MEDIF forms and airline medical clearance
When a doctor’s letter is not enough and the airline’s own medical department has to approve your travel — and how long that takes.
The short answer. A MEDIF is a Medical Information Form reviewed by the airline’s own medical department. It is required where a condition needs formal clearance rather than just a letter — in-flight oxygen, stretcher travel, complicated pregnancy, recent serious illness, or major assistance. It takes days, not hours.
Letter or MEDIF?
Most people never encounter a MEDIF. For an uncomplicated pregnancy, a recovered infection or a stable long-term condition, a GP letter is all any airline wants.
A MEDIF is for the smaller group of situations where the airline needs to make an operational decision: can we safely carry this passenger, and do we need to do anything differently? That is a question for their medical department, not your GP, because it depends on the aircraft, the route and what the crew can provide.
When each applies
| Situation | Usually needs |
|---|---|
| Uncomplicated pregnancy past week 28 | GP or midwife letter |
| Recovered from chickenpox or measles | GP letter (where the airline asks) |
| Stable long-term condition | Nothing |
| Broken bone, past the cast waiting period | Nothing, or a letter |
| Complicated pregnancy | MEDIF |
| In-flight oxygen required | MEDIF |
| Stretcher or medical escort | MEDIF |
| Recent heart attack, stroke or major surgery | MEDIF |
| Condition needing treatment during the flight | MEDIF |
How the process works
- Tell the airline early — at booking if you can. Their special assistance or medical team issues the form
- You complete part one: your details, the booking, what assistance you need
- Your doctor completes part two: diagnosis, stability, medication, mobility, oxygen requirements, and whether you can manage the flight. Your GP or specialist can do this; some charge a fee
- The airline’s medical department reviews it and either clears you, clears you with conditions, or declines
- Carry the clearance with you — ground staff will not necessarily have it to hand
Timing, which is the part that goes wrong
Airlines set windows and they are narrower than people expect. Qatar Airways requires a MEDIF for a complicated pregnancy no less than 48 hours and no more than 7 days before departure — a five-day window that has to accommodate getting a GP appointment, having the form completed and the airline reviewing it.
Start the moment you know you need one. If you leave it until the week of travel you may simply run out of time, and an unreviewed MEDIF is not clearance.
What the doctor needs to know
Give whoever completes the form the practical details: the flight duration, whether it is direct, the destination’s altitude and medical facilities, and what assistance you have arranged. A form completed with the actual journey in mind is far more useful than a generic one.
Common questions
What is a MEDIF form?
A Medical Information Form — a standardised form completed by you and your doctor and reviewed by the airline’s own medical department, used where a passenger needs formal clearance rather than just a letter.
When do I need one instead of a GP letter?
Typically for in-flight oxygen, stretcher travel, a complicated pregnancy, a recent serious cardiac or neurological event, travel soon after major surgery, or where you need significant assistance beyond a wheelchair.
How long does MEDIF clearance take?
Days rather than hours. Qatar Airways, for example, requires it no less than 48 hours and no more than 7 days before departure. Start as soon as you book.
Who fills it in?
It usually has two parts: passenger details completed by you, and a clinical section completed by your doctor. Some airlines charge for the assessment.
Can the airline refuse after reviewing it?
Yes. The airline’s medical department makes the final operational decision, and it can decline or attach conditions such as travelling with an escort or using oxygen.
Do I need a new one for each flight?
Usually for each booking, though some airlines issue a frequent traveller medical card for stable long-term conditions, which avoids repeating the process.
Related
Sources. The airline and clinical facts on this page were checked against these primary sources on 24 August 2026. Airline policies change without notice — always confirm with your airline before you book or travel.
Need a doctor to complete your MEDIF?
A GMC-registered UK GP can complete the clinical section of your airline’s medical information form. Send us the form and your travel details.
Get startedReviewed by a GMC-registered GP. Full refund if a certificate cannot be issued on clinical grounds.