- The purpose of the MEDIF or medical certification is:
- Authorize boarding for a passenger requiring special assistance.
- Confirm special service when additional authorization is needed (for example wheelchairs)
- This procedure applies to all LATAM routes
- LATAM does not provide medical assistance of any kind.Minors (CHD) who require Medical Certification for their boarding can not be accepted as an unaccompanied minor (UMNR).
- Any and all passengers with infectious diseases must present a medical certificate detailing they are not a risk of contagion, otherwise said passengers cannot board the flight despite undergoing treatment and have submitted the required MEDIF. Infectious disease is a disease that is quickly and easily transmitted to others such as: influenza, chicken pox, small pox, measles, rubella, tuberculosis, meningitis, whooping cough and diphtheria.
- Insulin-dependent passengers: do not need to process medical certification for their boarding, however, they must present a medical certificate proving their insulin-dependent status in order to allow them to use syringes on board.
- The medical certificate or MEDIF must be issued no earlier than 10 days before departure of the first flight on their respective itineraries; said certificate or MEDIF can be used on the return flight independent of the date of that flight provided the passenger's medical conditions has not changed.
All passengers with medical conditions (List of medical conditions) must undergo a special certification for their boarding, which must be done preferably in the form provided for this (MEDIF) or through a Medical Certificate.
- The passenger is authorized to travel by plane.
- The passenger needs or doesn't need a travel companion, specifying if said companion should be a health professional.If there are special requirements (Medical Devices, etc.)
- The passenger's pharmacotherapy and other support measures.
- The certificate must follow the same procedure and be certified by the LATAM medical area.
The MEDIF is a standard format and corroborates a passengers medical history, allowing the LATAM medical area to understand what condition the passenger is currently in and make all the necessary recommendations to ensure the passengers wellbeing and operational safety. The MEDIF is composed of two parts:
Part 1: Must be filled in by the passenger or Travel Agent.
Part 2: Must be filled in by the passenger's doctor.
If a passenger submits a medical certificate from his or her doctor it must have, as a minimum, the same information required in the MEDIF, such as for example:
Related Documents:
- The Travel Agent must review the List of medical conditions that must be submitted to validation of the LATAM medical area.
- Ideally, the Medical Certification must be processed with a minimum of 48 hours before the departure of the flight. In shorter periods, it is not possible to compromise response times of the medical areas that ensure the passenger's trip.
- The MEDIF or Medical Certificate must be sent, according to the deadlines stated in the previous point, to the email: ssee_medif@sac.latam.com , for validation with the LATAM medical department. The request will be answered by the same means.
- The LATAM doctor can condition the boarding, requiring a companion (responsible adult) physically and mentally enabled for the passenger's attention.
- For boarding the passenger must present the medical certificate or MEDIF received by email with the authorization sent by LATAM.
- Cancer of any type, specifying stage, treatment, medical stability and fitness for flying, special services (e.g. oxygen, nurse escort, etc.).
- Need for oxygen in flight, specifying flow rate, disease, medical stability, battery duration, additional special needs, device model.
- Infectious-contagious diseases (e.g. chickenpox, measles, tuberculosis, pneumonia, etc.) in evolution or diagnosed within 15 days prior to the scheduled flight, indicating treatment and medical stability.
- Surgeries conducted within 15 days before the flight, indicating any special needs, surgery diagnosis and onboard medication required (e.g. blood thinning medication).
- Mental disorders (epilepsy, bipolar disorder, psychosis, panic attack, acute depression, manic depressive psychosis, etc.) or advanced degenerative diseases (e.g. advanced Alzheimer’s disease, advanced multiple sclerosis, etc.), specifying treatment, medical stability and fitness for flying, need for onboard escort.
- Cardiac pathology (e.g. heart attack, cardiac insufficiency, angina or unstable arrhythmia, malformation, recent surgery, angioplasty, pacemaker, ablation, etc.) with full diagnosis or recent treatment (last 30 days) that required intervention, invasive assessment (catheter) or requiring blood thinner medication.
- Lung disease with recent diagnosis requiring oxygen, blood thinning medication or that required medical procedure/hospitalization during the 15 days preceding the trip (e.g. pulmonary embolism, infarction, pulmonary thromboembolism, recent pneumonia, cystic fibrosis, emphysema, COPD, hemothorax, pulmonary hypertension, bronchiectasis, etc.).
- Recently diagnosed gastrointestinal disorders requiring medical procedure/hospitalization during the 15 days preceding the trip.
- Brain pathologies (Cancer, heart attack, vascular accident, etc.) with a recent diagnosis, which required some procedure / hospitalization in the last 15 days prior to the trip.
- Dental procedures such as extraction or root canal treatment less than 48 hours before the flight.
- Newborn up to 7 days of life.
- New mothers up to 7 days after delivery.
- High-risk pregnancy (placental abruption, suspected miscarriage, etc.).
- Ear surgery during the last 30 days.
- Polytrauma (multiple fractures), fractured lower limbs requiring a cast or external fixation during the last 30 days before flight.
- Coagulation disorder.
- Deep diving during the 72 hours preceding the flight.
List of diseases and conditions that are always subject to process a Medical Certification (MEDIF form or Medical Certificate).
Any other recent pathology that may cause customers to become organically decompensated or that may involve the risk of a serious in-flight event must process Medical Certification.