Medical conditions and pregnancy

Passenger Medical Clearance Unit (PMCU)

British Airways has a dedicated Passenger Medical Clearance team who can assess your fitness to fly and advise if you'll be able to travel.

Office Opening Hours: Monday to Friday - 07.00 to 18.00, Saturday - 08.00-16.00, Sundays and Bank Holidays - Closed

If you need to use medical equipment on board that contains batteries, there might be some restrictions. Please click the link for information regarding batteries; Liquids and Restrictions.

Travelling with other airlines

If your flight is operated by one of our airline or franchise partners, they may have different processes so please contact them directly before you travel.

Flying after an illness or an operation

You need to be very careful if you're considering flying after an operation or illness. Please speak to your doctor before making a booking to confirm they're happy for you to fly.

The below details are a guide to the minimum time you must leave before you can travel and also whether you need to tell us about your condition. If you're in doubt, please contact our PMCU team.

Broken bone

Travellers' thrombosis (DVT)

Traveller’s thrombosis or Deep Venous Thrombosis (DVT) is a blood clot that forms in a vein, usually in the lower legs. Research has confirmed that if you are sitting in an aircraft, car, bus or train for more than four hours the risk of a blood clot forming may increase.

Factors increasing the risk of DVT include:

• being over the age of 40
• suffering previously from DVT or a pulmonary embolism or someone in your close family suffering from it
• use of oestrogen-therapy, oral contraceptives ('the Pill') or hormone-replacement therapy (HRT)
• pregnancy
• recent surgery or trauma, particularly to the abdomen, pelvic region or legs
• cancer
• some inherited blood-clotting abnormalities and other blood disorders

If you think any of the factors above may affect you, seek medical advice before travelling. Your doctor may advise that compression stockings or anti-coagulant medication can help to avoid the possibility of DVT.

You can reduce the risk of DVT by:

• drinking normal amounts of fluid
• avoiding alcohol and caffeine
• avoiding smoking
• avoiding crossing your legs when you’re sitting down
• taking a walk around the cabin regularly
• standing in your seat area and stretching your arms and legs
• doing regular foot and leg exercises during the flight
• wearing loose fitting comfortable clothes when you’re travelling

If you recently had a DVT:

If you recently had a DVT but have been discharged from hospital and your condition is resolved you should be fit to fly. Please contact PMCU to advise if you need to get medical clearance.

Diabetes

If your diabetes is stable you can fly with no restrictions, however you need to take care that you look after yourself during your trip.

• If you are crossing time zones make sure you know how to manage your insulin regime throughout the trip.
• You should carry your insulin in your hand baggage otherwise it may freeze in the hold.
• Your insulin should be in the original packaging, easily identifiable and accessible during the flight.
• Always carry a prescription or supporting letter from your doctor to avoid delays at security or customs.

Travelling with medicines, medical supplies or medical equipment

Here's some key information for travelling with medicines, medical supplies or medical equipment. If you have any additional questions please contact PMCU.

• Please carry any medication, including liquid medicines, or medical supplies, such as syringes, in your hand baggage (if possible in the original packaging) with a prescription or supporting letter from your doctor that confirms this medication is prescribed to you to avoid delays at security or customs.
• We cannot help you keep your medication cool. Please talk to your pharmacist about alternative options.
• If you need to take bags of essential medical supplies, such as dialysis fluid or colostomy bags, with you on your journey that will exceed your hold baggage allowance, up to two extra bags (of 23kg each) can be authorised when you check your bags in at the airport. Please ensure that you provide an official medical letter signed and dated by your personal doctor/medical practitioner stating the following:
  a) Your name and flight information including booking reference details.
  b) List of medical supplies/medication to be carried and what their purpose is.
  c) Approximate weight/number of the items to be carried.
  d) Name and contact phone number/email of your physician or medical practitioner.
  

  If you do not have this letter, you will need to pay excess baggage charges for any bags that are in addition to your baggage allowance. A visual check of your medical bags may also be carried out to check their contents.
  In addition, you may need this letter to assist with other countries customs and immigration departments as well as local security requirements.

• In most circumstances you can use authorised medical equipment on board, except during taxi, take-off, approach and landing. All equipment must be able to work from a battery as we cannot guarantee a power supply on board.

Disposal of used medical supplies

If you need to dispose of needles, lancets, syringes or empty insulin cartridges on board please ask the cabin crew for the sharps box; please do not leave the items in the toilets or seat pockets.

In-flight oxygen

Short haul flights

(including connecting flights to and from long haul segments)

Short haul flights departing on or after 1 February 2018:

British Airways will no longer be able to provide therapeutic oxygen on short-haul flights for flights departing on or after 1 February 2018. This also includes short haul segments connecting to and from long haul flights.

Customers requiring therapeutic oxygen on short haul flights will be required to make their own provisions for all short haul segments of their itinerary. Acceptable therapeutic oxygen provisions are outlined below. Customers need to obtain medical clearance for approval of their own therapeutic oxygen provisions. Medical forms should be despatched to the medical clearance team a minimum of 7 days prior to departure.

Acceptable therapeutic oxygen provisions:

Portable Oxygen Concentrators

• Customers may bring a FAA approved portable oxygen concentrator (for more information please visit the FAA website https://www.faa.gov).
• Customers must have sufficient battery provision for 150% of the flight duration (accounting for unexpected delays).
• Customers need to obtain medical clearance in advance to bring a portable oxygen concentrator. Medical forms should be despatched to the medical clearance team a minimum of 7 days prior to departure. 
• If your reservation is booked through British Airways but is operated by another airline, please check their own criteria for accepting portable oxygen concentrators on-board.

Oxygen Cylinders

• Customers may bring oxygen cylinders, providing they are manufactured specifically for the purposes of containing and transporting oxygen.
• Each cylinder and its contents must not exceed 5kgs in weight.
• Only one customer per flight will be permitted to bring their own oxygen cylinders on board.
• British Airways Health Services will advise on the volume of oxygen customers should bring during the medical clearance process.
• Cylinders, valves and regulators, where fitted, must be protected from damage that could result in inadvertent release of the contents.
• Liquid oxygen and oxygen generators are forbidden on board the aircraft.
• Customers need to obtain medical clearance in advance to bring their own oxygen cylinders. Medical forms should be despatched to the medical clearance team a minimum of 7 days prior to departure.

Long haul flights

We can only provide in-flight therapeutic oxygen to one person on board so if you need to use oxygen you must book it in advance. It's important to contact the Passenger Medical Clearance Unit to check availability prior to booking your flights. Please note we cannot provide oxygen on the ground at an airport.

On board our Airbus A380 and Boeing 787 aircraft we offer the Avia Technique Pulse dose cylinder: Oxygen is provided ‘on demand’ and your Doctor will need to confirm that you can use this.

There is no charge for in-flight therapeutic oxygen.

If therapeutic oxygen is required, you will need medical clearance to fly. Please allow the medical clearance team 48 hours to process your request. Medical forms should be despatched to the team a minimum of 7 days prior to departure.

Food allergies

In-flight meals

If you have a food allergy, we can offer special meals that exclude a variety of potential allergens, e.g. seafood, dairy and gluten. You can find out more about food allergens in our meals. You can also check the label on the packaging, or ask a member of your cabin crew.

To request a special meal go to Manage My Booking.

We're unable to heat or refrigerate any food items you might bring with you. If you prefer to consume your own food, we would suggest to opt for non-perishable food. Please also check the different quarantine laws of your transit and/or destination with respect to food types permitted into the country.

Severe allergic reactions (anaphylaxis)

Severe allergic reactions on board are rare but if you suffer from a severe allergy always speak to your doctor before you book to discuss potential risks and how you can minimise becoming ill on your trip.

We cannot guarantee an allergen-free cabin environment or prevent other passengers from bringing their own food on board. We use the recommendations of the International Air Transport Association (IATA) for allergen-sensitive passengers to make sure your flight is as comfortable as we can make it.

Here are a few examples of how you can prepare:

• Your epinephrine/adrenaline auto-injector should be carried in your hand baggage. This should be accompanied by a letter from your doctor or a copy of your prescription to present to airport security personnel.
• If you have been prescribed an epinephrine/adrenaline auto-injector like Epipen, Anapen, Twinject or Jext make sure you carry this with you in your hand baggage. Take an emergency treatment plan and a letter signed by your doctor with you to minimise delays at airport security.
• Clearly label your medication to show who it should be administered to.
• You will be able to pre-board when you present your medical letter for the epinephrine/adrenaline auto-injector to staff at the gate. This will allow you to wipe down your seating area to help prevent inadvertent contact with allergen traces. Passengers must bring their own suitable wipes.
• When boarding the aircraft you must inform Cabin Crew of your severe food allergy.
• Advise cabin crew and the people seated next to you of your allergy, where you have placed the medication and what to do in an emergency. Our cabin crew can speak to people seated near to you to help explain your allergy.
• Ensure your medication is easily accessible throughout the flight, e.g. place it in the seat pocket or on you personally.
• Cabin crew are trained to recognise symptoms of anaphylaxis and administer treatment but if you are travelling with family, friends or guardians they would be expected to treat you first.
• Wear a medi-alert bracelet.

Specific advice for peanut or tree nut allergy sufferers

• If you request it, Cabin Crew will make an announcement so that other passengers are aware of your allergy. Cabin Crew will also suspend the serving of loose nut snacks in your cabin of travel.
• Meals containing tree nuts may continue to be served throughout the aircraft and tree nut based snacks may also continue to be served in other cabins of travel depending on the aircraft type.

Anaphylaxis campaign website

Spraying the cabin

We are required by the World Health Organisation (WHO) or local Health Authorities to spray the inside of the aircraft before arrival into certain destinations to prevent the risk of insects spreading highly dangerous diseases, such as malaria and dengue fever.

On routes where we are required to spray, cabin crew will advise that spraying is about to take place. This will give you the opportunity to cover your eyes and nose if you wish. The spray clears from the aircraft in a few minutes.

Contents of the insecticides

The sprays contain synthetic pyrethroids, which are widely used. The World Health Organisation (WHO) assesses the safety of insecticides and recommends the use of the following synthetic pyrethroids:

• Phenothrin, which has lethal effects on domestic insect pests. It is used against mosquitoes, houseflies and cockroaches.
• Permethrin, which is a broad spectrum insecticide used against a variety of pests.

For flights to Australia, the aircraft must be sprayed prior to departure from Singapore with a Permethrin insecticide spray.

British Airways flights that require disinsection

Travel vaccinations

Please check if you need any travel vaccinations for your destination before you travel. You can find more information about your country of travel and any medical information on the IATA Travel Centre.

In the UK, our preferred travel partner for health services is MASTA (Medical Advisory Services for Travellers Abroad). They have the largest network of travel clinics across the UK and offer expert travel medicine advice and treatment, including a comprehensive immunisation service and a wide range of anti-malarial drugs.

MASTA website

BA Travel Clinics vaccination records

If you were vaccinated at one of our BA Travel Clinics before they closed in August 2006 and need a letter confirming your vaccination or a duplicate certificate of your Yellow Fever vaccination, please write to British Airways Health Services (see below address). Please note that we can only trace back vaccination information as far as 2002.

Please provide the following information:

Address:

British Airways Health Services - Travel Clinic records
British Airways Plc
Waterside (HMAG)
PO Box 365
Harmondsworth
UB7 0GB

Communicable and contagious diseases

The following illnesses can be contagious, we’ve put together some guidance on when you can travel.

Carriage of newborn and babies

Newborn with no medical complications

Normal Term. British Airways is able to carry new born children born at normal term (40 weeks) with no medical complications once they are more than 1 week old. These children need no prior medical clearance.

Premature Infants. British Airways is able to carry premature infants born at more than 37 weeks gestation, with no medical complications, once they have reached the normal delivery date (40 weeks) plus one week. These infants need no prior medical clearance.

Premature newborn and ex-premature infants

Children born at less than 37 weeks gestation that were born with no medical complications can be considered for carriage once they have reached normal term (40 weeks) plus one week but they will require medical clearance until they reach 12 months old.

Children born at less than 37 weeks gestation that were born with any respiratory complications (e.g. neonatal chronic lung disease / bronchopulmonary dysplasia etc) cannot be considered for carriage until they have reached normal delivery date (40 weeks) plus 6 months. From normal term plus 6 months old until they reach their first birthday, they will require medical clearance.

In both cases please contact PMCU prior to booking.

Babies with medical conditions

Babies with any significant condition, such as cardiac disease, or any other condition requiring medical support, e.g. oxygen, medication, treatment during flight, should be discussed with PMCU prior to booking.

Please download the medical information form (pdf, 650kb, English only) and fill out.