Travelling with health concerns

Follow up with your physician to discuss whether you should travel if you are sick or unwell before departure. All guests who appear sick or unwell at the airport may be subject to medical screening at the discretion of our WestJet agents or cabin crew. 

If you have one or more of the following medical conditions, please review your health status with your physician to determine if you need to submit our Medical Information Form.

• Active infectious conditions such as, but not limited to, tuberculosis, chicken pox and measles 
• Blood conditions:
  • Clotting disorders where your condition and treatment require monitoring by your physician
  • Leukemia
  • Severe anemia
• Broken bones/fractures:
  • Casted limb within 48 hours of departure
• Cancer with active treatment
• Cognitive, behavioral and psychological conditions: 
  • History of condition deteriorating during previous flights
  • Not orientated x3 (to person/place/time)
  • Unstable/unpredictable or aggressive behavior/agitation
• Ear, nose, sinus or throat disorders:
  • Current ear infection with the inability to clear ears 
  • Eye surgery where gas has been instilled and not absorbed 
  • Post-operative middle ear or nasal surgery within 10 days of departure 
  • Recent jaw surgery within a week of departure 
  • Tonsillectomy within 3 weeks of departure
• Gastrointestinal issues:
  • Abdominal surgery within 14 days of departure 
  • Bleeding within 10 days of departure 
  • Laparoscopic surgery within 5 days of departure
• Heart conditions and lung conditions:
  • Currently symptomatic or unstable 
  • Inability to walk 50m without significant shortness of breath or chest pain 
  • Oxygen is required during the flight — please discuss with your physician whether you need medical clearance to travel 
  • Recent deterioration 
• Infant:
  • 7 days old or less 
  • Complex medical needs
  • Premature
• Medical procedures and surgeries:
  • Surgery within 14 days of departure
• Neurological conditions:
  • Head trauma less than 48 hours of departure 
  • Seizures within a month of departure 
  • Stroke within 14 days of departure 
  • Transient ischemic attack within 72 hours of departure 
• Pregnancy:
  • Singleton equal to or greater than 36 weeks gestation
  • Multiple equal to or greater than 32 weeks gestation
    
• Recent medical event on board a commercial aircraft or at the airport
• Severe allergies

Air travel with medical conditions

There are numerous factors to consider when determining if your patient is medically fit to fly. Air travel can have low humidity, turbulence, prolonged periods of immobility, and requires a patient to sit upright in an aircraft seat. Several other factors can lead to deterioration of a medical condition on board, including: 

• Gas expansion at altitude - As an aircraft ascends to cruising altitude, any gas trapped in the body will expand. In fact, the volume of gas can expand up to 30%, causing significant issues in specific instances. It may be important for your patient to consider delaying air travel if they have had recent surgery (especially in a small space such as the eye or ear) or recent pneumothorax (collapsed lung).
• Altitude and its effect on oxygen levels - Our aircraft are pressurized to altitudes equivalent to 5000-8000 ft above sea level. At this altitude, there is less oxygen available. Healthy individuals will not notice this change, but those suffering from severe anemia, cardiac or pulmonary conditions could be at risk of severe hypoxia. Some individuals may require a Personal Oxygen Concentrator (POC) on board an aircraft to supplement their oxygen needs, even if they do not require oxygen on the ground. In these instances, consider delaying air travel until their condition is stable. To learn more information about oxygen needs, click here. 
• Limited access to medical care on board -  In the event of a medical issue on board, our crews are trained in first aid and cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR). However, access to higher level medical care can take a prolonged amount of time, depending on many factors.

When should a WestJet Medical Information Form be completed (MEDIF)?

Please consider filling out a WestJet Medical Information Form for your patient if they have any of the following conditions or illnesses:

a) Any medical condition or illness that may deteriorate while on board the aircraft and potentially impact other guests. Examples may include severe heart disease, active infectious diseases, neurological issues, or unstable psychiatric illnesses. 

b) Any medical condition or illness that may worsen because of conditions on board the aircraft at cruising altitude. Examples may include a recent surgery where air is introduced into a body cavity, recent epistaxis, severe respiratory disease, or recent pneumothorax. 

c) Any potentially contagious infectious diseases such as tuberculosis, chicken pox, or influenza.

A completed WestJet Medical Information Form provides the information required to determine if a guest with remarkable underlying health issues is medically fit to fly. The type of medical information gathered complies with international air travel guidelines. The information provided is retained in accordance with WestJet’s Privacy Policy and the requirements of the Canadian Transportation Agency's Accessible Transportation for Persons with Disabilities Regulations. 

The guidance provided is in accordance with the International Air Transport Association’s guidelines. 

Access our Medical Information Form to fill out with your physician. The WestJet’s Information for Health Care Providers Document contains information your doctor will need to consider regarding your safety to fly. Any charges incurred for the completion of this form will be at your expense. WestJet will not provide you with compensation if you are not approved for accommodation.  Please note: Medical Information Forms will be retained for a minimum of three years and handled in accordance with the WestJet Privacy Policy.

Please submit your request for medical clearance at least 14 days prior to departure. We cannot guarantee that forms received within 48 hours of your scheduled departure will be reviewed prior to your flight. Refunds of any fare type will not be provided for flights taken before an approval has been granted. All fees and fare guidelines for fare purchased will apply to previously booked flights.

If your travel itinerary includes a flight operated by another airline, please contact them to ensure you are meeting their requirements as it relates to your medical condition. Completed forms can be emailed to MedDesk@WestJet.com or sent in via fax to 1-866-737-1202. 

A medical certificate from your physician, dated within 10 days of the departing flight, will be accepted as an alternative to the WestJet Medical Information Form. The medical certificate must indicate your prognosis for a safe flight with no extraordinary medical assistance required on board, and confirm there is no indication of a contagious disease that would pose a risk to the safety of others on board.

We encourage all guests to review WestJet's Information for Health Care Providers Document with their physician and strongly suggest that the Medical Information Form be completed if indicated to ensure your medical condition will not worsen at altitude during flight.