• Practice dual emergencies. Can you handle a hydraulic failure while managing a medical event? You will not know until you try.
• Practice with your co-op partner if you play multiplayer. Emergency coordination is a skill that must be built together.

Run each emergency scenario at least five times. By the fifth repetition, your response should be fluid, not hesitant. The emergency should feel manageable, not overwhelming. That is the point where you are ready for it to happen during a real flight.

For more on the systems that fail during emergencies, read our aircraft management guide. For co-op emergency tactics, see our co-op strategy guide. For general tips, the tips and tricks section has you covered.