Your health first
Always advise TAP of your health problems so we can provide the best possible care.
Here is some general advice about traveling with health problems.
Medication
- 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.
Request medical approval for air travel if you have any of the following:
- A plaster cast or immobilizing splints
- Chronic heart disease (e.g., angina pectoris, cardiac insufficiency)
- Chronic respiratory disease (e.g., bronchitis, emphysema)
- Recent acute myocardial infarction
- Recent stroke
- Untreated active or contagious infectious disease
- Recent hospitalization
- Recent surgery, particularly chest, abdominal, cranial or eye surgery
- Need to be transported on a stretcher
- Need for medical, nursing or paramedic care
- Need for extra oxygen or other medical equipment on board
- Pregnancy with complications, or after 36 weeks of gestation, or 32 weeks if a multiple pregnancy
- Fever, persistent cough or vomiting
- Diabetes or epilepsy with recent complications
- Shortness of breath when walking and climbing stairs
- Skin spots that may be related to an infectious disease
- Mental confusion, inappropriate behavior suggestive of intoxication by alcohol or drugs
- Any disease that is uncontrolled or likely to be exacerbated by travel
- A physical or behavioral condition that may be dangerous or cause discomfort to the other passengers, in terms of flight safety.
You should ask the airline to issue a medical clearance. To do this, you will need to provide us with a Medical Information for Fitness to Travel - MEDIF (Part 2) (PDF, 0.1MB, EN). The form must be completed by your doctor. 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:
- Fax No. (+351) 218 415 880
- Email: medical.cases@tap.pt
(This Email address is solely for MEDIF-related matters. Emails related to any other issues will be disregarded).
To travel alone you must be able to:
- Breathe spontaneously without the need for additional oxygen
- 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 another person 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 the event of an emergency
Important information
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 a pre-travel doctor's appointment.
This site tells you how to schedule a pre-travel doctor's appointment.