redadeco

This is the type of question I'd never ask on FT, you'll get answers ranging from in a couple hours to you'd better not fly at all.

The doc has the answer.

TemboOne

Thanks quantumofforce! Responses on here plus several friends and the doctors in London have convinced our friend to follow medical advice and stay in hospital at least over the weekend. He had been scheduled on AC8642 YXU-YYZ and AC8607 YYZ-YSB tomorrow (Friday 19th). After that it would have been a 3 hr drive from YSB to CYEL - where we are expecting freezing rain tomorrow afternoon.

As for the air ambulance, to qualify he will have to be discharged to his home hospital and stay in there until medically fit to be discharged home (where he lives alone).

Thanks everyone for the comments and suggestions. You really all helped with the needed persuasion!

RangerNS

4 hours ago I was feeling bad but not so bad I wasn't in the office, from some cold, flu thing in IAH. Now in the YYZ MLL I'm wondering if I can physically crawl to my ongoing gate.

I can't imagine flying if there was something actually wrong with me.

jc94

You only have one life, take care of it.

Plumber

I had three unrelated surgeries in 2017- two were arthroscopic (knee and rotator cuff) and one was more major (gall bladder removal with complications resulting in a larger abdominal incision).

On the gall bladder, the Doc had said I should be ok to travel to the UK within a week of the surgery (before the complications)....After the complications in surgery with a large incision, there was no way I could travel.

I was grounded for a good chunk on time in 2017

So the advice given above is solid!

jc94

dulciusexasperis

Well the answer to the question as asked is ask his doctor, ask the airline, ask his insurance company. All 3 of those will have differing criteria and he would need to meet all the criteria of each if he were smart.

But, I suspect the question being asked is a waste of time as it seems clear the person in question has decided what he is doing regardless of what anyone tells him. So that means, only the airline will be able to top him from flying.

My advice if you read this early enough today (his flight date). Phone the airline and tell them to refuse him boarding. A bit of tough love.

Often1

Being denied boarding ought to be the least of his worries. He should be following the recommendations of his treating physicians and you, as a friend, ought to encourage that.

AC's goal is that your friend make it alive and well to the destination gate. What happens after that is none of its concern. Your friend and his treatment team, as well as you, ought to have the longer-term in mind and the possibility that he might make it onto the aircraft is not that.

KDS777

My wife works in the medical profession and specializes in amputees. She's been at it for 30 years now. She said he shouldn't be flying yet.

Now, I've personally had two surgeries, and none of them involved more than a 4" cut. I was up and about in days in both cases, and back working in 10. But I wouldn't have gone flying 2 days after. There is just too much involved at this point with your guy, the main risk being infection of the stump and clots. I'm glad that he listened to his doctor. He can be wheel chaired around everywhere, so technically he "can" fly, but still. At least when he has a prosthesis fitted and learns to walk again, he'll get to board first in commercial aircraft forever there's a bright side somewhere.

One of our Brasilian friends is a 28 year old medical doctor who is a BTK amp. My wife has treated her for 2 decades. She's been thru a lot. He's going to probably be in a hospital on and off or a while, and taking physio/rehab for years. He better get used to that idea unfortunately as this is just the start. I wish him well.

Cat Man Do

Sounds like he made the right choice. If it's any consolation, might mention to him that the air ambulance is likely to be much, much more comfortable, and he probably doesn't have to deal with security.

ACYYZ/SD

Absolutely, positively contact Air Canada Medical services. They will liase with his Doctor and will determine fitness to travel to avoid any unpleasant surprises at the airport.