Assess Your Medical Fitness
When you fly with us, your well-being and comfort are our priority. Guests with certain medical conditions may need clearance from their treating doctor or our dedicated medical team. Secure a medical clearance certificate before the trip, if you have any of these conditions, to ensure a smooth flight and avoid last-minute hassles.
Medical condition | Medical case | Not permitted (permitted under certain conditions) | Permitted | Fit to fly certificate (from the treating doctor and validity not more than 3 days from the date of travel) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Cardiovascular and other circulatory disorders | Angina | Unstable angina or angina with minimal exertion | If controlled with medication and no chest pain at rest, carry medicines in hand baggage. | Yes |
Myocardial infarction/heart attack | Less than 14 days of the last attack | After 14 days | Yes | |
Cardiac failure | If acute failure/ uncontrolled chronic heart failure | If cardiac failure is controlled and condition is stable | Yes | |
Cardiac surgery (Heart surgery like CABG, VSD, ASD) | Less than 14 days | After 14 days | Yes | |
Angiography (heart coronary artery X rays) | Less than 24 hours | After 24 hours if condition is stable | Yes | |
Angioplasty with or without stent (widening of arteries) | Less than 5 days | After 5 days, if asymptomatic | Yes | |
Heart transplant | Less than 30 days | After 30 days | Yes | |
Pacemaker or defibrillator implantation | Less than 2 days | After 2 days if rhythm is stable and no pneumothorax | Yes | |
Cyanotic congenital heart disease | --- | All cases to be assessed by airline doctors. Inflight oxygen to be considered in all cases. | Yes | |
Blood disorder | Anaemia | If haemoglobin count is less than 8.5gm/dl | If haemoglobin is more than or equal to 8.5gm/dl. | --- |
Sickle cell disease | Sickling episode in the last 9 days | After 10 days. Always inflight oxygen supplement to be considered. | Yes | |
Communicable/ infectious diseases | Chicken pox | Within 14 days of appearance of rashes | If no fresh rashes and if all rashes have dried up. | Yes |
Measles | Within 7 days of appearance of rashes | After 7 days | Yes | |
Mumps | Within 7 days of appearance of swelling | After 7 days | Yes | |
Rubella | Within 7 days of appearance of rashes | After 7 days | Yes | |
H1N1/Swine flu | Less than 10 days | After 10 days | Yes | |
ENT (Ear, Nose and Throat) disorders | Otitis media and Sinusitis | Acute illness with loss of eustachian tube function, (severe cold and ear infection) | Infection under control | Yes |
Middle ear surgery | Less than 10 days | After 10 days | Yes | |
Tonsillectomy | Less than 10 days | After 10 days | Yes | |
| Fractured mandible with wired jaw | Not permitted | NA | NA | |
Eyes Disorders | Penetrating eye injury | Less than 7 days | After 7 days (any gas injected in the globe must have resorbed) | Yes |
Intraocular surgery | Less than 7 days | After 7 days | Yes | |
Cataract surgery | Less than 24 hours | After 24 hours | Yes | |
Surgery for retinal detachment | Less than 21 days | After 21 days | Yes | |
Corneal laser surgery | Less than 2 days for SMILE and LASIK. Less than 5 days for PRK. | After 2 days for SMILE and LASIK. After 5 days for PRK. | Yes | |
Respiratory disorders | Pneumothorax (Air in the cavity around the lung due to puncture wound or spontaneous) | Less than14 days | 1. After 14 days in case of spontaneous pneumothorax. | Yes |
Chest surgery (lung) | Less than 21 days | After 21 days of uncomplicated recovery. Less than 21 days on case-to-case basis. | Yes | |
Pneumonia | With symptoms | If fully recovered and symptom free. | Yes | |
Tuberculosis | Open cases not permitted, less than 2 weeks from the day of diagnosis and treatment started | After 2 weeks from the start of treatment. | Yes | |
Chronic lung disease - Pleural effusion, COPD, emphysema, haemothorax etc. | Unresolved recent exacerbation cases require supplementary oxygen | Fully recovered and no exacerbation/no current infection. | Yes | |
Asthma | Recent acute exacerbation or hospitalisation | Asymptomatic or no infection. Must carry inhaler and medicines in hand baggage. | No | |
Central nervous system | Stroke (CVA) | Less than 14 days | After 14 days | Yes |
Cranial surgery (Neurosurgery) | Less than 14 days | After 14 days. Cranium/skull is free of air | Yes | |
Epilepsy | Less than 24 hours of epileptic episode | After 24 hours of epileptic episode, if controlled, must take a dose of medicine before flight. | Yes | |
Congenital impairment/Autism or Cerebral Palsy | Without escort | With escort and clinically stable. | No | |
TIA (Transient Ischemic Attack) | Less than 2 days | After 2 days with proper investigations. | Yes | |
Gastrointestinal | Major abdominal surgery | Less than 10 days | After 10 days | Yes |
Appendectomy/ laparoscopic surgery (keyhole) | Less than 5 days | After 5 days | Yes | |
Investigative laparoscopy | Less than 24 hours | After 24 hours | Yes | |
Jaundice (liver disease) | Certain cases like severe jaundice/hepatic failure/hepatic encephalopathy | In case of mild/moderate jaundice, no abdominal pain, and no vomiting. (Company doctor’s approval required). | Yes | |
Liver/kidney transplant | Less than 30 days | After 30 days | Yes | |
Ortho cases. | GI bleed | Less than 10 days | After 10 days, (Hb to be checked) | Yes |
Arthroscopic joint surgery | Less than 10 days, if unable to mobilise with a walking aid, sit fully upright on the seat for take-off and landing. | After 10 days, if able to mobilise with walking aid and sit fully upright on the seat for take-off and landing. | Yes | |
Broken / plastered legs | Plaster knee joint and above but not extending to the pelvis, the guest cannot fold the knee and is unable to travel in a sitting position. | After 48 hours. Comply also with anaemia rules for femur/pelvis i.e., | Yes | |
HB 8.5 gm/dl | ||||
Permitted as stretcher case. | ||||
Major back, neck and spinal injury | If unable to mobilise with a walking aid and sit fully upright on the seat for take-off and landing. | As stretcher case | Yes | |
Spinal surgery | Within 7 days of surgery, depends on case-to-case basis | After 7 days. Guests must be able to sit upright for take-off and landing. | Yes | |
Should be able to tolerate unexpected severe turbulence and vibration associated with flight. | ||||
Full plaster involving lower limb and pelvis |
| Only as stretcher case. | Yes | |
Burns | If in shock or with widespread infection. | Once wounds have healed. | Yes | |
Miscellaneous | Cancer patients | Under active treatment (radio or chemo), if breathless at ground level |
|
|
Haemoglobin should be greater than 8.5 gm% | If haemoglobin is above 8.5 and asymptomatic | Yes | ||
Neuromuscular disease | If respiratory involvement is there and needs ventilator | If no respiratory muscle involvement. | Yes | |
Parkinsonism | N/A | Permitted | No | |
Deep vein thrombosis (DVT) | Not permitted if not stabilised on anticoagulant | Permitted if stabilised on anticoagulant therapy and no pulmonary complication. | Yes | |
Acute and chronic psychiatric or emotional or mental disorders | N/A | Aggressive behaviour, mandatory to be sedated by a doctor before the flight, escort mandatory (with declaration for the ability to handle the guest). If in severe depression, medical escort is mandatory. | Yes | |
There should not have been any hospitalisation for psychiatric disorder in the past 14 days. | ||||
Miscarriage (Threatened or complete) | If active bleeding and pain. | Once stable, no bleeding and no pain for at least 24 hours. |
| |
Infants | Less than 7days**, less than 7 days case to case basis (Liability form to be filled). | 7 days or more | No | |
Chronic renal failure or on dialysis or on CAPD | If the general condition of the patient is very poor. | Case to case basis with fit to fly, if required take company doctor’s approval. | Yes | |
Arthritis, high blood pressure | NA | Should be controlled with medication. | No | |
Diabetes | Uncontrolled diabetes in diabetic ketoacidosis | Controlled with medication. Medication to be carried in hand baggage and proper feeding time to be maintained. | No | |
After Radionucleotide therapy | Less than 7 days of therapy as risk of radiation exposure | After 7 days | Yes | |
Ventilators/ | Seriously ill cases – to be discussed with the company doctor | Stable on POCs. | Yes | |
FAA certified POCs permitted | Yes | |||
Accompanying doctor is a must (certificate from doctor to handle such cases) | Yes | |||
Terminal illness | NA | Individual case assessment | Yes | |
Post diving | Less than 48 hours, symptomatic. | 48 hours after the last treatment | Yes | |
Decompression sickness | Less than 7 days | After 7 days | Yes |
Disclaimer: This is not a policy document. Refer to this page for general information and guidance for passengers' well-being, comfort, and safety. Any medical decision regarding fitness to fly or additional requirements onboard will follow these guidelines. Medical assessment will be required if the Air India Medical Services team deems it necessary, and their decision will be final.