Medical Clearance
Airline travel has some unique features which must be considered by passengers with medical conditions to ensure a safe and comfortable flight.
If you are injured or ill and needing to travel, medical clearance may be required. It’s essential that we are advised of your condition prior to travel which allows us to assist in your health, safety, and wellbeing. There are various medical conditions that require clearance with those details outlined in our Travel Medical Clearance Form. Please ensure that the form is filled in and signed off by a registered doctor.
The form must be provided to our team at your earliest convenience prior to your day of travel. A decision will then be made to see if you are eligible to travel.
During Pregnancy
After the 28th week of pregnancy every passenger should carry a letter from their doctor or midwife dated less than 10 days before travel that states:
- Estimated date of birth
- Single or multiple pregnancy
- Absence of complications
- Fitness to fly for the duration
Any pregnancy with a medical complication will require a medical certificate. Pregnant Passengers are not permitted to fly after:
- 36 weeks for a single pregnancy
- 32 weeks for multiple pregnancies
International passengers should be advised that some countries may have restrictions on pregnant travellers and it is the passenger’s responsibility to check if it's ok to travel.
Post Pregnancy
Infants less than 48 hours old are not permitted to fly. Within 3-5 days of a normal delivery, a passenger requires medical clearance.
Deep Vein Thrombosis (DVT)
If you have symptoms within 4 days of travel then it’s advised you do not travel. For those with symptoms 5-21 days from travel ensure your doctor fills out the Medical Clearance Form and has provided the recommended treatment. If you have had DVT in the past you are not required to have medical clearance as long as Solomon Airlines is made aware prior to travel that you have been appropriately medically managed.
Scuba Diving & Decompression Sickness
If you have been scuba diving within 24 hours then you are not permitted to fly. You do not require a medical clearance after 24 hours unless you have suffered recently from decompression sickness also known as ‘the bends’. Clearance to fly will only be given after seeing a specialist in hyperbaric medicine.
Communicable Disease & Infection
Even if you present with sufficient medical proof from health authorities advising clearance to travel, Solomon Airlines can make an individual assessment and deny boarding. Our team has the right to refuse any individual if we believe you pose a significant risk to the health and safety of customers and crew.
Oxygen
The commercial aircraft cabin is pressurised to a level that is equivalent to being up to 8,000 ft altitude reducing the amount of oxygen available to breathe. Healthy people have no problems at these altitudes but passengers with anemia or heart and lung conditions may be at risk and supplemental oxygen may be required or travel delayed until their condition has improved. Severe or complex cases may need to have altitude simulation studies to ensure their safety during the flight.
Advanced Medical Care
The aircraft cabin is a closed environment where access to advanced medical care may not be possible for many hours depending on the flight path. Solomon Airlines flight attendants are trained in first aid and our aircraft carry doctor’s medical kits and heart defibrillators, but complex medical assessment and treatment is not possible on board. If a passenger is at risk of an illness or complication in flight, they should consider delaying their flight or flying with a medical escort.
BE AWARE WE ONLY CARRY DEFIBRILLATORS ON OUR A320 AIRCRAFT.
Detailed guidance for both passengers and their doctors is provided below. In developing these guidelines Solomon Airlines has considered the IATA Medical Manual and consulted with specialists in the relevant fields.
This includes:
- Cardiovascular and related conditions including blood conditions
- Respiratory conditions
- Neurological conditions
- Gastro-intestinal conditions
- Ear, nose, and throat conditions
- Eye conditions
- Pregnancy and newborn conditions
- Orthopaedics
- Other Conditions and Physiological states
- Contagious and Infectious Diseases