If you have an ongoing or recent illness or health condition, and you have any concerns on whether it will be affected by flying you should discuss this with your GP or consultant before flying. You should also contact your airline in order that their medical adviser can have as much information as possible before making a decision on your fitness to fly.

Before your trip, consider any potential health risks for the country you are going to.

If you have ongoing health needs that may affect your ability to obtain travel insurance, it is worth finding out whether you can get travel insurance cover before you book your flights.

If your flight is diverted due to you being taken ill on board the plane, the airline is not responsible for the costs of any medical treatment or assistance you need or for getting you home. However, the airline may be able to offer assistance once you are fit to travel and you should always contact them to see if they can help. You will need to check your travel insurance policy to see if you will be able to claim under that.

If you fall ill while you are away, you may not be able to fly home on your booked flight. You will need to think about whether you should be travelling. You may need to claim for medical care on your travel insurance.