Travelling healthy

What do travellers with pre-existing conditions need to know when flying? How should they carry necessary medication with them? And what are the best ways to protect against illnesses when travelling or to prepare for different climates abroad? The health and safety of our passengers is our utmost priority. That's why we've provided you with detailed information on all the relevant topics for healthy travelling and flying.

General information

Pregnant woman and a man are waiting to complete boarding.

This section provides information on air travel fitness, travelling during pregnancy and the applicable regulations and recommendations regarding travelling with medication in hand baggage.
 

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Travelling with a pre-existing condition

Travelling with medication

Passengers with pre-existing physical conditions (such as diabetes) or intolerances (such as allergies) can find information on travel planning and available in-flight assistance (such as travelling with a sleep therapy device) in this section.
 

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Illnesses when flying

A couple is leaving the airplane.

This section covers information on illnesses that can occur during a long-distance flight, such as travel sickness and travel-related thrombosis, and tips on how to prevent them.
 

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General information

Taking medication during a flight

Travel planning

  • Difficulties regarding the regular taking of medication can arise when crossing time zones. If you are required to take medication regularly, we recommend discussing this with a doctor before embarking on a flight that crosses one or more time zones.

  • For the eventuality that medication is lost, you should ask the doctor who is treating you to provide you with an overview of your most important health information, such as blood type, and the medication (generic name and prescribed dose). Please also carry all the documents you require to receive treatment or to receive a prescription abroad, such as an EU health insurance card. Detailed information on such requirements in the country of your destination can be provided by your doctor or health insurance company.

Illustration: medication in your hand baggage

Carriage of medication

Eurowings generally recommends that all passengers with pre-existing conditions or allergies always carry their medication with them in their hand baggage. When doing so, the following applies:

  • Securely pack your medication against breakage and knocks to prevent liquids from leaking and tablets from breaking.

  • If possible, distribute your medication across several items of hand baggage.

  • Take approximately one and half to two times the expected required amount of medication in your hand baggage to account for any flight delays.

  • Please note that it is not possible for your medication to be stored in a cool place by our cabin crew. Onboard cooling is possible with the use of freezer packs or dry ice. More information on this is available on the page "Prohibited items and dangerous goods in your baggage".

  • When carrying larger quantities of medication and injections (insulin, EpiPen) in hand baggage, we advise you to bring a doctor's certificate confirming that you personally require this medication.

  • To avoid misunderstandings at the airport, additional items of hand baggage for medicinal purposes must be registered via the contact form.

Flying during pregnancy

A pregnant woman at the airport.

Flying during an uncomplicated pregnancy is usually unproblematic. However, we recommend consulting your gynaecologist before flying.

Expectant mothers with an uncomplicated pregnancy can fly with Eurowings without a certificate from their gynaecologist up to the end of the 36th week of pregnancy/up to four weeks before the expected due date. Nevertheless, from the 28th week of pregnancy, it is recommended that you carry an up-to-date medical certificate that includes the following information provided by your doctor:

  • Confirmation that the pregnancy is proceeding without complication

  • Confirmation that the patient's pregnancy does not prevent them from flying

  • The expected due date

Our customer service is happy to help you should you have any further questions about flying during pregnancy.

Before your journey

  • Some countries have regulations that deviate from the requirements at Eurowings listed above. Therefore, please inform yourself on country-specific regulations with the relevant authorities regarding permission to fly for expectant mothers before your planned flight.

  • Eurowings accepts no liability if you are denied permission to fly on grounds of country-specific regulations or if you are denied entry to your destination country.

During the flight

  • Due to the heightened risk of thrombosis during pregnancy, we recommend expectant mothers wear support stockings while on the plane.

Air travel fitness and medical clearance to fly


Eurowings may deny the carriage of passengers on grounds of their physical condition, a pre-existing condition or the state of their health. Alternatively, Eurowings may first require assessment of a passenger's air travel fitness. Such an assessment of their air travel fitness after certain illnesses (for instance, a stroke or lung disease), injuries incurred from an accident or when suffering from a chronic ailment is undertaken by Eurowings' medical service.

Please contact our customer service should you still be unsure after consulting the table below as to whether you require medical clearance to fly with your specific illness.

The following cases require medical clearance to fly from Eurowings:

  • After a major surgery

  • In the weeks following the onset of a serious illness

  • Passengers who must be transported lying down

  • Passengers who require additional oxygen or other medical equipment on board

Should one the above-mentioned apply to you, Eurowings is required to assess your health records and verify whether you are in a suitable condition to fly. Please have your doctor complete the Medical Information Form (MEDIF) and send it to our customer service. The form supplies the basic information needed for medical clearance to fly from Eurowings.

The following cases do not require medical clearance to fly from Eurowings:

  • Passengers with disabilities from birth or which have remained unchanged over a long period.

  • Passengers who require the use of a wheelchair due to impairment to their musculoskeletal and motor system (inflammatory or degenerative) resulting from an illness such as multiple sclerosis or brittle bone disease. More information on this can be found on the page "Accessible travel".

  • Passengers with a mild form of chronic bronchitis or asthma who do not suffer attacks and who are suitably treated with their own medication and who do not require oxygen on board.

  • Passengers who have suffered a heart attack more than several weeks in the past and which was treated without complications.

 

In all cases mentioned above, please consult your doctor in advance! Only they are in a position to decide whether you are actually fit to fly.

Frequent fliers with reduced air travel fitness


If you are a regular flier, the Frequent Traveller's Medical Card (FREMEC) offers increased convenience. The card has been specially created for frequent fliers with reduced air travel fitness and has all the important information for your care. This replaces the Medical Information Form (MEDIF), which must be completed by passengers each time they fly.

Your personal service package is also based on the information held by FREMEC. Please quote your card number in our contact form with every booking request so that we may make all the necessary preparations for you.

FREMEC is accepted by all airlines who are members of IATA. The card can be applied for from Eurowings' customer service. The card's validity is determined by our doctors, based on your health records.
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Travelling with a pre-existing condition

Allergies

There are many causes for allergies and intolerances. These cannot be completely excluded, even on board an airplane.

On-board air filtration

Passengers who suffer from allergies to cat hair or house dust experience relief from the High Efficiency Particulate Air (HEPA) filtration used on board. The filtration system adds a maximum of 40–50% outside air to the air circulating the cabin. The minimum fresh air quantity and the pore diameter of the filters are prescribed by the approval regulations for the type of aircraft.

Important information for people allergic to nuts:

We generally offer nuts and products containing nuts, or which may contain traces of nuts, on board our flights.

Therefore, we cannot guarantee that our airplanes are free of nuts or nut products. It is also possible that other passengers bring products containing nuts on board, as well as other foods that may cause allergies.

In the event of a reaction or an allergic shock, our medically trained personnel on board the plane are ready to provide assistance.

Any medication or aids required in the event of an allergic reaction must be brought on board by you.1

Furthermore, if you suffer from a nut allergy, you may contact our crew on board at any time.

At your request, our crew will make an announcement to the cabin, drawing attention to the difficulties of your allergy and asking our passengers to refrain from eating products containing nuts. To help facilitate a relaxing flight for you, we will refrain from selling products containing nuts. Please note, however, that we are unable to forbid other passengers from eating nuts, and their consideration is purely voluntary.

Should you have any questions regarding allergies before your flight, please contact our customer service.

Pacemakers


If you are fitted with a pacemaker, you must present a medical certificate at the security gate. You can obtain such a certificate from your doctor. Before your journey, please also inform yourself about the possible risks associated with airline travel, such as the use of full body scanners at security gates.

Respiratory problems


Passengers suffering from respiratory illnesses are permitted to carry their own oxygen system on board. Please inform our customer service by email at least 72 hours before your flight to ensure provision. Your air travel fitness must also be verified before the flight.

Sleep apnoea & lung diseases (use of CPAP, PPOC or POXY)

 

Sleep therapy devices and oxygen concentrators

Passengers suffering from sleep apnoea who have to use a CPAP device, as well as passengers who require an oxygen concentrator (POC device), may carry these on board in addition to their regular hand baggage. However, please note that such sleep therapy devices must be battery operated. An onboard power supply cannot be guaranteed. We recommend bringing the device description and a certificate of authenticity for presentation at the security gate if requested.

Please register the device by email with our customer service, including the following information:

  • Brand and model

  • Weight

  • Dimensions (length x height x depth)

 

Moreover, you are required to complete our form for air passengers with special assistance requirements and send this to us at least 72 hours before departure. Carriage and entry to your flight is not permitted without previous registration and a certificate of air travel fitness.

In addition, attach a medical certificate stating that the interruption of the oxygen supply during take-off, landing and leaving the seat (critical flight phases) is harmless. This can be done informally on a header sheet with date, signature and stamp by the physician.

 

Oxygen cylinders

Personal gaseous oxygen cylinders for on-board oxygen supply can generally be carried with you onto the plane. The following conditions of carriage apply for them:

  • One oxygen cylinder per person.

  • The oxygen cylinder must not weigh more than 5 kg and must not have more than 200 bars of pressure.

  • The cylinder, valve and regulator must be protected against damage and external influences when put together and must not be able to release the contents of the cylinder unintentionally.

Please register your oxygen cylinder by emailing Customer Service and providing the technical details for it in your email. Please also attach a medical certificate indicating that you are fit for an interruption of your oxygen supply during take-off and landing and when you leave your seat. This certificate can be a simple letter written by a doctor on his or her letterhead with the date, his or her signature and his or her stamp.

Diabetes mellitus


The following section summarises important information for passengers affected by diabetes mellitus.

Before your journey

  • Consult your doctor on the amount and type of insulin injections before your journey.

  • Have a precise travel injection plan created. This allows you to know how much insulin you need to administer and when.

  • When flying westward, you extend the day by crossing time zones. For this reason, you should consult your doctor on additional meals and doses of insulin.

  • In contrast, when flying eastward, the day shortens. In this case, consult your doctor before flying about the possible need to reduce your insulin on the day of travel.

  • Take twice the necessary amount of medication and accessories with you (preferably in hand baggage and suitcase) to ensure you always have replacements in case of an emergency.

  • Eurowings does not provide cooling for medication. Please ensure sufficient cooling by bringing a cool box (hand baggage size restrictions apply).

After arrival

  • Please note that insulin needs to be stored at a refrigeration temperature of two to eight degrees centigrade. It may be transported for up to 24 hours without refrigeration, but never at temperatures exceeding 25 degrees centigrade.

  • After arriving in your country of destination, it may be advisable for you to take an additional blood sugar test and to perhaps eat another meal with carbohydrates to provide your body with the necessary nutrients.

  • If you experience diarrhoea and/or vomiting, you must visit a local doctor who will examine your fluid balance and, if necessary, adjust your insulin dose. For this reason, please take all the necessary documents for visiting a doctor abroad with you on your journey. More information on this can be obtained from your doctor or medical insurance company.

Transporting medical equipment


Medical equipment, such as dialysis machines or sleep therapy devices, are carried by us at no extra charge. Security precautions require that these also adhere to the weight and size restrictions on hand baggage. Should your medical equipment exceed these restrictions, we kindly ask you to pack them suitably for transport in the baggage hold.

Please register your medical equipment by email with our customer service, including the following information:

  • Brand and model

  • Weight

  • Dimensions (length x heigth x depth)

 

In the case of Eurowings flights flown by other airlines, separate registration with them is also required.
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Illnesses when flying

Acclimatising


When travelling to significantly warmer or colder regions, the body requires some time to adapt to the change in climate. A sudden temperature change, especially from cold to warm climes, puts major strain on your circulatory system. The following section includes a selection of helpful tips on acclimatising.

Before your journey

  • Regular saunas can help train the body for the expected temperature adjustment.

  • Contrast showers (hot and cold bouts) also strengthen the cardiovascular system.

  • Sunbeds do help prepare your skin for stronger sunlight but do not affect your biorhythm.

After arrival

  • If possible, wear clothing suitable for your destination climate when you step off the plane. For southern climes in particular, please remember to cover your head.

  • Travellers who are severely overweight or who suffer from heart or lung diseases should avoid physical exertion in the first days after arrival.

  • Depending on the expected air humidity of your country of destination, you should drink more liquids than usual to support your body in regulating its temperature. The drier the air, the more liquids you should drink.

Motion sickness/travel sickness


Changes in pressure, restricted visibility and the motion of the airplane can cause some people to suffer from travel sickness when flying. This can manifest itself in a feeling of nausea or dizziness. The following section offers a selection of tips on dealing with travel sickness.

When booking your flight

  • When booking your flight, select a seat in the central aisle over the wings. The motion of the plane is felt here the least.

  • If this isn't possible, book a window seat. If you are flying during the day, you can reduce the feeling of nausea by focusing a point on the horizon, thus providing your sense of balance with a point of reference.

Before your journey

  • Do not fly on an empty stomach. Despite the assumption that this helps against travel sickness, the opposite is true: It actually promotes it. Instead, a light meal of fruit, vegetables, salad, crackers, a muesli bar or toast before and during the flight is recommended.

  • Avoid coffee, black tea, alcohol, nicotine and spicy, rich foods.

  • Eat foods rich in vitamin B1, such as artichoke, fish, porridge, brown rice, asparagus and wheat. This contributes significantly to the transmission of nerve impulses and helps alleviate balance problems among people suffering from travel sickness.

  • Ginger is a gentle and natural remedy for nausea, so drink a cup of ginger tea before your flight.

  • In addition to such natural aids, you can also take over-the-counter medication such as travel chewing gum. This alleviates symptoms associated with travel sickness, such as tiredness and impaired concentration. Medication for suppressing nausea is also exists. However, the potential side effects of these means that they require a prescription.

Travel-associated thrombosis


The following section provides information on possible causes and signs of travel-associated thrombosis. Please use it to decide whether a heightened risk of thrombosis exists for you and what you can do to prevent such a complication during your flight.

Possible causes and symptoms of travel-associated thrombosis

  • Sitting without moving for a long time, such as during a long-distance flight, reduces the return flow of blood to the heart, which is usually promoted by active muscle movement. This can lead to fluid retention, particularly in the lower legs. In turn, the increased tissue pressure reduces the return flow of blood.

  • In rare cases, persons at risk can develop a blood clot on the wall of their vein. This is called thrombosis and it additionally hinders the return flow of blood significantly.

  • Should part of this blood clot break away, it may be carried to the lungs. A blood vessel blockage significantly impacts the heart's ability to pump blood. This is called a pulmonary embolism. In extreme cases, it can lead to heart failure. However, this is extremely rare.

Groups of people at a higher risk of developing travel-associated thrombosis

  • People over 60 years old

  • People who have previously suffered from thrombosis

  • People suffering from a malignant condition

  • People who have a significant clotting disorder

  • People who are obese

  • People who have recently had surgery

  • Women who take birth control pills and who also smoke

  • Expectant mothers

Preventative measures

  • Wearing compression stockings or tights when travelling can significantly reduce fluid retention in the legs. High-risk groups are advised to additionally have such stockings individually adjusted to their needs.

  • Try to move regularly during the flight. For example, follow the Flyrobic exercise routine offered by Eurowings. It can be accessed via the screens on long-distance flights.

  • Please ensure you also drink enough liquids during the flight to compensate for the dry air inside the cabin.

  • Limit your alcohol consumption and avoid sleeping pills or sedatives.

  • We urgently recommend people in high-risk groups to consult their doctor. In some cases, the preventative use of blood-thinning medication may be necessary to prevent blood clotting.
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