Health problems
Your health first
Always advise TAP of your health problems so we can provide the best possible care.
If you suffer from any allergy, TAP cannot guarantee that the aircraft cabin is free of allergens, so to avoid any discomfort, before traveling, we recommend that you consult your doctor and, if necessary, that you have appropriate medication to your condition in your hand baggage.
On this page you will find some general advice about traveling with health problems.
Medication and medical devices
- If you use injectable medication (e.g., insulin) and you are traveling to a country with limited resources, make sure you carry the necessary medication and accessories for your flights with you. Also carry the written medical prescription with you.
- Be sure to take your usual medication as prescribed. Carry the medication you need in your hand luggage, including medicines you take in emergencies (e.g. asthma inhalers). Always carry in your hand baggage enough medicines for a period of time longer than the expected trip duration.
- If you need to use or carry medical devices, especially devices that are fragile or require the use of batteries or an electrical connection, such as a CPAP or portable oxygen concentrator, contact the airline as far in advance as possible to confirm whether the device can be used on the flight and under what conditions. In any case, the medical device must always be completely autonomous in terms of its energy source and its use must not require the assistance of the crew.
Request medical authorisation for boarding if you have:
- Immobilization casts or splints;
- Recent acute myocardial infarction or other significant chronic heart disease (e.g. angina pectoris, heart failure);
- Chronic respiratory disease (e.g. bronchitis, emphysema);
- Shortness of breath, chest pain or abnormal tiredness when walking or climbing stairs;
- Recent stroke;
- Untreated active or contagious infectious disease;
- Fever, persistent cough, vomiting, bleeding;
- Skin spots or rash that may be related to a contagious disease;
- Diabetes or epilepsy, with recent hospitalization or complications;
- Mental confusion, inappropriate behavior, suggestive of alcohol or drug intoxication;
- Physical or behavioral condition that could be dangerous or uncomfortable for other passengers, in terms of flight safety;
- Pregnancy with complications in general, or pregnancy after 36 weeks of gestation or, if multiple (twins), after 32 weeks;
- Recent hospital admission;
- Recent surgery, particularly thoracic, abdominal, cranial or ocular;
- Need for extra oxygen or other medical equipment on board;
- Need for transport on a stretcher;
- Need for medical, nursing or paramedical care;
- Any illness that is not controlled or could be aggravated by the trip.
You should ask the airline to issue a medical clearance. You must submit, at least 72 hours in advance of the flight, the Medical Information for Fitness to Travel - MEDIF (Part 2) (PDF, 0.1MB, EN) form, which must be filled in, dated and signed by your doctor. All fields on the form must be completed.
This document will then be analyzed by TAP's aeronautical medical team. You will be informed later whether you can travel and under what conditions.
The completed for is then examined by a TAP doctor, who will subsequently inform you if you can travel and under what conditions.
The completed MEDIF must be sent to:- Email: [email protected] (This Email address is solely for MEDIF-related matters. Emails related to any other issues will be disregarded).
To travel alone you should be able to:
- Breathe spontaneously without the need for additional oxygen, or, if you require supplemental oxygen, be able to effectively operate the equipment in a completely autonomous manner;
- Feed yourself independently;
- Transfer yourself from the seat to the wheelchair;
- Communicate with the crew and follow their advice or instructions;
- Use the toilets without assistance from the crew;
- Administer your own medication.
You must travel accompanied by someone else if you cannot:
- Unfasten your seat belt, leave your seat and reach an emergency exit unaided;
- Remove and put on the safety vest unaided;
- Put on the oxygen mask without any help;
- Understand the safety briefing and any advice or instructions given by the crew in an accessible manner, in case of an emergency.
Learn more about the medical assistance that TAP provides here.
This list is a guide to the most common medical conditions. If you have questions, please contact UCS - Cuidados Médicos de Saúde.
This site tells you how to schedule, as a traveller, a doctor's appointment.
Related Tools
Assistance for passengers with reduced mobility. We guarantee support at the airport up until boarding your flight. We recommend that you do the booking of this service up to 48 hours before the trip.
TAP provides assistance to blind passengers in order to make your trip as comfortable as possible.
Please note:
To ensure availability, special assistance services must be booked up to 48 hours prior to the trip.
Request special assistance