Medical clearance
We generally advise passengers with health issues to liaise with their treating physician in order to clarify their fitness to fly.
Medical clearance and fitness to fly
We ask passengers to seek medical advice in advance of their flight
- After major surgery
- After hospital admissions
- In the first weeks after the onset of a severe illness
- For passengers who are transported on board lying down
- For passengers who require additional oxygen or other medical devices on board
In these cases, it is essential that you write to our Special Cases Desk.
The following form provides the basic information for medical flight clearance. Please have the form completed by your doctor.
No medical certificate is required
- for passengers with a disability which has been present from birth or which has not changed for a long time.
- for passengers who need to use a wheelchair due to injury to the musculoskeletal system (inflammatory or degenerative) as a result of an illness (e.g. MS or brittle bone disease).
- for passengers with mild forms of chronic obstructive bronchitis and asthma, without attacks, who are under treatment with their own medication and if the doctor does not consider it necessary for them to be provided with oxygen on board
- after a heart attack which took place several weeks ago and is now without complications, providing the treating cardiologist has not expressed any concerns.
Due to the security regulations in some countries, we recommend bringing a doctor’s certificate for pacemakers or implanted metal parts (e.g. artificial joints). Always make yourself known to security control staff in advance.
Air ambulance
Medical transport will be denied if
- if it is reasonable to expect medical complications to arise for a diseased person during the flight due to their poor general state of health.
- the passenger requires medical care and it cannot be provided.
- the treating doctor refuses to provide any information about the illness.
- infectious illnesses could be passed on to other passengers.
