Medical Clearance

If you have been ill or injured and are travelling or returning home for treatment or rehabilitation you should check with Qantas or your travel agent as medical clearance may be required.

It is advisable at all times to consult with your medical practitioner about your condition. Qantas does require that passengers with certain medical conditions or incapacities to obtain a clearance to fly from Qantas at the time of their booking.

If medical clearance is required your medical practitioner will need to complete a Travel Clearance form. Once completed it must be returned to Qantas for assessment and clearance.

Travel Clearance Form

If you require Medical Clearance, print the Travel Clearance Form* and fax the completed form to Qantas Medical on +61 (2) 9691 0666 for assessment up to 5 days before travel.

If you are unable to travel by yourself, you may be entitled to discounted travel for yourself and your carer. For more information refer to Travelling with an Escort or Carer.

Medical Equipment

Clearance is normally required when use of any medical equipment is required inflight. Not all battery or electrically powered equipment can be used onboard so check with Qantas first.

Strict safety rules govern the operation of electronic equipment onboard aircraft. Hearing aids and heart pacemakers are allowed. Ask Qantas or your travel agent for details if you require other devices.

Medical equipment to be used onboard must be made available for inspection a few hours before departure and approved for use onboard. Normal carry on baggage regulations apply to any medical support equipment to be used in flight.

If you require a humidicrib to be used inflight, you will be carried or uplifted if you:

• Inform Qantas Special Handling at your local Qantas office of any piece of medical equipment that you require Qantas to provide for your travel a minimum of 5 days internationally and 3 days domestically before your intended travel.
• Supply all medical equipment that you require to travel safely (including, but not limited to, medical equipment and/or medication that is vital for your safe carriage, for example respiratory devices).
• Supply medical equipment that is compliant with Qantas aircraft, for example, equipment with compatible voltage.

You must contact Qantas Special Handling at your local Qantas office for medical clearance and for approval of any equipment that you provide. If any of the above requirements (including stipulated time frames) have not been complied with by you, Qantas reserves the right to deny you uplift or carriage on the relevant flight until all Qantas policy requirements have been met. For example, by mistake you bring electrical equipment with the incorrect voltage.

Qantas will not accept liability or responsibility for any costs associated with the denial of carriage for example hotel or hospital costs. However, you and any accompanying passengers, will be able to use any unused portions of your ticket on a future date, subject to availability and only once all applicable policy requirements have been met.

Medications

If you are taking medications, make sure that you have enough for your trip, and carry all medications in your carry on baggage. Before taking any medications overseas you should:

• contact the embassy of the country you are visiting to ensure the medication is legal in that country;
• carry or enclose with the medication a letter from your doctor, detailing what the medication is, how much you will be taking with you, and stating that the medication is for your personal use; and
• leave the medication in its original packaging so it is clearly labelled identifying the medication, manufacturers name or pharmaceutical label, along with your name and dosage.

You should note that it is illegal to take Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS) subsidised medication out of Australia for reasons other than for personal use. Illegally taking PBS medication out of the country may result in heavy penalties. For more information visit the Medicare Australia website.

A visitor to Australia, generally, may bring up to 3 months supply of their prescribed medication without the need for an import approval or permit. However, some medications are subject to permits or import licence approval. The Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) issues import approvals to Australia for drugs which require a permit or import licence or for medication exceeding 3 months supply.

If your medication requires refrigeration you can carry onboard a small cooler. The cabin crew can replenish the cooler with ice as required. Unfortunately we are unable to refrigerate insulin and other drugs onboard.

Peanut Allergies

Whilst all reasonable steps are taken by Qantas and its caterers to reduce the exposure to peanuts inflight and on the ground Qantas cannot guarantee an allergy free environment onboard or in our lounges. For this reason, we recommend that passengers carry any medication they may need with them in the cabin of the aircraft and be ready to administer the medication if necessary. See the Inflight Assistance page for more information about the Qantas Peanut Policy.

Hypodermic Needles

Passengers carrying hypodermic needles will need to declare them at the screening point. Under Australian law (and in accordance with international practices) hypodermic needles are classified as prohibited items within an aircraft cabin unless you can demonstrate a bona fide need to have them in your possession. You are therefore required to carry documentation and identification to confirm that the needles are required for a medical condition.

Qantas allows you to carry needles on board to cover the period from initial uplift and any oncarriage until you are reunited with your checked baggage. Qantas does not object to the carriage of a small additional supply of needles within the cabin as a contingency for any unforeseen events. However, needle supplies in excess of your inflight travel requirements should be carried within your checked baggage where there is no restriction on the number of hypodermic needles you may carry.

Note: Not all airport screening points are managed by Qantas and screening authorities may have policies that differ from this policy. Qantas cannot accept any responsibility whatsoever in circumstances where screening authorities confiscate needle supplies in excess of what they consider appropriate for travel. It is recommended that when your travel includes overseas locations you contact the relevant authorities to confirm any carriage restrictions.

Visit the Diabetes Australia - NSW website for more information about travelling with Diabetes.

Oxygen

Qantas can supply oxygen cylinders ^{^}onboard if the use of oxygen is required. Oxygen must be requested in advance and charges may apply. Passengers travelling domestically within Australia may provide their own oxygen, however conditions apply.

Contagious and Communicable Diseases

Passengers who have a contagious or transmittable disease cannot be accepted for air travel until the risk to other passengers has ceased.

Deep Vein Thrombosis (DVT)

Acceptance for travel does not require medical clearance when a customer advises Qantas they have a history of DVT that has been appropriately medically managed. Refer to your health inflight for more information.

Pregnancy

Medical clearance is only required if you are having complications of pregnancy. International travel is not permitted after the 36th week for routine pregnancies or the 32nd week for routine multiple pregnancies. Some countries place limitations on the entry of non-national pregnant women. It is best to check with the local consulate if in any doubt.

For domestic travel there is no restriction for a normal uncomplicated pregnancy but medical clearance is required if you wish to travel past the 36th week for uncomplicated multiple pregnancy.

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