The Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) has issued guidelines on air travel for people with medical conditions; please see the link provided.

Cardiovascular disease

• unstable angina, uncontrolled hypertension, uncontrolled cardiac arrhythmia, decompensated heart failure, severe symptomatic valvular disease: should not fly
• uncomplicated myocardial infarction: may fly after 7-10 days
• complicated myocardial infarction: after 4-6 weeks
• coronary artery bypass graft: after 10-14 days
• percutaneous coronary intervention: after 3 days
• stroke: patients are advised to wait 10 days following an event, although if stable may be carried within 3 days of the event

Respiratory disease

• pneumonia: should be 'clinically improved with no residual infection'
• pneumothorax: absolute contraindication, the CAA suggest patients may travel 2 weeks after successful drainage if there is no residual air. The British Thoracic Society used to recommend not travelling by air for a period of 6 weeks but this has now been changed to 1 week post check x-ray

Pregnancy

• most airlines do not allow travel after 36 weeks for a single pregnancy and after 32 weeks for a multiple pregnancy
• most airlines require a certificate after 28 weeks confirming that the pregnancy is progressing normally

Surgery

• travel should be avoided for 10 days following abdominal surgery
• laparoscopic surgery: after 24 hours
• colonoscopy: after 24 hours
• following the application of a plaster cast, the majority of airlines restrict flying for 24 hours on flights of less than 2 hours or 48 hours for longer flights
  • This is due to the fact that air may be trapped beneath the cast

Haematological disorders