Are you medically fit to fly?

I’ve never been asked that question in all my years I’m 75.

I know they are supposed to ask questions if you may not be very able and are in the "evacuation" seats...

The only time I've any experience of this was when my mother was ill on holiday, and we had to go back to the clinic which treated her, on the morning we were due to fly, to get a certificate to say she was fit to fly. She was 89 at the time.

That’s very interesting. Recently on 2 flights I was on, each plane was delayed for 2 hours on the tarmac as elderly passengers had been taken ill and their luggage had to be offloaded from the plane. So maybe the airlines are trying to avoid this from happening, though I don’t think anyone is going to say that they aren’t are they?

Me neither

I hazard a guess it was due to where you were due to be seated.

It is normal practice (and a necessity safety wise) that those passengers sitting over the wing where there are normally safety exits, front and rear doors and/or any emergency exits have to be over a certain age and fit enough to open the emergency exit in an emergency.

Our last flight (Ryan Air (never again)) had seated a family with a toddler and baby by the exit, it was only when the chief steward walked past and noticed the palaver of getting them seated elsewhere started. They (rightly in my opinion) refused to move unless they were seated together which took time and consequently we missed the take-off slot.

The fault was with Ryan Air who should have a working algorithm in its booking system with regards to cabin plan.

Never been asked and I am 71 and went to USA last September.

I'm flying later this year and I'm 86. It's only a short flight though. And I've booked airport assistance.

My reply was to Tanith

I’ve never been asked (75). Maybe it depends on whether you look very frail or doddery - or both…..

The only time I have been asked was when I was pregnant, just a short flight from the Uk to Portugal. That was in 1971!

I wish they would ask the same question of people leaving other countries to come here. I am thinking about the Health Tourists who travel here to get their treatment and care free on the NHS.

I watched a programme about this and there was an Egyptian man who knew he was very ill who flew here and went straight to a London hospital as an emergency. There was also a Nigerian woman expecting quads who cost us £250,000++ as they were all delivered here and in hospital for weeks. Her husband was actually very wealthy but despite chasing him he has never paid up yet. Then there was a Portuguese lady with heart problems and she also travelled knowing she was ill, got here, seen as an emergency and had free heart surgery.
It’s a disgrace!

I've never been asked, even when I was 5 months pregnant, in 1970, flying from Nairobi to Heathrow. Not very comfortable!

I had pre booked my seat and checked in online (not an exit seat). I don't have mobility issues. I don't think I look old or doddery, size 10, dressed in skinny jeans and timberland boots.
If its an age thing then it is ageist.
The woman in the seat directly behind me was obviously unwell with what seemed like a chest infection. She had a thick mucus sounding cough with regular coughing fits. Im just hoping I didn't catch whatever she had!

We usually book seats with extra legroom, usually over the wing so we are regularly asked if we are fit enough to operate the doors should we need to, but not on check in which is really when we should be asked.

But If the USA are asking the question on check in then I suppose all countries will follow.

Primrose You are rehashing very old stories. The Nigerian woman having quads - hat event happened 7 years ago and the reason it hit the headlines was because it was exceptional.

Portugal is a member of the EU, which we were, so she would have been covered by reciprocal arrangements.

Exceptional cases are unsatisfactory example. If Nigerian women were having quads at our expense every month - that would be different.

M0nica

Primrose You are rehashing very old stories. The Nigerian woman having quads - hat event happened 7 years ago and the reason it hit the headlines was because it was exceptional.

Portugal is a member of the EU, which we were, so she would have been covered by reciprocal arrangements.

Exceptional cases are unsatisfactory example. If Nigerian women were having quads at our expense every month - that would be different.

It’s still costing us millions!

The reciprocal agreements don’t cover things like major heart surgery. The woman and her sister openly admitted they came here for that reason because she could not get it done in Portugal. Why should we pick up the tab?

After what happened to us last September I would urge anyone with any conditions to get a Fitness to fly certificate from your Dr, and it has to be your Dr
Virgin Atlantic cancelled my daughter’s flight to Hawaii with 4 days notice. This was despite the fact that she had flown to the US with them 6 times, and, flew to Scotland every month for 2 years. She has always had her condition.

There reason being that if the pressure dropped too much in the cabin she would be in danger.
This was despite the fact that she holds a PADI certificate for
diving.
This was with Virgin. Be aware.

Yes, I am and also my wife. We are planning to visit Egypt soon.

When we went to Antarctica last year the tour company asked me to get the GP to fill in a form and confirm that I was fit enough to do the trip. I hadn’t been to the surgery in 3 years and no one phoned to ask how I was but they charged me £30 for the signature.

Once. On Singapore Airlines flight, I booked seats with wider legroom near the emergency exit. When we boarded the flight at Manchester Airport, there was no problem.

The flight touched down somewhere in Germany, we disembarked and when we try to board again, we were told we must move seats because of our age. Apparently, we were not strong enough to open the exit door in the case of emergency.

We were given a row of three seats for the two of us, so we were quite happy to move seats.

In my own opinion - Yes! In the airlines opinion - No!

We Chunnel on over and drive to the slopes, my knees permit skiing but not decent seats over wing with leg room. Silly really.

I have no intention of ever flying again because of the way you get treated at airports. I have no intention of allowing myself to be yelled at by some minimum wage security oik.

biglouis

I have no intention of ever flying again because of the way you get treated at airports. I have no intention of allowing myself to be yelled at by some minimum wage security oik.

What on earth has his wage got to do with any of it? Judgemental? just a tat!!!