UAE: Travelling during pregnancy? Airline requirements, medical certificate explained

Local airlines have set their own guidelines and rules to ensure safety of expecting mothers during this crucial time

Emirates

Passengers who may be less than 29 weeks pregnant can book their flights as per usual with the airline, provided that they have not experienced any medical complications during the time of their pregnancy.

For those who may be travelling during their 29th week of pregnancy or after that need to bring a medical certificate or letter signed by a doctor or midwife to travel. This document is crucial as pregnant passengers may not be allowed to fly without it.

What should the letter contain?

Approximate date of birth
Confirmation of passenger's good health
Whether it is a single or multiple pregnancy
Doctor's agreement on no complications expected while giving birth
Doctor's agreement on no reason to be prevented from flying
The latest date the doctor declared the passenger as 'fit for travel'

In cases of multiple pregnancies, passengers are not allowed to travel after the 32nd week. In single pregnancies, it is not permitted for them to travel after the 36th week.

In case the passenger needs to travel for any emergency reason, she is required to fill out a MEDIF form that is available on the airline's website.

Etihad Airways

Similar to Emirates, pregnant passenger can travel up to 28 weeks of pregnancy without any certificate or letter. In the case of any medical complications, the passenger should consult their doctor beforehand and accordingly decide to travel. If the doctor advises that there could be an issue, then the passenger is required to fill out the MEDIF form available on the website.

For those having single pregnancies, travel is not allowed from the 37th week onwards. During 29 weeks to 36 weeks, pregnant travellers must provide a medical certificate.

For those with multiple pregnancies, travel is not permitted from the 33rd week. During the 29th week and 32nd week, passengers need to provide a medical certificate.

This certificate should be valid for three weeks from the date of issue and must include the following to be accepted:

Provide information on whether the pregnancy is single or multiple
Should be written clearly in English or Arabic
'Fit to travel' confirmation by medical professional
Expected date of delivery
Confirmed weeks of pregnancy
Must be stamped by the clinic or hospital or be issued on a letter headed paper

Flydubai

Similar to other airlines, Flydubai permits pregnant passengers to travel up to the end of the 28th week of pregnancy. Post this time, passengers must provide a medical certificate, which should be valid for three weeks from the date of issue.

Those having single pregnancies need to show a medical certificate between week 29-36. From the start of week 37, they are not allowed to travel anymore.

Women having multiple pregnancies are required to show medical certificates between week 29 and 32. From 33 weeks onwards, they are not allowed to travel.

The medical certificate must include:

Expected date of birth
Number of weeks of pregnancy
'Fit to travel' confirmation by the medical professional
Whether it is a single or multiple pregnancy
Normalcy of pregnancy
It must be signed and stamped by a medical professional

Air Arabia

All pregnant women travelling by Air Arabia up to their 35th week need to show a medical certificate before travelling.

This certificate should include:

The weeks of the pregnancy
Confirming if the passenger is fit to fly
Certificate must be valid for 14 days from the date of issuance
It must be signed by a doctor

Single pregnancy women cannot travel after they have reached the 36th week of pregnancy and multiple pregnancy passengers cannot travel after completing 32 weeks of pregnancy.

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