Air China Transportation Regulations on Injured, Sick and Post-operative Passengers

(Version September 2023)

 

I. Air transportation may have the following adverse effects on the lives and health of the injured, sick or postoperative passengers:

1. Low cabin air pressure may cause organs to swell, leading to suffocation caused by organ compression, obstruction or functional impairment;

2. Cabin hypoxia may cause vasospasms and vascular compensations, leading to thrombus detachment, embolism, ischemic infarction, edema, and bleeding;

3. Changes in cabin environment and occasional air turbulences may lead to postoperative complications or cause organs to bleed .

Therefore, injured or postoperative passengers should meet certain conditions before accepted and carried. We strongly recommend that you consult your doctor before traveling to confirm if you are fit for air travel.

II. We do not provide air transportation services in the following situations:

Those who are in a state of drowsiness or irregular respiratory rhythm after brain surgery.

 

 

III. We do not provide air transportation services for injured passengers who suffer from the following diseases, except with our consent and special arrangements made to save lives:

1. Patients with heart diseases in a serious or critical state (such as severe heart failure, cyanosis symptoms, or having experienced myocardial infarction within 6 weeks prior to travel);

2. Patients with otitis media accompanied by eustachian tube obstruction;

3. Patients who have recently suffered from spontaneous pneumothorax or have undergone pneumothorax plastic surgery;

4. Patients with large mediastinal tumors, large hernias, and intestinal obstruction;

5. Patients with increased intracranial pressure due to head injury or patients with skull fractures;

6. Patients with mandibular fractures who have recently used metal wire connections;

7. Patients who have suffered from poliomyelitis within the past 30 days or patients with bulbar shaped poliomyelitis;

8. Patients with severe symptoms of coughing up blood, vomiting blood, or vomiting;

9. Patients who have recently suffered severe trauma or undergone major surgical procedures, but the wound has not yet fully healed.

IV. In the following situations, a diagnostic certificate or postoperative certificate that meets the requirements of this document shall be presented to us:

1. In the following situations, a diagnostic certificate shall be presented to us, and only after we grant our consent and make corresponding arrangements can the passenger be carried:

A. Medical care or use of medical equipment is required to ensure the passenger is fit for the travel for the duration of the flight (e.g. a stretcher or POC is needed throughout the entire journey).

B. The passenger is unable to use the standard seat of the aircraft for whatever reason (e.g. his/her knees or hip joints are so stiff that they cannot be bent), or the seat back of the aircraft cannot be maintained in an upright position during takeoffs or landings and satisfactory alternatives cannot be found, and thus stretcher services are needed for the passenger.

C. The passenger is known or suspected to have other serious infectious diseases other than quarantine infectious diseases, which may endanger the safety and health of other passengers or crew members.

2. In the following situations, the passenger can be carried if a diagnostic certificate is presented to us:

A. The post-operative patient is still in a serious state of anemia (HGB ≤ 60g/L).

B. Complications such as unstable intraocular pressure occurring after eye surgery.

C. The maxillofacial surgery has not reached the actual healing period (e.g. the suture for rhinoplasty surgery still not removed or after mastectomy).

D. Poor functional recovery after abdominal organ surgery.

E. Percutaneous balloon dilation of vertebral kyphosis (surgical method) is used to treat osteoporosis, involving a flight of 3 hours or more.

F. Less than 21 days after the following types of surgery:

a. Brain and brain related surgery (such as meningeal surgery).

b. Lung and lung related surgery (such as fungal lung infections).

c. Heart and heart related surgery.

G. Less than 15 days after the following types of surgery:

Plastic surgery or other medical cosmetic procedures (excluding eye surgery), such as breast augmentation, nose augmentation, liposuction, etc.

H. Less than 14 days after the following types of surgery:

a. Eye laser correction surgery and glaucoma surgery. Intraocular pressure stability certificates issued by a specialized hospital or a comprehensive hospital ophthalmology department required. The requirements and validity for an intraocular pressure stability certificate are the same as those for the diagnostic certificates.

b. Neurosurgery and neurorelated surgery involving the position of the trunk.

c. Lymph node and lymph node related surgery.

I. Less than 10 days after the following types of surgery:

a. Other periocular surgeries such as inner canthus enlarged or opening the outer canthus enlarged (opened cnathus).

b. Periocular comprehensive surgery (such as surgery on two or more eye organs such as the eyelid, corner, or pouch).

c. Separate double eyelid surgery or separate eye bag surgery involving flights of 3 hours or more.

d. Surgery on stomach, intestine, bladder, gallbladder, duodenum, jejunum, ileum, appendix, cecum, ascending colon, transverse colon, descending colon, sigmoid colon, rectum, bladder, and other related organs.

J. Less than 7 days after the following types of surgery:

a. Inner ear surgery: The passenger shall hold a certificate issued by the hospital stating that the inner ear injury has been cured and has no complications. The requirements and validity of the certificate are the same as those of a diagnosis certificate.

b. Intranasal surgery

c. Removal of inferior vena cava filter.

3. In the following situations, a diagnostic certificate shall be presented to us, and only after we grant our consent can the passenger be carried:

A. Surgery on the kidneys, liver, spleen, pancreas, ovaries, testes, thyroid, parathyroid gland, prostate, adrenal gland, thymus, adrenal gland, pancreas, pineal gland, pituitary gland, pancreatic islets, uterus and uterine appendages (including ovaries, fallopian tubes, cervix, vagina), cervical spine, lumbar spine, bone (except for the requirements for treating osteoporosis through percutaneous balloon dilation of vertebral kyphosis), ligaments, etc

B. Neurosurgery and neurorelated surgery involving limbs

C. Treatment of osteoporosis through percutaneous balloon dilation of vertebral kyphosis (surgical method), involving a flight of less than 3 hours (excluded).

D. Spinal cord drainage surgery

E. Skin and muscle surgery without haemorrhage

 

V. Requirements for diagnosis certificates or postoperative certificates

1. Diagnosis certificates mentioned in this document shall be issued within 10 days before flight departure and indicate that the passenger in question is fit for air travel.

2. Postoperative certificates mentioned in this document shall indicate that the passenger's surgery has been completed and their physical conditions after the surgery are excellent or have improved.

3. Diagnosis certificates or postoperative certificates issued by medical institutions shall carry the doctors' signatures or name stamps. For diagnosis certificates or postoperative certificates issued by private doctors or family doctors, medical qualification certificates of private doctors or family doctors shall also be provided in addition to the doctors' signatures or name stamps,

Even if such certificates are provided, we still have the right to decide whether to provide air transportation services to the passenger based on the passenger's physical condition and actual conditions of the flight at the time of check-in.

VI. If the injured, sick and postoperative passengers mentioned in this document need to carry and use medical devices, such devices can be transported free of charge and are not included in the free baggage allowance, provided that they meet safety requirements and comply with the limitations on baggage weight and size.

VII. Injuries, illnesses, and postoperative passengers may apply for the use of wheelchairs due to mobility barriers. The number of wheelchairs is limited by the number of people with disabilities carried. For detailed regulations, please refer to the "China International Airlines Corporation Regulations on the Transportation of Disabled and Handicapped Passengers".