Mothers-to-be whose pregnancy has proceeded without complications can travel on SWISS flights up to the end of the 36th week of pregnancy, i.e. up until four weeks before their scheduled delivery date. If you are expecting a multiple birth and the pregnancy proceeds without complications, you can travel on Swiss flights up to the end of the 32th week of pregnancy.

While it is not required, we recommend expectant mothers beyond the 28th week of their pregnancies to carry a current letter from a physician stating that the pregnancy is uncomplicated and confirming the expected date of delivery. The physician should state that the patient’s pregnancy does not prevent her from travelling by air.

Pregnant women also run a higher risk of developing a deep-vein thrombosis throughout their pregnancy. In view of this, if you are flying while pregnant, we advise you to wear compression stockings, and to drink enough. Best of all, discuss your air travel plans with your gynecologist in advance, to minimize any additional risk.

If you are not sure about flying in your particular situation, please contact SWISS Medical services directly.

We offer free special meals on all our intercontinental flights. You can already order your food selection during your booking on swiss.com (Step 4, Options). To find the right diet for you, please have a look at the wide range of special meals and their ingredients.

SWISS Special Menus

If you are diabetic mind the following for your flight and trip.

1. Medication
Discuss the type and number of insulin injections you will need to take with you with your doctor. Our advice is to take twice the amount of medication and materials with you, in both your carry-on baggage and your suitcase. This ensures that you have enough to hand in any case.

Ask your doctor to draw up a travel injection timetable for your flight and trip.

2. Travelling into other time zones
Travelling west: You are experiencing an extra-long day. Discuss with your doctor if you should eat an additional meal and take an additional dose of insulin. 

Travelling east: Your day is shortened. It’s advisable to reduce your insulin dosage accordingly. Discuss the matter with your doctor.

3. Syringes on board
You might need to inject insulin during the flight and bring syringes on board. In this case you should have a current prescription for the insulin for the security check.

Long, immobile sitting can cause the formation of a blood clot (thrombus) in veins which are thus partly or completely blocked. It mostly affects the lower half of the body e.g. in the veins of the legs and is known as deep venous thrombosis (DVT).

To prevent a thrombosis, make sure you drink enough during the flight, move as often as possible and bend & stretch your legs frequently.

If you have additional risk factors (e.g. history of thrombosis or pulmonary embolism, hereditary coagulation disorder, cardiac insufficiency or chronic vein insufficiency) you should seek medical advice before travelling. In particular, you should discuss whether compression stockings would be appropriate and whether anti-coagulant medication is necessary.

For your own wellbeing and the health of persons in your surroundings, protect yourself from any contagious diseases. Consult medical advice on necessary and mandatory vaccinations or other recommended pre-cautions at least 4-6 weeks preliminary to your travel.

SWISS Medical Services  can provide you with medical advice, information on diseases in tropical regions and the most important vaccinations.

You must be extra careful if you are troubling with a current illness or if you had a surgery recently. Travel can be stressful, therefore it‘s wise to postpone your flight travel if you don't feel up to it.

Please check the cases in which flying is restricted. Moreover we absolutely recommend to consult your doctor for any medical advice on a planned flight and to clarify your physical well-being for a travel.

Divers
It is restricted to fly when you dove within 24 hours before departure. Further a doctor should be consulted if you faced problems while resurfacing.

Physical conditions and communicable diseases

Swiss may refuse transport, require a medical certificate or impose conditions, restrictions or requirements if a passenger with a communicable disease or infection poses a direct threat to the health and safety of other passengers.

Swiss may make an individual assessment that a medical certificate is necessary to alleviate concerns of health risks to other passengers.

Swiss may also make an individual assessment that the least restrictive option for the passenger who has been assessed to pose such a threat to the health of others to wear a mask to protect other passengers from risk of being exposed to the communicable disease or infection.

• If the passenger is travelling on a stretcher.
• If the passenger needs medical oxygen during the flight (Portable Oxygen Concentrators (POCs).
• If the passenger has a medical condition that creates reasonable doubt that she/he can complete the flight safely without requiring extraordinary medical assistance during the flight.
• If the passenger has a communicable disease or infection that poses a direct threat to the health and safety of other passengers.

While it is not required by U.S. law, having a valid medical certificate or equivalent documentation can be helpful in other circumstances to assist passengers through security checkpoints and also for their own safety. We therefore recommend that travellers take along a medical certificate or equivalent documentation in the following cases:

• If the passenger is travelling with a cardiac pacemaker or implanted metal parts (artificial joints, metal fixtures for fractures).
• If the passenger has a chronic disease such as diabetes that requires frequent medication (i.e. a certificate stating the diagnosis and required medication).
• If the passenger is travelling to a country that requires certain vaccinations (i.e. inoculation and vaccination records).
• If the passenger is travelling with a syringe used for medical purposes.