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TRAVEL PREPARATIONS FOR PASSENGERS WITH specific medical conditions 

This section provides travel guidelines for passengers with specific medical conditions.

Most passengers with existing medical conditions are able to fly without difficulty. However, some cases require precautions or/and medical clearance.

 

Am I fit to travel? When do I need medical clearance?

We take great care to ensure that matters such as providing special assistance to our customers are properly managed. Should your health condition require special attention at boarding, deplaning, or during flight, you must indicate this at the time you book your flight. If you need special attention or to use medical equipment on board our flight, or if your fitness to travel is in doubt, for your safety, we may seek medical clearance from the airline doctor.

In this case, a Medical Certificate of Fitness for Air Travel (MEDIF) ) must be filled in by your attending physician and signed by the airline doctor.

Passengers who are required to fill in a MEDIF form will not be able to purchase their tickets online. Please contact our 24/7 Reservation team at [email protected] for your booking.

For more information please consult our medical clearance guidelines

Please inform us of your travel plans as early as possible and at least 72 hours before departure, so t here will be sufficient time to process your medical clearance.

 

Medical information
Can I carry medication, needles, syringes or medical equipment on board?
  • Needles and Syringes
    It is recommended that you carry a prescription from a registered physician to carry needles and/or syringes on board. Please do not dispose of used syringes or needles in the seat pockets or without the protective caps.
  • Medication
    If you have a medical condition, please consult your physician on your fitness to travel. Some conditions may require you to get a medical clearance before you fly with us. Medication for your trip should be kept in your carry-on luggage and not checked in.  You may be required to provide your doctor’s letter at the airport outlining your condition and medication(s).

  • Personal medical equipment
    For your safety, special approval is required for the transportation of electrical and electronic medical equipment to be used on board. This is to ensure that the equipment does not interfere with the aircraft navigation and communication systems. If your medical equipment causes interference, our cabin crew may ask that you turn it off.

The following self-powered medical devices may be carried on board: incubators, respirators, nebulizers, ventilators, heart pacemakers, certain FAA-approved POC devices and CPAP machines. Check the list of medical equipment that are accepted on our flights.. Please note we do not provide inflight power supply on our flights – we recommend that you have a battery supply.

If you need to carry medical equipment on board, please note that special conditions apply. A request must be submitted to Air Mauritius at least 72 hours before departure.

Medical certificate

  • CPAP machines and POC devices
    Approved FAA Portable oxygen concentrator (POC) devices and continuous positive air pressure (CPAP) models can be carried and used onboard our flights. When in use, all POCs must be stowed in the space beneath the seat in front of you.  Additional restrictions may apply if these devices are powered by lithium batteries.  Please note bulkhead seats and emergency seats will not be available to you.
  • Oxygen Concentrators
    To ensure the safety of our passengers and smooth travel, an advance notification is required for the use of oxygen on board, use of a personal portable oxygen concentrator, ventilator or respirator, and carriage of an incubator, at the time of reservation.

 

In terms of seating arrangement, we ensure that our passengers are entitled to the most appropriate seating according to their needs, including the stowage of on-board medical devices or equipment.  Appropriate seating is assigned to:

  • Passengers needing extra oxygen on board
  • Passengers travelling on a stretcher
  • Completely immobile passengers
  • A passenger with a fused or immobilized leg
  • Provide adjacent seating as applicable for: a personal care attendant, a safety attendant, a reader/interpreter in case of a vision or hearing impairment.

Only an Air Mauritius approved Oxygen kit is allowed for use on board any Air Mauritius aircraft.  A request must be made to our Reservations office at least 72 hours before departure. The rate of flow as prescribed by the company doctor must be specified in such a request. 

Please do keep in mind that medications and associated supply items such as syringes, pills, injectables and infusers must be screened prior to embarkation. It is recommended to carry a doctor’s prescription.

 

In case of the need for a Life Support Equipment

The following Life Support Equipment (Incubators, Respirators, Nebulizers and Ventilators) may be carried on board provided that:

  • Dry or gel cell batteries are used for their operations
  • A doctor’s prescription has been issued to justify their usage 
  • The equipment fits underneath a seat or can be strapped into an adjoining seat. In the latter case, the seat needs to be purchased as an extra seat for comfort.
  • The Life Support Equipment and its power supply is correctly protected, packed where necessary and secured properly. 
  • No medical equipment shall be installed in the exit area.

 

Extra oxygen on board

An additional oxygen kit can be provided on board, subject to specific regulations. To make the necessary arrangements, please contact our 24/7 Reservation team at [email protected] as early as possible and at least 72 hours before  departure. Please note that a medical certificate from a physician will be required to indicate your fitness to travel without any additional medical assistance during the flight. 

 

Stretcher Cases

All stretcher cases have to be accompanied by trained medical staff competent to provide the attention required and this is available only upon prior request at least 72 hours before departure . Passenger needs to fill in the MEDIF form for medical clearance by the company doctor.

Air Mauritius recommends that you arrive at the airport at least 2 hours before your flight departure for optimal assistance.

 

Medical equipment stored on board

Air Mauritius may store personal medical equipment upon a passenger's request. This is entirely at our discretion.discharge sheet needs to be filled in by the passenger.

Medical items such as biological or conditioning samples are prohibited.

Medical items must satisfy Dangerous Goods Regulations (DGR) for cabin carriage.

 

Travel Companion

You may have to travel with a companion for your safety. The travel companion’s role will be to assist you in the case of an emergency, particularly in the case of aircraft evacuation. However, in some cases, you might not require a travel companion, if you are able to do all the following on your own:

  • Open your safety belt
  • Get and put on your life-jacket
  • Put on your oxygen mask without help
  • Understand and apply safety instructions
  • Eat and drink by yourself
  • Take or administer medication
  • Help yourself in the restroom
Note to travel companions:

It is mandatory that the passenger travels with a companion if:

  • the passenger has a severe mental disability that prevents him or her from understanding and applying safety instructions.
  • the passenger is both blind and deaf, thereby preventing the possibility of communication with the crew.
  • the passenger has a motor-based disability that physically prevents him or her from participating in an evacuation. A travel companion is mandatory for most paraplegics and quadriplegics, in case the passenger needs help on board and is not self-reliant.

A travel companion must meet the following requirements:

  • he or she must be an able-bodied person
  • he or she must be over the age of 18
  • he or she must be familiar with the passenger’s reduced mobility condition & requirements
  • he or she must not be taking care of a disabled or reduced-mobility passenger while also taking care of a child under the age of 12 or another disabled or reduced-mobility passenger.

 

How can medical passengers receive a discount for travel?

Please submit the documents below:

  • A letter from the Ministry of Health, or
  • A letter from the attending physician in Mauritius certifying the need for an overseas treatment + A confirmation letter from the medical institution where the passenger will be admitted
  • The patient + one escort will receive 20% discount on applicable fares. If the patient is an infant (less than 2 years old), only the escort (or one of them if several escorts) will receive the discount.

 

Key Information

Baggage Allowance

Beyond the baggage allowance associated with your airline ticket, you can bring along the following at no extra cost:

  • 2 personal mobility devices (collapsible / folding wheelchairs, a pair of crutches and walking frames)
  • An additional baggage item for your medical equipment, weighing no more than 23 kg
  • On board (economy class travel), a single hand baggage item is allowed (maximum weight: 7 kg; maximum dimensions: 55 x 35 x 25 cm).
  • At check-in, your luggage will be affixed with a specific label to facilitate its identification. 
Additional rates

Please call our reservations staff for more information.

 

At the airport

Passenger must check-in at the check-in counter where all relevant documents will be screened. Please arrive at least two hours before the scheduled departure time of your flight so we can provide you with the best possible service. Our staff will assist you, give you your boarding pass, and necessary arrangements can be made for you to get through immigration, and the boarding gate.


Priority Boarding

At Air Mauritius, you're welcome to board the aircraft ahead of other customers. We will make a pre-boarding announcement at the departure gate and, if needed, will help you get to the aircraft and to your seat. If you are traveling in a wheelchair or have requested individual assistance, we offer you priority boarding whenever possible, thus enabling you to board and seat comfortably before the remaining passengers. The cabin crew will greet you personally and provide you with all the necessary information to ensure you have a safe and pleasant flight. In case a passenger requiring oxygen in-flight is accepted, we can arrange pre-boarding facilities and assist with seating.


Travel Tips
  • Mention your needs at the time of reservation.
  • Be specific and clear when describing a medical condition.
  • Be specific and clear when describing the trip to your doctor. A doctor can often prescribe measures for coping with an unusually long flight, limited medical facilities at your destination, the unavailability of prescription drugs and other pitfalls of travelling.
  • Always carry a doctor’s note and phone number.
  • Travel with a statement from your doctor, preferably on letterhead, covering your condition, medications, potential complications, special needs and other pertinent information. Be sure you have a number where your doctor (or another medical professional) can be reached in an emergency situation at any hour of the day.