Accessible travel

Medical approval

Some medical conditions may be aggravated by high altitude. For these, we’ve set up guidelines to make your trip more comfortable.

In addition to the other requirements outlined on this page, you may need to obtain medical approval under certain circumstances.

Flights to and from the U.S.

You’ll need to provide a medical certificate before travelling if:

• You have an infectious or contagious disease, (e.g. COVID-19, tuberculosis, or chickenpox) that could pose a direct threat to the health or safety of others
• There is medical reasonable doubt that you can complete the flight safely without requiring extraordinary assistance during the flight.

Alternatively, we recommend that you ask your doctor to complete Section 4 of the Fitness-for-Travel form.

All other flights

You’ll need to submit the Fitness-for-Travel form completed by your doctor before travelling if any of the following applies:

• You have an infectious or contagious disease, (e.g. COVID-19, tuberculosis, or chickenpox) that could pose a direct threat to the health or safety of others.
• There is medical reasonable doubt that you can complete the flight safely without requiring extraordinary assistance during the flight.
• You have severe anemia, (e.g. hemoglobin level below 90 g/L).
• You’ve recently suffered a major fracture, or a cast was placed on a part of your body within 48 hours of your scheduled flight.
• You have a cognitive impairment, (e.g. Down syndrome, Alzheimer's disease).
• You've had a seizure within 4 weeks of your scheduled flight.
• You have chronic obstructive lung disease, (e.g. emphysema) or a chronic heart condition.
• You're travelling with an infant less than one week old, a premature infant, or an infant less than 12 months old who has a significant medical condition or has recently undergone medical treatment.
• You’ve recently suffered from a major medical incident, (e.g. stroke, respiratory failure).
• You've had an incident on board a previous flight or at the airport and may require medical attention.
• You've undergone surgery within 2 weeks of your scheduled flight.
• You’ve had thrombophlebitis (e.g. blood clots in your veins) within 2 weeks of your scheduled flight.

Refusal of transportation

We will always make every effort to accommodate your special needs. In the rare event that you are refused transportation, we will advise you of the reason for the refusal and provide you with written notice no later than 10 days after the day of the refusal. Where possible, we will work with you on alternate transportation.

Retention of documents

To better help you with future service requests, we will offer to keep an electronic copy of all personal health information or documentation provided for at least three years.

In the case of conditions that can evolve or deteriorate over time, we may need to ask for new or updated documentation to ensure safe travel.

We’re committed to protecting your personal information and your right to privacy. All personal information will be handled in accordance with our Privacy Policy.

Curbside assistance

Airports in Canada offer curbside assistance at accessible drop off and pickup locations. This includes assistance into the airport or to your pickup location. For more information on this service and how to book it, please refer to the accessibility section on your airport’s website directly.