Medical conditions and pregnancy

If you are expecting and feeling well, traveling should pose no problem. Still, for the sake of your health and that of your baby, you will not be able to travel with us during advanced pregnancy.

Provided there are no complications in your pregnancy, you can travel with us until the end of the 36th week of pregnancy (if you are expecting one baby), or until the end of the 32nd week (if you are expecting twins, triplets, etc).

If you are between 28 and 36 weeks pregnant, please notify us of your condition at the time of booking your ticket.

When traveling between the 28th and 36th week of pregnancy, you will be required to present a valid medical certificate of your pregnancy status and estimated date of delivery. The certificate may not be issued before the 28th week of pregnancy. You will be asked to present this certificate at check-in and you should keep it with you for the event a crew member asks to see it on board.

Although it is not prohibited, we do not recommend you should travel during the first seven days after delivery. We also do not recommend traveling by air for healthy newborn babies during the first seven days after birth.

We advise you to pack your medication in your hand luggage, preferebly in its original packaging, together with a prescription or letter from your doctor confirming which medication (including the generic drug name) you are using, for which medical conditions and what is the prescribed dosage. This is to avoid issues with customs and to assure you the correct medical treatment especially if any other medical items are required (such as syringes). You are advised to familiarize yourself with which medication you can and cannot bring into the country you are travelling to.

If you have a pre-existing medical condition, we strongly recommend you to visit your doctor prior to your journey to ensure that your condition is well controlled. Make sure that your health insurance is adequate and that it covers international travel.

If your medication needs to be kept cool, please talk to your pharmacist about possible options as we are unable to store medication in aircraft refrigerators.

If you need oxygen therapy during the flight, you can take a portable oxygen concentrator (POC) with you onboard. Please let us know ahead of time, no later than 48 hours prior to departure. We require medical clearance through MEDIF together with additional documentation to allow the POC on board.

Special meals are on offer for flights between Belgrade and New York. You can order your special meal when booking on airserbia.com, via Air Serbia Contact Center or through Air Serbia Sales Office. To find the best choice for you, please have a look at the wide range of special meals and their ingredients. If you have a food allergy or need to follow a special diet due to medical reasons, we can provide a special meal containing no allergens, such as seafood, dairy and gluten. You can also check the label on the packaging or ask your cabin crew for more information about ingredients.

If you are taking on board with you any food items we would suggest to choose a non-perishable food. We are unable to heat or refrigerate any food items you might bring with you. Before packing any food please check local laws of your transit and/or final destination about food types permitted into the country.

Unfortunatelly we cannot guarantee to transport our passengers in a totally peanut-free cabin environment. Note that some products servedl onboard may contain nuts or ingredients that are based on peanuts. Always bear in mind that other passengers may bring onboard with them their own food items. We are doing our best to apply IATA recommendations in order to make your flight as comfortable as possible.

If you suffer from a serious allergy we strongly recommend discussing with your doctor before you book about potential risks and how you can minimise them during your trip.

Passengers who are at risk of anaphylaxis must pack in their bagagge an auto-injector device (e.g. EpiPen) or syringe and ensure that they or an escort are ready to and capable of administering it and bring to the flight a medical certificate or doctor's letter which should not be older than 3 months from the date of travel confirming that they require the auto-injector device. The medical certificate or doctor's letter must be produced to the airline.

We recommend to advice your cabin crew as well as passengers seated next to you about your allergy so they can assist you in case of an emergency. Your medication must be easily accessible to persons supposed to help you. We suggest to placing it in the seat pocket in front of you. If you are travelling with your family members, escorts or friends they are expected to help you first. When travelling alone, a medi-alert bracelet should help us to assist you in the best and quickest way possible.

Please check if you need any travel vaccinations for your destination before you travel. For more information about the country you are travelling to and medical information please visit IATA Travel Centre

Passengers suffering from diabetes do not require medical clearance when flying with Air Serbia. However, as a diabetic you may require a special Diabetic meal during your flight. Please note that this special meal, as well as other special meals, are available free of charge only on JU operating flights between Belgrade and New York. Generally, all special meals are available for fee on JU flights over 80 minutes. Please let us know about your requirements regarding Diabetic meal at least 48 hours before departure or at the time of your booking.For more information please visit link.

If you are carrying any medication or syringes in your hand luggage you should have a medical letter with you. In this way you will avoid any potential problem and incovenience at the security checks. In case you should contact a local doctor and/or undergo any kind of treatment in a foreign country, your medical documentation may be helpful to adjust your insulin dosage and presribe a therapy.

Passengers using insulin during the flight are advised to pack it appropriately in their hand luggage. Insulin should be kept refrigerated, however it does not require refrigeration during flight but should never be exposed to temperatures which may cause the insulin to freeze and become denatured. Insulin should be carried in hand luggage in a cool bag or precooled vacuum container. We advise you to travel with twice the amount of medication and materials you need. This will allow you to administer your therapy correctly.

Travelling into different time zones may shorten or lengthen the regular 24 hour day which may require an adjustment to insulin treatments. When travelling west, days are longer. Your doctor should advice you about having an extra meal and dose of insulin. On the other hand, when travelling east, days are shorter and your dose of insulin should be adjusted accordingly. Medical cleareance (MEDIF) is required for unstable conditions or if you have recently been admitted to hospital. Passengers suffering from diabetes, which is under reasonable control, can fly anywhere safely if they plan adequately in advance and discuss the proposed journey with their doctor.

If a passenger prefers a seat near a toilet for privacy during insulin injection, we will do our best to accommodate such a request if notified in advance.

Prolonged periods of immobility on long flights can slow down blood flow in the leg veins. This can lead to increase the risk of blood clots to form inside the veins, known as Traveller's Thrombosis.

Traveller's Thrombosis manifests as pain and/or swelling in the legs during travel or even several days or weeks afterwards. It mostly affects the lower half of the body or rather the veins of the legs and is known as deep venous thrombosis (DVT). Sometimes it can be very serious and a life-threatening situation if a clot breaks off and travels to the lungs causing what is called a pulmonary embolism.

To prevent a thrombosis, keep yourself hydrated by drinking water while minimizing alcohol, sugary and caffeinated beverages. Move as often as possible, stretch and periodically exercise your feet and ankles while seated.

Consult your doctor if you have underlying illness such as recent surgery, cancer, blood clotting disorder, cardiac insufficiency or deep vein thrombosis (DVT). Wearing compression stockings or taking a preventive anticoagulant medication may be necessary.

A communicable disease is an infectious disease transmissible by direct contact with an affected individual or the individual's discharges or by indirect means. A person with a disability, who has a communicable disease or infection, will be accepted for transportation unless the individual's condition poses a direct threat to the health or safety of others.

A direct threat means a significant risk to the health or safety of others that cannot be eliminated by a modification of policies, practices, or procedures, or by the provision of auxiliary aids or services.

However, a person with a contagious disease may be accepted for transportation if he/she presents a medical certificate stating that the disease or infection will not be transmitted during the normal course of the flight. The medical certificate must include any conditions or precautions that would have to be observed to prevent the disease or infection from being transmitted. If it is not possible to ensure that the guidelines outlined in the medical certificate can be met, the passenger may not be accepted for transportation. If such action occurs, the passenger may postpone his travel up to 90 days at the same fare or be given a refund for any unused flights.
We will always make an individual assessment, based on reasonable judgment that relies on current medical knowledge or on the best available objective evidence.

The full Fitness to Fly Guidelines will help you to understand the minimum time you must allow before you can travel and also whether you need to tell us about your condition.

Passengers suffering from asthma do require medical clearance to fly. They are just advised to take their medication with them in the hand luggage.

If oxygen is required, medical clearance is required through MEDIF together with doctor's statement allowing the passenger to fly.

For safety reasons, passengers with full-length casts above the knees are required to travel on a stretcher. Otherwise, we can ask you to purchase an extra seat or seats or alternatively to fly business class if you need extra legroom.

Since air might be trapped under the cast, it is advisable for casts applied within 24-48 hours to be bivalve to avoid harmful swelling, particularly on long flights. These passengers are required to provide a medical certificate.

Passengers not capable of adopting a sitting position during take-off and landing, can only travel on a stretcher. Stretcher passengers must be accompanied by at least one medical attendent who shall care for the passenger's personal needs throughout the flight.

Non-medical escorts are allowed to accompany passengers on a stretcher unless there is a need for a qualified nurse or doctor. This must be stated in your medical certificate.

Stretcher passengers are accepted on board only for travel in Economy Class for which nine seat positions are provided.

When travelling on a stretcher the MEDIF is required. This service must be requested at least 72 hours prior to departure.

Before you start your journey, you should contact your doctor about the security procedure and about any other possible risks. Passengers having a pacemaker must present a medical certificate (in English) to this effect at at the security check.

Diving, particularly deep diving with scuba devices, has become a very popular sport today. Thus, the relationship between flying and diving must be appreciated as it exposes the individual to higher pressures. The effects of altitude change and the consequent decompression are greater if one flies shortly after engaging in diving activities. Passengers who have been diving should wait for at least 24 hours before flying.

In preparation for a diving vacation, it is recommended to leave the last day dive-free.