An elderly couple from Wuhan, Hubei province, were upgraded to first class after offering medical assistance to a fellow passenger on an international flight.

Retired doctor Zhou E’sheng, 63, and her husband Yang Xu, 64, a life sciences professor, answered a request for help when a 43-year-old man, undergoing treatment for lung cancer, went into shock on a flight from the US to China at noon on Dec 31, 2017 local time.

Zhou adjusted the man’s position and raised his legs to improve blood flow, while Yang checked his blood pressure and heart rate. The man recovered within an hour.

Zheng Yumeng contributed to this story.