PHOENIX, Ariz (May 30, 2000) - In the wake of President Clinton's announcement that defibrillators should be installed on all airplanes, 3 industry powerhouses have announced they are joining forces to define new standards for inflight medical care and implement the latest in remote vital signs monitoring technology crucial to the successful outcome of many onboard medical occurrences.

Virgin Atlantic, the first airline to introduce defibrillators on all its aircraft, has teamed up with Remote Diagnostic Technologies of the U.K. and MedLink, the emergency telemedicine service of MedAire, Inc.
in Phoenix to launch the use of TEMPUS 2000 - a powerful new remote vital signs monitor.

In the event of a medical emergency onboard a Virgin Atlantic flight, RDT's TEMPUS 2000 will transmit via satellite critical patient medical information - such as pulse rate, blood oxygen levels, blood pressure, key signs for diagnosis of heart conditions - as well as video images to MedLink's board-certified emergency room physicians. These practicing physicians are well-versed not only in emergency medicine, but in the many complexities of the aircraft environment. This experience and knowledge is key in guiding crew members in the proper handling of the situation.

TEMPUS 2000 is the first remote vital signs monitor designed for use by non-medical experts,
using the in-flight satellite phone system on Virgin Atlantic's aircraft. This not only gives the crew peace of mind in the event of an on-board emergency, but also assures passengers that excellent care is only a moment away.

Recognizing the need for in-flight medical care long before it became of public concern, MedAire
began providing this care to commercial airlines in 1986 - including MedLink(R), a 24-hour emergency telemedicine program with immediate physician support, defibrillators and the training needed to
save a life, and aviation-specific medical kits. With this experience and knowledge, MedAire is the leading global provider of such services and is continuing to re-define the standard of care available to passengers on commercial airlines.

“Virgin Atlantic Airways has always embraced leading-edge technology to the benefit of their passengers and crew - and now, by incorporating this technology with our MedLink capability, we are reaching a virtual medical solution for travelers!” says MedAire CEO and founder, Joan Sullivan Garrett.

Sir Richard Branson, chairman of Virgin Atlantic Airways, said, “Virgin Atlantic's first priority is always the safety and welfare of our passengers. We have been committed to implementing telemedicine with MedLink onboard for many years now, and TEMPUS 2000 is a major breakthrough in this area. All airlines have a duty to their passengers on long haul flights to provide comprehensive medical back-up, and I challenge other airlines to follow our lead!”

Virgin Atlantic will begin installation of the equipment in August 2000. For Graham Murphy, managing director of RDT, it can't happen soon enough. “We believe TEMPUS 2000 has strong potential for the airline industry,” Murphy said recently. “It provides the right diagnostic information to enable fast, informed medical decisions and ensures the passengers and crew always receive the highest quality medical care no matter what the incident.”

MedAire provides fully integrated medical preparedness services and related equipment for the aviation and other industries. Offerings including global emergency telemedicine, training and train-the-trainer programs, medical kits, defibrillation solutions and more. Clients include 28 commercial airlines around the world, corporate flight departments, governments, and maritime operators. MedAire can be found on the Internet at www.medaire.com

ENDS