Fit to Fly

I had to get one at about 25 weeks. I was able to easily get mine by email from the midwife team. It’s harder to go through GP where I am.

They definitely asked for it on one of my connections, so I would get it just to be safe.

You shouldn’t need one. However it’s midwives who’d provide one for low risk pregnancies. High risk would be by a consultant

Hey hun I’m flying out next week and I’m going on 23 weeks but mind you the flights only short, the doctor said all travel before 8 months is allowed

I have a visible bump aswell but because I mainly wear oversized tee’s nobody can tell

Got it off my midwife super easy last time. I was asked at check in here in the uk and check in on the way home. I used BA and Qatar and both wanted to see it

I had to get one as I was 31 weeks when we flew. The GP sorted it out but I had to pay £30. Annoyingly, no one even checked it or asked for it at the airport x

I flew to Thailand with emirates at 21 weeks in January and returned at 23 weeks. Was never asked, midwife advised me to just take notes which I would have anyway no fit to fly needed . Most require after 28 weeks x

@Kiyana yeah that’s what I’m thinking as I have a connection too in Doha

@Sarah interesting! I have emailed the midwife hopefully she can just do then

@Shan thanks hun, that’s a good point I could just wear baggy clothes haha

@Becka so cheeky when they make you pay! I would want someone to check if that’s the case 🤣

@Clare I essentially have a ‘high risk’ pregnancy, so that makes me think I should 100% get it

@Jess thank you hun ! That’s good to know

@Tess thanks Tess! I guess as I am being extra cautious due the distance I’m going ( 14 hour flight in total )

@Naomi you’ll be okay! They might just ask what week you’re on and it will be ok once you say less than 28! I recommend taking compression socks with you and booking an aisle seat so you can go to the toilet whenever you want, and in general get up and walk at times 🩷

My midwife did mine for me, but you can go to either your doctor or midwife

@Naomi I would definitely get it anyway, regardless of what people are saying on here. I was under 28 weeks and they didn’t care without that proof (plus 3 other pregnant women on the same flight). And I’ve seen videos of women being refused at the check-in counter if they couldn’t provide it and they were also less than 28 weeks. You have no idea who the gate agent is or if they’ll be willing to accept just your word. And what a mess that would make if they kept you from flying over a piece of paper.

You’ll have your medical notes that show your due date so you shouldn’t need a fit to fly before 28 weeks. I used to work for them. There should be a policy on their website stating what is needed and a form if you wanted to be safe ask your midwife to fill it out so you have it. But we never refused anyone travel under 28 weeks without a certificate or form

@carly oooo okay so I could just bring my pregnancy notes instead - realistically I should bring them regardless right

@Kiyana Yeahh totally get what your coming from. That’s my nightmare situation & I couldn’t board *body shivers

@Sophie thank you hun - my midwife still hasn’t got back to me 🙄 so GP it is

@Tess thanks Tess, I forgot about compression socks etc - Going pay for an upgrade to treat myself pregnant so I have some space 😁

@Naomi yes you definitely need to take them on holiday. I would just get the form on the Etihad website completed by your midwife for peace of mind if you want to. But by law you don’t need anything under 28 weeks. I flew at 29 weeks (not with Etihad) and nobody asked for anything or even asked how many weeks I was.

@carly thanks Carly - Spoke to a nurse today & she said I need the GP but basically spent 30 minutes trying to put me off travel. Now I’m a bit worried she is going to write up the notes for the GP suggesting this. But you are right, legally I can up to 28 weeks. So I am going regardless lol

@Naomi I’m on holiday right now, flew out yesterday to Portugal & no one even noticed as I had my oversized shirt on, joke is I’m 23 weeks and have quite a big bump but not one person noticed, if I had a normal shirt on chances are people would of noticed. My doctor didn’t want to do a free fit to fly notice but instead wanted to charge £23 to do a fit to fly letter which was honestly the same thing so I just didn’t bother, even when I got here some lady at a bar only noticed I was pregnant once I had walked passed her again 30 minutes later in a swim suit, if you’re not in obvious clothing no one will know

& as you said it’s legal to fly up to 28 weeks anyway

@Shan that’s soo good !! You know what it’s more the length of the flight as I’m going to Sri Lanka and I have to catch 2 flights to get there lol so two potential hurdles 🤣 I will take you up on the baggy clothes though as everything is starting to get tightttt lol actually a really good idea

@Shan you look beautifulllllll 😍🔥🔥🔥

Just to round this thread up, I had a lot of hassle on the way back to the U.K. ( from Sri Lanka) Ethiad wanted me to see a doctor ( in Sri Lanka) and get a new note before I could board 🤯 Without reading any notes just as standard. They nearly didn’t let me back & had to really kick up fuss, even though Etihad states I do not need a fit to fly until 28 weeks like a few suggested. I did end up getting a Fit to Fly last minute ( the day I flew ) purely more for decoration & it was checked every stop 🙄 ( Mostly in Abu Dhabi on the way out ) Typical! Thanks for the all the advice x