Fit to Fly Form

[poplarks]

Hi!
I'm going to be flying when 28 weeks pregnant and the airline says I need a fit to fly form signed by the GP or Midwife.
Both GP and Midwife say their professional bodies advise them not to write these letters so they're refusing to write them!!!!
Has anyone else had problems getting a letter and any suggestions how I could get one e.g. private midwife or something?
Thanks
PopLarks

i do know how to get one, but i wouldn't advise it!

haha, i flew with easyjet at 29 weeks without realising i needed a note.
got to check in- no go
it was a sunday. we phoned the delivery suite to see if someone/anyone would fax one. they refused.
we tried everything.
eventually called dp's boss (only person we know with a fax machine) and asked him to fake us a note and fax it to them.

they were very, very about it, but finally let me on the plane with literally, a mihnute or 2 before checkout was closing. the woman was on her walkie talkie going "shall I close it now?" while we wailed at them in the background, with 2 crying children at our feet

bloody nightmare. BUT it is doable. fake up a letterhead and just sign it.

obbviously i would not advise you to do this. eing totally dishonest and stuff. but y'know..

Can't you just make it up? I know that sounds awful, but it can't be that hard to copy the practice logo and forge it. I got one and the airline never even looked at it.

My GP was happy to give me one, but I was only going very short haul and had a problem free pregnancy. i'll probbly get flamed for saying forge it, but can't think of any other way.
Have you had any problems during pregnancy?

How strange of your Dr...If there's no medical reason why you shouldn't have one, I can't see why they'd refuse. I've just flown at 34 weeks with Easyjet, and my Dr wrote a letter without even seeing me!

If you did want to have a letter (by whatever means you choose) , my letter stated "I am the regular GP of this 35 year old pregnant lady. Her LMP was xxx (date of last period), with an expected date of delivery of xxx. There is no medical reason why she cannot fly at this time". Has the Dr's surgery address in the right hand corner. That's it. It did get checked by the airline at both ends though.

Are you going to get health insurance and have you had a normal, healthy pregnancy up until this point?

I work for an airline, and I would advise you to be really careful in this situation, its not only covering your arse, but theirs aswell. If something went wrong on the flight (God forbid) would your insurance still be valid? Unlikely...and the airline probably couldn't be held accountable for anything either if it was found out that you used fake documents, so please consider carefully and think what is important to you!

I agree. Better to be safe than sorry. Could you speak to your doctor again, as 28 weeks isn't particularly late to fly if you are otherwise fit and healthy?

I want to follow the rules but both midwife and GP say its against their professional bodies rules while the insist they want the letters from one or the other.

I'm fit and well but they say its a blanket ban on GPs and midwives signing these letters.
I was surprised as I couldn't find anyone else having the same problems but maybe the GPs and midwives in my area are reading the rules differently to the rest of the country! Crazy!

I got one but had to go round the houses a few times. My midwife wouldn't do it on grounds it was worthless unless signed by a Dr, GP would only do it 48 hours before we travelled. I then had to pay about £25 for it but figured that was fair enough since not a medical priority etc.

Have you spoken to the practise manager at your surgery about what their exact policy is? GPs have to write these letters for patients with a wide range of medical conditions not just pregnant women so they should have some kind of official line/charging policy - or perhaps they could suggest another GP within the practise who is less fussed!?

If all else fails I'm sure a private midwife/GP would do it for a fee....

Check your insurance though - if your GP has advised you not to fly (and refusing to provide the fit for flying letter could be seen as doing this) it may invalidate your insurance.

Eeek this is all good to know in advance.

Poplark, sorry to hear you have had problems. Is it just your GP who won't do it or is it the policy of the whole practice (ie could you see another GP at the same practice?)

I am taking 3 flights in july and aug (one holiday and 2 weddings). Anyone know if I will need a different letter for each trip? Do they have to be dated?

If I have to pay £25 for each one I might be tempted to join the forgers on this thread and just make one myself. Very naughty but it's a bit ridiculous.

I read this story online recently - nightmare! (sorry for posting a link from the evil Daily Mail)

[http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1080775/Down-earth-bump--easyJet-evicts-pregnant-w oman-having-doctors-note.html]

Sorry, did link wrong. Here it is again
www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1080775/Down-earth-bump--easyJet-evicts-pregnant-woman-having-docto rs-note.html

Have you already bought your tickets, and are you going long haul? If not to both, airlines do differ a lot on their policy on this when it comes to short haul. Lufthansa for example are fine with you flying up to 36 weeks without a note at all (which was a pain for me when I was telling work I didn't want to fly so late for work!). Insurance is another matter, you'll need to make sure you are covered for that.

The GP and midwife can't certify that you are fit to fly because that is up to the airline, so officially what they should do is write a letter saying that you are so many weeks pregnant and have no complications. It is then up to the airline and their medical officer to decide if you are fit to fly.

I would suggest that you ask your midwife for a letter with your due date and if you have had any complications without them commenting on whether you are fit to fly.

Do check the airline policy thoroughly as that is what varies the most. If the airline says you need a letter from your doctor or midwife saying that are happy for you to fly, written the week before your flight, then that's what you need, not a generic healthy pregnancy note.

I'm glad I read this thread. We are hoping to go on holiday (not booked yet) leaving at 27+3 and returning at 28+3. (Currently 23+2). Just looked at Thomas Cook and they note needed 'after 28 weeks' but Thomsons say 'from 28 weeks'. Expedia says ok upto and including 28 weeks, then on the next line say letter needed 28-36 weeks!!! Grrrrr!!!!!

Anyway, have left message for midwife and booked to see GP next week to find out if they will do me a letter. Insurance (annual) says if holiday company are happy then they will cover me overseas, but not for cancellation due to pregnancy related problems.

If they won't let me fly will either holiday in UK or maybe get tunnel or ferry to France. Anyone know how this is affected?

If you're not flying and your insurance is okay (and you have a EHIC card) then you're fine to travel by boat/train. We looked into the train to get to the south of France and it would've been very easy but it turns out we're coming back before I'm 28 weeks so have booked flights after all.

Just seen BMI Baby are OK without a note to 30 weeks, but will be £400 for 2 returns to menorca. Can get 3* packages elsewhere for £600. Will just have to be patient and wait til speak with doc/midwife next week. Now seriously irritated with work that couldn't have previous week off!!!!!!!!

I am not sure why your gp won't sign the letter. My gp provided me with such a letter yesterday. I am going to be flying when I am 31 weeks pregnant but it is long haul and with Virgin who allows you to fly up to week 36. I sent the letter to Virgin today who has already confirmed that I will be allowed to fly.

If you've got the opportunity to go private for the letter then I think this will be your best bet.

I asked my midwife this morning and she said our GPs charge for them but by the sounds of things give them.

I am due to be flying out when I am 26 weeks and back when I am 27 weeks which should be okay as Easyjet's cut off without a letter is 28 weeks but advised me to take my notes with me to prove that to them.

Know it's a bit late now, but been having the same problems here! I'm actually travelling by ferry, so it's not just airlines...

Condor Ferries won't allow you on after 28 weeks without a letter and you can't travel them at all after 34 weeks.

Am going to try some of the advice here as am currently in the situation that the letter provided by the GP (This patient is 28 weeks pregnant. - Cost £22!!!!) will not be accepted by the Ferry company and our insurance won't cover any lost costs as I've not been told I'm unfit to travel. Booked before I was pregnant. Great.

I've flown long haul at 32 weeks with both my first and second pregnancies and in both cases, my GPs wrote my letter (and didnt charge for ti). The most they were willing to write though was something along the lines of "I have examined TwoCupcakes today and confirm that she is fit and has no current health problems that I am aware of".
so not excatly certifying my fitness to fly but just a general certification - was good enough for the airlines though!

Sorry, should have been 'didn't charge for IT.

and, it should be exactly - my spelling is a mess today

agree, fake it! mine was printed on normal paper with the practice letterhead on it (ie not on proper letterhead)

want the wording?

Dear EasyJet

R.e travel to Malta on dates XXXX

I hereby confirm that passenger XXXX is healthy and fit to travel, her EDD is XXXX

She has had a complication free pregnancy with no complications.

Yours sincerely

Dr Lovely
scribble

the easyjet terms say:
Expectant mothers

Expectant mothers can be accepted for travel up to 27 weeks (inclusive) without a medical certificate. When travelling between 28 - 35 (inclusive) weeks a medical certificate issued by a doctor or midwife confirming the number of weeks of pregnancy and confirming that the passenger is fit to fly is required. Pregnant passengers cannot be accepted for travel on or after week 36, and therefore all return flights must be completed no later than week 35

WHERE DOES IT SAY LETTER HAS TO BE DONE IN THE 5 DAYS??? i refer to that article

This is really interesting - I will be flying home to Australia when I am 26 weeks pregnant. I had already checked that Singapore Airlines were ok with it (they will fly you up to 36 weeks for an uncomplicated single pregnancy) but I didn't think about any problem with getting a letter from my doctor! Hmm... I really hope this doesn't become an issue!

Also TwoCupcakes - any precautions you would suggest? Lots of walking, water and compression stockings, I'm thinking (very sexy!).

I've just gone through all this too. I was due to travel at 30 weeks to Turkey for 2 weeks. Both my doctor and midwife told me that it wasn't worth risking it at that stage and said they would not write me a letter. I have now had to cancel and am going through the claim forms!! Gutted. Good luck.