Abu Dhabi: When travelling 10,000 feet (3,048 metres) in the air, the human physiology tends to change due to the reduced level of oxygen concentration.
This is why passengers must declare their health concerns and take proper precautions before air travel, a practice that is, however, still uncommon in the UAE, a top aviation medicine specialist has said.
“Not informing airlines about your medical condition can put you at risk,” Dr Nadia Bastaki, vice-president for medical services at Etihad Airways, told Gulf News. “People often mistakenly believe that declaring their concerns would prevent them from flying, whereas we ask for this information to make the journey comfortable and have all necessary equipment at hand in case of an emergency,”
Dr Nadia is the first Emirati woman to be registered as an aviation specialist in Abu Dhabi. She believes she plays an important role in not only ensuring the health of pilots, stewardesses and air crew at Etihad, one of the UAE’s two national airlines, but also in educating passengers about how to make their flights easier.
“What people need to know and understand is that oxygen levels fall by about five per cent at such high altitudes, which can cause a problem for cardiac patients who require additional oxygen for breathing. In addition, air pressure is also different and this causes pain in the ear, especially among small children,” Dr Nadia explained.
However, very few people are actually prevented from flying as a result of their health issues. For one, small measures can be taken to ease discomfort.
“We advise mothers to suckle their children, as the sucking movement in the jaws relieves the built-up pressure and can help the ears pop,” Dr Nadia said.
There is also a form that passengers can fill 48 hours before flying, known as the medical information form for fitness to travel or special assistance (MEDIF).
“When people fill out the MEDIF, we simply ensure that they have the required medical clearance for air travel and that the airline has any medical equipment that could be needed. In fact, 99.5 per cent of those who submit the form can eventually fly,” Dr Nadia said.
“It is only in severe cases that we would not allow someone to travel, and that is because we don’t have an intensive care unit on board for critical patients and we want to make sure that a passenger’s health does not deteriorate in any way during the flight,” she added.
Air crew, including stewardesses, are also trained in basic first aid, and can undertake more complicated procedures in case of medical emergencies. This is facilitated by physicians at a global medical response centre, who guide crew on any procedures required.
In recent years, the airline has also seen three to four deliveries on board, despite its policy that allows only women in the first 28 weeks of pregnancy to travel without medical clearance.
“All the deliveries occurred safely, but we would like to stress that we prevent expectant mothers from flying beyond a certain point because an airplane does not offer the ideal conditions to give birth in. There is limited privacy and if the airline is travelling over water, it is often difficult to divert it to the closest airport for medical assistance,” Dr Nadia explained.
