Flying while pregnant

[MummysLittleSunbeams]

Can somebody please clarify which is the last week you can fly in pregnancy without a doctors note? I've read so many contradicting opinions but I believe it's 28 weeks.

Thanks!

Hi, I believe you are right, but on the other hand, if someone had quite a big bump at say, 26 weeks, how would they prove they weren't past 28 weeks?

FWIW, I flew 4 or 5 times when I was pregnant, at 24 without a doctor's note and at 32 weeks with one.

I varies between airlines. You need to enquire with the specific airline, best before you book. Some budget airlines won't take you after 24 weeks full stop, doctors note or not.

There's no standard answer and I have researched this in detail as I was going to fly at 35 weeks.

Oh, and the fact that all airlines handle it differently is probably why you get contradicting opinions [hgrin].

Also depends on the staff on the day and how big a bump you have.

I flew Australia to UK and back between 27-29 weeks with DC1. No-one asked about how many weeks I was apart from one domestic flight of 50mins within the UK.

Recently flew at 29 weeks with DC4, 40min flight and no-one asked anything.

Airlines are all different, you need to check the fine print. If in doubt, carry a doctors note anyway. There are stories about people who've been refused because they looked too far in, even though they weren't.

If going overseas, triple check your insurance. Airline let me fly for several weeks after my travel insurance would cover me. We found another travel insurance co that specifically allowed those couple of extra weeks, and took out extra cover over what we normally travel with.

As the others say all airlines are different. I am flying long haul at 18 and then 21 weeks. I have to be able to produce a letter from a Doctor with my due date on.

BA for example allows you to fly up to 36 weeks with a doctors/midwife note, 32 if you're with twins (if I'm not mistaken), but easyjet on the other hand only let's you fly up to 28.

I've recently heard that Qatar & Etihad allow pregnant women to fly until 36weeks with a dr's letter if the pregnancy has been fine. Obviously check with the airline as everyone has said.

I recently flew EasyJet. At the time I was 15/16 weeks. They said I was fine up to 27 weeks, but I took my pregnancy notes along. I'd recommend a Drs note for any further and - as suggested by others - check with the individual airline.

Thank you ladies, you've been most helpful.