You must be wondering about the hassle of travelling to India to get yourself treated but worried about air travel with your medical condition.

Worry no more. Karetrip is here to provide a detailed guide for your travel and stay in India and getting yourself treated at the best hospitals.

Can You Travel If You Are Sick?

Well, the answer is yes and no. You can travel with your medical condition if that condition qualifies as not a medical emergency and permitted by your physician.

You may NOT be permitted to travel if you are suffering from any infectious disease that is a medical threat for your fellow passengers. Here’s a list of diseases that may prevent you from travelling by air to India:

• Pregnancy: If you are pregnant with any complication and more than 28 to 32 weeks pregnant, you are forbidden to travel alone and without medical prescription ensuring your safety during the trip.

This varies from airlines to airlines. Please check with your booked airline for the detailed information.

• Infectious disease: If you are having certain diseases like measles, ebola, zika virus, or COVID, airlines will refrain from permitting you to travel via their flights.

This is done to protect the other passengers from getting infected with the potential life-threatening disease and halt any pandemic at its root.

• Disability: If any disabled person requires to travel via airlines, they must obtain prior permission to get assistance from the airline's staff. Usually, the cabin crew may not dedicate their entire time in assisting them, so apply for an additional staff member to assist you with your hustle free travel.

You also need to mention the type of assistance you will be requiring during your travel with that airline, like:

• Entire journey
• Boarding the flight
• Disembarking the flight
• In lay off time.
• Travelling through the airport gates.

What To Keep In Mind While Travelling To India With Medical Needs?

If you are anxious to fly with your medical condition, we are here to guide you to make your journey safe and enjoyable.

You need to fill out the Medical Information Form during booking of flight to declare about your medical conditions.

If you are ill and travelling to India to get yourself treated, you must keep these health facts in mind.

• High Altitude: If you suffer from altitude sickness, you are likely to experience difficulties during your travel. As flights operate under fixed pressure, if you have heart or lung disease, you may feel discomfort or require oxygen.

You need to inform the authorities at the time of booking regarding any medical condition that may turn into a medical emergency.

• Oxygen requirement: If you require oxygen, you must be extra cautious in your journey.

If you want to bring your own oxygen, definitely inform your airlines. You can carry the same if permitted under special circumstances. Moreover, any medical complication is an unfortunate event. Airlines do empathise with it.

For any of these medical conditions or illnesses like:

• Heart attack or angioplasty surgery,
• Stroke or head injury
• Deep Vein Thrombosis (DVT) or Pulmonary Embolism (PE);
• Joint replacement or amputation;
• Surgery on the heart, abdomen or chest;

However, the passenger is not required to show any medical certificates provided that:

• The unfortunate incident took place 3 months after the departure of the flight.
• The passenger is currently stable.
• No oxygen is required during the flight.
• Your airline authorities have the right to assess your health to deem you suitable to fly with them. This is assessed in the following ways:
• If your body reacts differently with the effect of mild hypoxia due to decreased air pressure inside the cabin.
• If you are comfortable with being immobile during the hours of flight.
• If you are able to adapt to the brace position in the unfortunate case of emergency landing.
• If you are comfortable with trans meridian travel or taking medications at regular time intervals.
• If you are mentally and physically fit to locate and board and disembark the flight.
• If your medical condition hampers the safety and comfort of your fellow passengers along with the operations of the aircraft.
• What type of health insurance over the passenger in case of any emergency.

Lets see some of the risk categories and the respective risk factors that passengers fall into during flight due to medical needs.

Consider availing air ambulances for moderate to high-risk category patients.

Some of the minor problems that people may face in flights which are usually harmless and manageable. These are:

• Jet lag
• Fear of heights
• Fear of flights
• Motion sickness
• Air rage

Medical Flights to and from India

For people who are critically ill but need to travel by air, the best available service is by Air ambulance. It costs a bit high, but guarantees your safety and assures a comfortable journey for you and your family.

Let’s see some of the features of air ambulance or medical flights:

• Skilled professional staff
• Advanced equipment and resources.
• Efficient transportation logistics.
• Personalised Care and treatment.
• Bed-to-Bed Service.

This service is very much essential for critically ill patients and post-surgery patients. As there are medical doctors present in flights, you can be sure of getting the necessary medical treatment if any complications arise during your travel.

If you are planning to travel to India with your medical needs and wondering about the safest way to travel by air, well Karetrip is here to assist you in every aspect of your travel, treatment and stay in India. While this blog gives you a detailed understanding of the topic, you must check about your customised medical issue with the aircraft authorities as they keep on revising their guidelines.