Medical Assistance Hints and Tips

Transcription

1 AeroMedevac Ireland Medical Assistance Hints and Tips When do I need a medical clearance? In some cases passengers with a special condition need medical clearance from the commercial airline before flying. A medical information form needs to be completed by your own doctor and returned at least 48 hours before flight departure. The form normally called a MEDIF or INCAD depending on the airline chosen for travel, can be obtained by contacting AeroMedevac on or support@aeromedevac.ie Most airlines impose the following requirements on all passengers: Prior to boarding, a passenger must be satisfied that he/she is medically fit to fly No medical examination is necessary unless the passenger has any reason to suspect or ought reasonably to know they have a medical condition that may be exacerbated by the normal operation of an aircraft or could cause difficulty if access to medical help is not available before the end of the flight If in doubt, the passenger is obliged to seek professional medical advice before flying and to produce evidence of fitness to fly if required by us to do so. This usually takes the form of a letter issued by the passenger s own GP The Airline reserves the right to seek further reassurance if there is concern about any medical letter submitted to them. If doubt still remains over a passenger s fitness to fly, the Medical Department of the airline will decide whether to accept a passenger for travel. Such a decision may be made in conjunction with the airline doctor. Passengers not permitted to travel People who have undergone surgery in the previous 10 days People with infectious diseases or a virus Mumps - Passengers can fly ten days from day one of the mumps being diagnosed Chicken Pox - Passengers can fly seven days from day one of the spot appearing Shingles - Passengers cannot fly for seven days from the first day shingles appears on an exposed area of the body. Passengers can fly where shingles appears on a covered area of the body EU regulations 1107/2006 NOTICE PURSUANT TO EU REGULATION 1107/2006 This is a non-exhaustive summary of the safety rules and considerations that airlines apply to the carriage of disabled passengers and passengers with reduced mobility. The airline priority is to always ensure the safety and comfort of all passengers during their journey. To do this, they encourage passengers who may need assistance during travel to contact the airline well in advance of their date of travel to enable us to assess their needs, make suitable arrangements and ensure that relevant information is transmitted to relevant third parties, such as a destination airport. Passengers normally must provide a minimum of 48 hours notice to the airline of their requirements. The final and overriding decision on any safety issue relating to carriage of any passenger on an aircraft always rests with its captain. [ 1 ]

2 How should I take my medication with me? Keep your medication in your carry-on luggage. If you use medications, it is important to find out how long they can be stored and at what temperature they should be kept. Take along extra medications or a recent prescription as well as the instructions for using them. If you are bringing your injection needles along (e.g. for diabetes) it is important that you also have a statement from your GP as to the medical need for these needles. Whether or not you should bring medications with you, as well as how much you should bring, depends on how you will be travelling and where you will be staying. If staying only at a hotel and on the beach, for example, a supply of aspirin, plasters and a medication to treat diarrhea should be sufficient. Should you be encountering more primitive conditions, we advise you to take along additional items such as a disinfectant, bandages, a thermometer, tweezers, scissors and something to prevent dehydration caused by diarrhea. May I keep my medication cool in the aircraft s refrigerator? Although it is impossible to reserve space in the aircraft s refrigerator, there is usually room enough there to accommodate small quantities of medication. To be assured of keeping your medication cool, it would be best to bring it with you in an insulated bag or box. How can I prevent becoming ill during my travels? Take basic preventive measures against illness. Many illnesses are the result of insufficient hygiene when germs can be transferred by means of food, drinking water or swimming water. With the proper immunization, many but not all diseases can be prevented. Problems associated with less than satisfactory hygiene are easy to avoid by taking certain basic preventive measures: Always take bottled water or boil water before drinking it. This applies to milk as well In a restaurant, do not accept any bottles that are already open Also keep in mind that ice cubes are made of water and that salads have been washed in water Eat as little fish and/or shellfish as possible Don t eat any raw meat, and make sure that any meat you eat is cooked all the way through Make sure that your food isn t kept too long outside of the refrigerator or stored for too long Eat only packaged ice cream, not ice cream made by a vendor Check to see that the swimming water is safe Wear wading shoes in lakes, brooks, etc Don t walk around in your bare feet Use a good sun crème/oil with a high protection factor, even if you ll be spending most of your time in the shade Wear clothing that will protect you from the sun Drink enough (clean) water Tips for your journey: Wear comfortable clothing Support stockings can help your blood circulation Select a seat on the aisle to make it easier to leave your seat Walk around once in a while Drink beverages (preferably non-carbonated beverages) often Eat moderately Fasten your safety belt beneath your belly [ 2 ]

3 M ay I fly if I have a cast? Yes, you can. If you have an arm or a leg in a cast, we advise you to consult your GP before you travel. If a leg has to be held in a horizontal position, you must use an extended leg rest to support the leg. In Economy Class, you should arrange for a leg rest in advance: this requires the purchase of 2 additional seats. Broken Lower Limb: All broken lower limbs need medical clearance due to the risk of Deep Vein Thrombosis. Medical clearance will be required at least 48 hours in advance of your flight. Broken Upper Limb: Normally no medical clearance required - book online as normal. Passengers travelling with a plaster cast that has been fitted within 48 hours of travel must ensure that the cast is split prior to travelling to allow for swelling. To make these arrangements or to learn more, please contact care@aeromedevac.ie Requesting oxygen onboard Medical clearance is required for all passengers requesting oxygen. Passengers are required to provide a minimum of 48 hours notice of their intention to travel. The Airline Special Assistance desk will need to be contacted. Oxygen is normally on a request basis only and we can accommodate one request per flight. Some airlines provide 2/4 litres per min continuously or 2/4 litres per min intermittently. They may not be able to accept a request for 4 litres continuously/intermittently on flights due to the duration of the flight and aircraft type. Please note certain airlines cannot carry oxygen in the Business Class cabin of their long haul aircraft. Oxygen can continue to be carried in the Economy Class cabin. Passengers cannot bring their own oxygen on board. Recent illness Passengers who have suffered from illnesses, accidents, operations, heart attacks or strokes within a month before they are due to travel must receive medical clearance before they can travel. Passengers are required to provide a minimum of 48 hours notice of their intention to travel. Infectious diseases All Airlines require medical clearance for all infectious diseases during the incubation period. Learning difficulties Commercial Airlines may seek the advice/clearance from a doctor for passengers with learning difficulties travelling alone. Visually impaired, blind, deaf or require special assistance Assistance dogs accompanying blind passengers are carried free of charge and may travel in the cabin on all shorthaul and long haul flights with the passenger when they are suitably harnessed. There is no requirement for a muzzle. The dog must sit on the floor at the passenger s feet and not at an emergency exit or first row. All government and quarantine regulations must be complied with. Hearing aids may be used at any time during the flight. Passengers are required to provide a minimum of 48 hours notice of their intention to travel. Passengers awaiting transplant Medical clearance is required before a transplant passenger can travel. Passengers awaiting a transplant or receiving treatment for transplant operations are advised to contact the Airline Medical Department in advance of travel to enable completion of the necessary administration work involved to allow such passengers travel by air. This will help reduce the time required to gain clearance from the Airline medical officer for the passenger to fly at the time of making the booking. [ 3 ]

4 Until how late in pregnancy may a pregnant woman fly? Once you are 36 weeks into your pregnancy, we advise you not to fly. We also discourage flying during the first week following delivery. If you are expecting more than one baby or if you have had complications during your pregnancy, we always advise you to consult your physician first. In these cases, you may not fly once you are 32 weeks along. Should you, your midwife or obstetrician have any doubts, you can consult the Medical Desk at AeroMedevac Ireland. Between Ireland and the UK You may travel up to week 32 of pregnancy with your doctor s written permission. For example between weeks your doctor must complete an Expectant Mother Travel Advice Form for Aer Lingus. Aer Lingus will not carry any passengers over 36 weeks for any part of their journey, outbound or return. All Other Routes Aer Lingus advise you may travel up to week 28 of pregnancy with your doctor s written permission. Between weeks your doctor must complete an Expectant Mother Travel Advice Form. Click here to access this form: Expectant Mother Travel Advice Form. Aer Lingus will not carry any passengers 34 weeks or over for any part of their journey, outbound or return. Ireland, UK and Continental Europe originating passengers will need to fill out the Expectant Mother Travel Advice Form signed by their doctor and send it by fax to Click here to access this form: Expectant Mother Travel Advice Form. Premature infants Infants born prematurely require medical clearance to fly up to the age of 6 months, plus the number of days that they were born prematurely. An infant is considered premature if they were born 3 weeks or more before their original due delivery date. Wheelchairs Where required, the airline will notify the airport authority of your request for a wheelchair and assistance from checkin to the boarding gate and a carry on service for passengers completely immobile who cannot make their own way to their seat. Passengers must be able to sit upright in the seat. Passengers are required to provide a minimum of 48 hours notice of their intention to travel. Here are three categories of wheelchair passengers: WCHR: Passenger who can walk up and down stairs and move about in an aircraft cabin, but who requires a wheelchair or other means for movements between the aircraft and the terminal, in the terminal and between arrival and departure points on the city side of the terminal WCHS: Passenger who cannot walk up or down stairs, but who can move about in an aircraft cabin, and requires a wheelchair to move between the aircraft and the terminal, in the terminal and between arrival and departure?point on the city side of the terminal WCHC: This category covers a wide range of passengers. It includes those who are completely immobile, who can move about only with the help of a wheelchair or any other means and who requires assistance at all times from arrival at the airport to seating in the aircraft or if necessary in a special seat fitted to their specific needs, the process being inverted at arrival. This category also includes passengers with a disability only affecting the lower limbs who require assistance to embark and disembark and to move inside the aircraft cabin, but who are otherwise self-sufficient and can move about independently in their own wheelchair at the airport. Note: Specifying the level of autonomy at the time of booking will avoid the provision of inappropriate assistance. [ 4 ]

5 Passengers travelling with their own wheelchairs Passengers travelling with their own wheelchairs are normally permitted to do so free of charge but the airline must be informed if they are battery operated. Note: Passengers are not permitted to check-in or carry on-board any wet-cell batteries either in wheelchairs or as stand-alone batteries. Seating restrictions at emergency exits Passengers who because of their condition might hinder other passengers during an evacuation, or who might impede the crew carrying out their duties shall not be allocated seats in an emergency exit row. Also anyone who is considered incapable of operating or assisting with the operation of the exit shall be moved. The final responsibility rests with the operating Cabin Crew at the time of boarding. The Categories are: Persons with obvious physical or mental handicap, to the extent that they would have difficulty in moving quickly if asked to do so Persons with reduced mobility Persons who are substantially blind or deaf, to the extent that they might not be able to assimilate printed or verbal instructions given Persons who, because of age or sickness, are so frail that they may not be able to move quickly Persons with responsibility for the care of children or another passenger Children and infants under 14 (whether accompanied or not) Expectant mothers in later stages of pregnancy Deportees or prisoners in custody Passengers whose physical size would prevent them from being able to move quickly in an emergency evacuation Persons with animals Passengers travelling with carers Airlines may require a passenger to travel with a carer if required to meet safety requirements. Passengers travelling with an airline normally: Must be able to use the normal aircraft seat with the seatback in the upright position when so required Must be capable of using toilet facilities unaided or have other arrangements in place which are acceptable to the airline Must be capable of feeding unaided or have other arrangements in place which are acceptable to Aer Lingus Must be capable of administering medicines and medical procedures unaided The decision about whether a passenger must be accompanied by a carer will be normally made by the Airline when the passenger makes his/her circumstances known to us. Reasons (written if requested, and provided within 5 working days) will be supplied to the passenger where a decision is made that he or she must be accompanied by a carer. Travelling with service animals Some Airlines requires appropriate documentation to permit service animals to travel in the passenger cabin. Such documentation should include a letter (not more than 1 year old) from a doctor, stating that the passengers need to have the service animal accompanying them. Passengers are required to provide a minimum of 48 hours notice of their intention to travel. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT US: Tel: Fax: support@aeromedevac.ie [ 5 ]