Medical Clearance Required Prior to Travel

Some medical conditions may restrict your travel, or require clearance from a medical practitioner before you can fly.

If our medical clearance form has not been completed in advance, travel may be refused for guests with a relevant medical condition.

• Please refer to our Medical Clearance Guidelines (PDF, 231KB) to determine if you need to complete a medical clearance form prior to travelling with us.
• If you have experienced any of the ‘medical conditions considered unacceptable for travel’ listed in the Medical Clearance Guidelines, you may be unable to travel.
• If travel is intended while affected by ‘conditions requiring medical clearance to travel’ listed in the Medical Clearance Guidelines, clearance from a medical practitioner (registered doctor) must be obtained and the medical clearance form must be completed and presented at check-in and onboard the aircraft.
• This is not an exhaustive list of conditions. If a person has had recent surgery or suffers from an ailment not specified in the Medical CLearance Guidelines that may affect their health, they should consult a medical practitioner for travel advice and medical clearance.
• Passengers can make a direct request to the Airline to consider their medical condition on a case by case basis.
• If medical clearance is required, you MUST make your booking by calling our Guest Contact Centre (Internet discount fare will be honoured).

View a printable copy of our Medical Clearance Guidelines (PDF, 231KB)

Important Information Regarding Medical Clearance

• The Medical Clearance Guidelines (PDF, 231KB) must be used in conjunction with our medical clearance form.
• The code and category details of your condition are to be reflected on the medical clearance form.
• If you present physically ill (e.g. vomiting or requiring first aid oxygen) in the terminal area or while boarding the aircraft, you may be denied boarding and not permitted to travel until a medical clearance has been obtained.
• Our aircraft are not equipped with medical equipment and our cabin crew are not medically trained. We cannot guarantee that you will receive appropriate medical attention in any situation.
• Cabin crew are not able to assist with the administration of medication or toileting needs under any circumstances. If you cannot administer your own medication or take care of your own toileting needs, you must travel with a Carer who is able to provide this assistance.

Medical Clearance Forms

If you intend to travel while affected by a condition that requires a medical clearance to travel, as listed in the Medical Clearance Guidelines, clearance from a medical practitioner (registered doctor) must be obtained and our medical clearance form must be provided at check-in and onboard the aircraft.

The medical clearance form must be presented at check-in for review. Failure to carry a medical clearance form or a letter from a medical practitioner may mean you are denied boarding.

A copy of the completed medical clearance form is required for each flight, and will need to be provided to cabin crew upon boarding. Please make a photocopy prior to your arrival at the airport.

Medical Sharps and Medication

Current aviation security measures allow you to take a sharp item, such as a syringe, into a security screened sterile area as long as it is for personal medical purposes.

There is no need to notify us in advance if you are travelling with medical sharps – unless you suffer from a life threatening allergy.

However, please make sure that the following criteria are met to ensure there are no delays to your travel plans:

• If you have a medical condition, which requires the use of medical sharps and/or if you have diabetes, you must be able to administer your own medication. Those who are unable to self administer medication, must travel with a Carer.
• If you require any medication during flight or at the airport, please remember to pack it in your carry-on baggage.
• You cannot take empty syringes in your carry-on baggage unless you are also carrying medication for use onboard.
• In the event that you require a sharp item to be taken onto our aircraft for medical purposes (e.g. a syringe for diabetes) you will need to provide at least one of the following for inspection at check-in, security screening and onboard the aircraft:
  • Corresponding medication – medication containers should be affixed with a pharmaceutical label clearly identifying the medication and your name. Note: If you have an empty syringe, you MUST also have the corresponding medication for that syringe. You cannot travel with empty syringes and without medication in the cabin; or
  • Documentation – in the form of a letter from a qualified medical practitioner. Note: There are no minimum validity date requirements for this letter i.e. you do not need to obtain regular updates of the letter from your doctor as you can use the same letter regardless of the date of travel; or
  • A National Diabetes Services Scheme card – issued by Diabetes Australia, which confirms that you have been diagnosed with diabetes. For international travellers – an internationally recognised diabetes identification card or wrist tag is acceptable; or
  • Prescription – the prescription must contain the name of the patient, the name of the medication or supply, and contact information for the medical practitioner.

Note: Medical scissors are only permitted if they have blunt/round ends with a blade less than 6cm in length.

If your medication needs to be kept chilled, please seek advice from your pharmacist. You will need to provide a suitable container with the cooling agent (ice or dry ice) inside. Our staff cannot take care of medication or store it in aircraft cooled service carts. Our aircraft do not have refrigeration onboard.

Please refer to our Dangerous Goods Regulations for guidelines on the transportation of dry ice.

Guests with Anaphylaxis

It is of utmost importance to us that all of our guests, including those with allergies, have a safe and enjoyable journey.

A medical clearance form, a letter from a medical practitioner, or a management plan signed by a medical practitioner is required if a guest who suffers from an allergy does not have the appropriate medication.

Failure to carry either appropriate medication, a management plan signed by a medical practitioner, a letter from a medical practitioner, or a medical clearance form may result in denied boarding.

Food sold or served onboard the aircraft may contain traces of nut products and other allergens. We are unable to prevent other guests from carrying and consuming nut products and other allergens onboard.

Virgin Australia cannot guarantee an allergy-free environment onboard our aircraft.

If you have a life-threatening allergy you must carry appropriate medication with you, within easy reach and be able to administer it if required. Your medication should be accompanied by a doctor’s certificate to eliminate any difficulties in passing through security.

Under no circumstances will Virgin Australia accept any responsibility for any adverse reactions you may suffer while flying.

Note: Guests with severe allergy or anaphylaxis must make your booking through our Guest Contact Centre (Internet discount fare will be honoured).

Guests Requiring Oxygen In-flight

If you require oxygen in-flight, you must supply your own oxygen or concentrator from selected suppliers.

Prior to travel please be aware of the following:

• You must present a medical clearance form, validated by a qualified medical practitioner, indicating your fitness for travel in accordance with our Medical Clearance Guidelines (PDF, 231KB) (Please be aware that there is no minimum validity date required for a medical clearance form related to oxygen).
• Failure to carry a medical clearance form may result in denied boarding.
• Except for medical emergencies, our cabin crew cannot provide in-flight medical treatment.
• You (or your Carer) must know how to operate the oxygen bottle or oxygen concentrator and ensure that there is sufficient oxygen or battery life for the duration of the flight.
• Refer below to individual conditions of carriage for travel with supplementary oxygen bottle or portable oxygen concentrator, depending on your preferred method of oxygen onboard.

Supplementary Oxygen Bottle

We are unable to safely secure oxygen bottles in our Business and Premium Economy classes (on domestic and international short haul service) due to large seats. Guests requiring an oxygen bottle are therefore currently unable to purchase a Premium fare (guests travelling with oxygen concentrator are not affected).

Conditions of Carriage

The only acceptable supplementary oxygen bottles which can be used onboard Virgin Australia flights are:

• Any type A bottle
• Any type C bottle

These bottles cannot weigh more than 5kg, with a maximum capacity of 490 litres.

Oxygen bottles must be carried in a BOC Gases OxyCare or an Air Liquide Oxycare travel pack, which must contain a restraint strap to secure the bottle to the aircraft.

• Should you require personal in-flight oxygen, you can provide your own oxygen bottle provided that it has past an inspection test in the last five years. Proof of testing is shown by a stamp on the oxygen bottle neck, or with a test document accompanying the oxygen bottle.

In addition, for international guests;

• Some companies do not allow hired oxygen bottles to be taken out of the country. Some companies also do not allow their bottles to be re-filled by another company, or in another country. In the latter case, guests may need to supply enough oxygen for the return flight. Extra oxygen tanks for the return flight must be carried as checked baggage.

Portable Oxygen Concentrator 

Conditions of Carriage

Only four oxygen concentrators are accepted on Virgin Australia domestic and international short haul flights.These are:

• Inogen One
• Airsep Lifestyle
• Airsep Freestyle
• Ever Go

Important Information

• You must provide your own oxygen concentrator.
• Your oxygen concentrator should not be used at over 80% for day-to-day use or the device will not be sufficient for air travel and you will need to travel with a supplementary oxygen bottle.
• The concentrator must adhere to cabin baggage size and weight restrictions.
• The device must be battery-operated. Virgin Australia aircraft are not fitted with power ports.
• Only two additional lithium batteries (plus the one already stored in the oxygen concentrator) may be taken onboard.

Note: If you require supplementary oxygen or use a portable oxygen concentrator in-flight you must make your booking through our Guest Contact Centre (Internet discount fare will be honoured) as restrictions apply.

Note: Guests requiring oxygen concentrators must comply with our Medical Clearance Guidelines (PDF, 231KB).

Virgin Australia international long haul flights have more restrictive guidelines; please contact the Guest Contact Centre for more information.

Travelling with Medical Equipment

Our aircraft are not equipped with medical equipment, and our cabin crew and ground crew are not medically trained. Therefore, we cannot guarantee that you will receive appropriate medical attention in any situation.

• You may use your own nebuliser onboard the aircraft if it is battery powered.
• Strict safety regulations govern the operation of electronic devices onboard any of our aircraft. Heart pacemakers and hearing aids are permitted.
• Due to safety requirements and aircraft configurations, we are unable to carry or transport humidicribs or stretchers.
• We are also unable to accommodate devices requiring external electrical power.
• Devices requiring an internal electrical power source must meet the applicable standards for carriage of dangerous goods.
• Medical equipment must be approved for carriage prior to travel via the Guest Contact Centre.

If you are travelling with medical equipment, please contact our Guest Contact Centre to make your booking.