Health

Our ill passengers are accepted to Southwind Airline flights only by submitting a report from the airport doctor or the doctor who carries out the treatment with the statement ""There is no objection to travelling by plane (Fit to Fly)." In the case of any need for care in the flight, passengers with a doctor's report stating that they can travel with a companion can fly with their companions. Companionship service for ill passengers is not provided by cabin attendants.

Due to international flight rules, unfortunately, we cannot accept our passengers with certain diseases to our flights.

We can accept our ill passengers who do not have any contagious disease and who are not medically prevented from travelling on our flights, upon the condition that they submit a doctor's report with the statement "there is no objection to travelling by plane" and prepared at most 10 days before the flight.

— Passengers with reasonable suspicion about their ability to complete the flight safely, passengers with infectious diseases who are believed to cause a direct threat to the health and safety of other passengers on the flight, and passengers in the infectious stage of the disease are not admitted to the flight under any circumstances.

Recently operated passengers, passengers with stitches in his/her body, passengers with suspected infectious diseases, passengers with half casts are required to submit a doctor's report in order to accepted in the flight. The date of the doctor's report must not be more than 10 days before the flight day. In the report issued in English or Turkish, the name, surname, diploma number, signature and stamp of the doctor who issued the report must be included in the report. In addition, "There is no objection to travelling by plane (Fit to Fly)" must be written in the report.

No medical report is required from passengers with visual or hearing disabilities, they can travel unaccompanied. However, both visually and hearing disabled passengers cannot travel unaccompanied.

Guide dogs are accepted into the cabin free of charge upon a reservation. Guide dogs accompanying passengers are allowed in the cabin without a cage. The dog must be clean, must be muzzled and must sit at the feet of its owner. The guide animal accepted to the flight is required to have a valid health certificate, identity document, immunization card or the documents required by the rules of the country of destination must be whole and complete.

Passengers who have special needs or whose mobility is temporarily limited are accepted to flights alone or with a companion, depending on their health status. No medical report is required from disabled passengers, however, passengers with disabilities who cannot meet their needs on their own and who cannot evacuate from the plane on their own when necessary are not allowed to travel without a companion.

In order to use wheelchair service, you must make a reservation and receive confirmation 48 hours before the flight time. Requests received less than 48 hours before the flight can be provided within the limits of the possibilities, but there may be difficulties in providing the service according to the conditions of the airport.

Passengers with stretchers are not accepted on Southwind Airlines flights.

When making a reservation, passengers travelling with the following conditions are required to complete a MEDIF (Medical Information Form):

  • Passengers whose medical conditions require oxygen, medical companionship or medical treatment during the flight.
  • Passengers who need to use medical equipment or tools during the flight.
  • Passengers who have a questionable suitability for flight, whether due to a recent illness, disease, treatment or surgery.
  • Passengers who are not generally accepted for travel or who suffer from serious or unusual illness or injury.

Oxygen bottles are regarded as dangerous goods and hence they are only accepted to transport for medical purposes. We, as Southwind Airlines, can provide a limited amount of extra oxygen in the plane only in the case of emergencies. Passengers who need oxygen for medical purposes during the flight are not accepted on the plane. Empty oxygen bottles will be accepted as checked baggage with open valves. Passengers who want to carry a portable oxygen concentrator during the flight must meet Southwind Airline device transportation regulations and passengers must fill out a MEDIF (Medical Information Form) when making a reservation. Please send the filled forms to crm@southwindairlines.com at least 48 hours before the flight so that we can check and process the request.

Medical devices that will be used during the flight require advance written approval from Southwind Airline. Passengers are required to have a certificate approved by the relevant aviation authority stating that the device is appropriate for use on plane and in cabin pressure, or required to have the user manual of the device or bottle. Oxygen bottles are not accepted for use in flight except in accordance with the Dangerous Goods Regulation. In order to receive written approval from the airline for devices that do not pose an obstacle to flight safety and security, you must provide the following information to us:

  • Device name, brand and model
  • Information about how the device is used/operated
  • If the device is working with battery or accumulator, battery & accumulator type information
  • The use of your device is only accepted when it is in the flying position

Passengers using wheelchairs and using any other equipment and medical devices are required to meet Southwind Airline device transportation rules and passengers are required to fill out a MEDIF (Medical Information Form) when making a reservation. Please send the completed forms to crm@southwindairlines.com at least 48 hours before the flight for us to check and process the request.

In order to transport your assistive equipment on the plane, its measurements should not exceed 20 cm x 28 cm x 35 cm.

  • Medical Ventilation Device (Air Purification Device).
  • POC (Portable Oxygen Contentrator).
  • Oxygen Bottle have a 5kg maximum weight.
  • Battery powered portable medical devices and the equivalents (AED, Automated External Defibrillator; Nebiluizer; Sleep Apnoe Device CPAP).

In order to meet the safety rules, the following devices are not accepted on our flights:

  • Wheelchair powered by liquid accumulator (WCHBW) due to the fact that it contains a liquid battery.
  • Systems operating with liquid oxygen such as liquid oxygen bottle.

Regulation (EU) No 965/2012 concerning Air Operations; Regulation (AT) No 1107/2006 concerning the rights of persons with disabilities and persons with limited mobility to travel by air.

https://www.easa.europa.eu/en/faq/19172

Article 10 of Regulation (AT) No 1107/2006 establishes the rights of persons with disabilities and limited mobility to travel by air. Furthermore, the Regulation stipulates that air operators are required to provide assistance, including for the carriage of medical equipment subject to dangerous goods regulations. Article 4(3) of this Regulation requires, an air operator or agency, to disclose safety requirements and information on restrictions to the public. Annex II of the Regulation prescribes that the relevant legislation on dangerous goods could be used to restrict the carriage of mobility equipment. Please find more information on Regulation No 1107/2006 in the Commission's interpretative guidance dated 11.06.2012, published on the Commission's website and accessible here:

https://transport.ec.europa.eu/index_en

Regulation (EU) No 965/2012 dated 5 October 2012 concerning Air Operations (Air OPS Regulation) refers to Annex 18 of the Chicago Convention and the Technical Instructions Concerning the Safe Transportation of Dangerous Goods by Air concerning their transportation on airplane. Oxygen/air bottles or cylinders are considered to be dangerous goods and fall within the scope of Annex 18 of the Chicago Convention for safety reasons; therefore, the provisions under Chapter 8 of the ICAO Technical Instructions are applicable to passengers who want to carry such items on airplane. Oxygen/air bottles with a maximum gross weight not more than 5 kg and never containing liquid oxygen, for medical use, are permitted to be carried in checked and hand baggage or on the passenger with the approval of the manager. In addition, the airline must provide information in writing to the pilot in charge about their number and their location on a plane. The valves and regulators of oxygen bottles must be protected from damage which may cause by accidental release of the contents. Similar sized spare oxygen cylinders are also permitted depending on the ICAO Technical Instructions in order to ensure an adequate supply of oxygen for the duration of the journey. The Operator's Manual, approved by the National Authority, will contain procedures for the use of oxygen bottles.

Nevertheless, due to safety reasons, national authorities can decide to forbid all oxygen bottles, regardless of size, from being transported by passengers on plane. In cases where national authorities allow oxygen bottles of less than 5 kg to be taken on plane, for safety reasons (oxygen is highly combustible and it cannot be guaranteed that the bottles/valves are properly maintained), it is still left to the airline's judgement to accept them.

Passengers are advised to request further information from the airline at the time of reservation in case of special needs.

MEDIF Form

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