Pregnant and Flying - Europe and Africa

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Pregnant and Flying - Europe and Africa

From Arlene Fleming,
http://airtravel.about.com/cs/safety...pregflyer2.htm


Have belly, will travel?
When it comes to pregnancy and air travel, the second trimester is often purported to be the safest time to fly while pregnant. The airlines, and many medical professionals do agree (at least to some degree) that travel by air should not cause any further complications to a normal pregnancy, but it certainly goes without warning that you should seek the advice of your trusted medical professional before flying at any stage of your pregnancy.

There really are no restrictions for traveling with the airlines during the first trimester of pregnancy. However, considering that a simple head cold can feel many times worse, or even the fact that it is often a challenge to put shoes back on that you may have removed during the course of a long flight, it is obvious that bodies are affected at some level when airborne.
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It is wise to make sure that your pregnancy is not threatened by air travel, and certainly if you are a frequent traveler, you may be advised to reduce the number of times you fly during pregnancy.

The second trimester is often seen as the safest time to travel during pregnancy, having moved through the tenuous first few months. Also, the second trimester is not full of risk for premature labor, unlike the third trimester which airlines can come to fear because of the possibility of premature labor, and the safety of the passengers. There are considerations like whether a seat belt can fit safely, economy class syndrome (or deep vein thrombosis - essentially blood clots that can form during long flights), and violent turbulence. Given such possible risks, it is again important for the pregnant passenger to verify that air travel will not complicate her pregnancy.

Most airlines do have some sort of policy, whether restrictive or not, when it comes to pregnancy and air travel. Surprisingly, not all of the airlines make this information readily available to its passengers that may be scouring their websites for their stand on transporting pregnant passengers. Because this information can be a hassle to find, this feature is a compilation of many of the airlines worldwide, and their respective policies when it comes to the acceptance of pregnant passengers, particularly during the third trimester. This feature includes airlines based in Europe and Africa, additional features include airlines based in the Americas, and Asia and Australia and New Zealand.

Bear in mind that the airlines will tend to take the word of the passenger as truth when it comes to how far along in the pregnancy she is, and airline representatives do not tend to be medical professionals. Thus the airline places the trust in the pregnant passenger to follow the airline's policy.

SAS

* No restrictions during first eight months of pregnancy.
* A medical information form, MEDIF, is required for pregnant women traveling between two to four weeks of expected delivery date, and travel must be approved by the SAS Medical Department. Travel during this time of pregnancy must be limited to four hours per flight on SAS.
* Within two weeks of due date, pregnant passengers are not permitted to travel.

Lufthansa

* No restrictions for pregnant passengers during the first eight months of pregnancy provided the pregnancy is considered free of complications.
* Lufthansa advises against travel if a pregnant woman is expecting more than one baby, has cardiovascular health problems, or has previously suffered a miscarriage.
* Suggests consulting a medical professional prior to travel at any time during pregnancy.
* Because the threat of thrombosis (blood clots) is increased during pregnancy, Lufthansa suggests wearing compression stockings and elevating feet during flight.

British Airways

* No travel restrictions for pregnant travelers up to the 36th week of pregnancy except for pregnant passengers expecting multiple births, where travel restrictions begin after the 32nd week.
* British Airways requests that passengers traveling beyond their seventh month of pregnancy bring along a letter from their medical professional stating that the pregnancy is free from complications, and the expected due date.

KLM

* Suggests consulting a medical profession prior to embarking on air travel at any time during pregnancy.
* KLM advises that pregnant passengers should not travel after the eighth month of pregnancy, or after the 34th week of pregnancy if expecting a multiple birth.

Ryanair

* No travel restrictions for pregnant travelers up to the 28th week of pregnancy. Ryanair may ask a pregnant traveler to sign an indemnity to confirm that pregnancy is not past the 28th week.
* From the 28th to 36th week of pregnancy a doctor's certificate stating that the passenger is fit to travel and the expected due date is required.
* Pregnant women within their last four weeks of pregnancy are not accepted for travel under any circumstances.

Alitalia

* No travel restrictions for the first eight months of pregnancy.
* If traveling within the last four weeks of pregnancy, expecting multiple births, or having a complicated pregnancy, medical clearance is required. Completion of a Medical Information Form, MEDIF, prior to travel and signed by both the passenger and doctor is required. The form is available for download from Alitalia's site.

British Midland

* No travel restrictions up to the 30th week of pregnancy.
* A doctor's certificate is required for pregnant travelers in their 30th to 36th week of pregnancy. Travel after the 36th week of pregnancy is not normally allowed.

Virgin Atlantic

* Travel is permitted without restrictions until the 28th week of pregnancy provided that the pregnancy is free from complications.
* Virgin Atlantic asks that their Special Assistance department be informed of pregnancy so that they can supply appropriate inflight health advice.
* Between the 28th and 34th weeks of pregnancy a doctor's certificate is required.


The certificate must state that the passenger is safe for travel and the expected due date.
* Beyond the 34th week of pregnancy, travel is only permitted for medical/compassionate reasons and the pregnant passenger is required to be accompanied by a nurse or doctor. This travel is subject to the approval of a Virgin Atlantic doctor.

Aeroflot

* Doctor's certificate required if traveling within four weeks of due date. Certificate must state that the passenger has been examined and must be dated within seven days of flight departure.

Easyjet

* No restrictions for pregnant passengers traveling up to the 27th week of pregnancy.
* Doctor's certificate required if traveling between the 28th and 35th week of pregnancy. Certificate must be issued by a doctor, Easyjet does not accept medical certificates supplied by a registered midwife.
* No travel is permitted beyond the 36th week of pregnancy.

South African Airways

* South African Airways advises against travel after the 34th week of pregnancy.
* Passengers who are beyond the 35th week of pregnancy will not be accepted for travel on international flights without a doctor's certificate. Travel with a doctor's certificate is also subject to the approval of South African Airways medical officials.
* Passengers who are beyond the 36th week of pregnancy will not be accepted for travel on domestic flights without a doctor's certificate. Travel with a doctor's certificate is also subject to the approval of South African Airways medical officials.

[Kala]

Interesting and much appreciated info!

[georgia]

Thanks for the post- i enn working so hard that i forgot to keep these imporant details in mind!