Special assistance

bmi is committed to providing the best care possible for our customers requiring extra assistance.

If you are travelling in a wheelchair please consider the type of assistance you require from the list below and contact us on 0844 8484 888 at least 48 hours prior to travel. This will ensure that we can make the necessary arrangements to help you make the most of your journey.

1. Wheelchair assistance required when you are unable to walk long distances
2. Wheelchair assistance required when you are unable to climb aircraft steps
3. Complete wheelchair assistance right from Check-in  to your seat on the aircraft.

Companions providing assistance will be required if you cannot independently:

• Reach an emergency exit unaided 
• Go to the toilet unaided
• Unfasten a seat belt 
• Retrieve and fit a life jacket 
• Fit an oxygen mask.

Preparing battery powered wheelchairs for travel

Dependant upon the type of wheelchair/mobility aid being used, a number of safety measures should be taken before your flight.

• Wheelchairs powered by dry-cell batteries: Please ensure the wheelchair is protected from inadvertent operation
• Wheelchairs powered by wet-cell batteries: Please ensure the wet-cell battery is removed prior to boarding. Protect the battery terminals to prevent short circuits by covering the terminals with electrical insulating tape or plastic caps. Ensure that the battery is securely fastened and installed in the wheelchair/mobility aid battery tray.
• Non-folding wheelchairs may not be carried. 

For more information view our voluntary code of practice for customers with special needs.

When preparing for your trip we strongly recommend you do the following:

• Check any vaccination requirements at least six weeks before you fly
• Ensure that you have adequate travel insurance to cover all aspects of your journey, including medical costs should you become ill and need to be treated by a doctor abroad
• If you have a medical condition please notify us at the time of booking or not later than 48 hours before departure on  0844 8484 888 and we will be able to advise you accordingly.

bmi may require a medical clearance when:

• You have an existing unstable medical condition
• You have a respiratory or heart condition
• You require the use of oxygen or the use of medical equipment onboard
• You are in doubt as to whether you should fly due to a recent illness, surgery, injury or hospitalisation
• You are travelling for medical reasons or to receive medical treatment elsewhere.

Medical clearance is only considered upon receipt of a completed medical information form (MEDIF) which is available to download. Please fill in Part 1 and get your doctor to fill in Part 2 and sign it and then fax it to the number on the form.

Our Braille safety cards are available on all our aircraft.

Find out more about travelling with assistance dogs.

If you need additional oxygen onboard the aircraft, we can provide this service for a fee.  Only bmi supplied oxygen bottles may be used onboard our aircraft.  We'll require you to complete a medical form to help us plan for your needs throughout the journey. 

Call us on 0844 8484 888 to find out more.

If you need assistance please let us know when you make your booking, so arrangements can be made at the airport.

• If you're pregnant, you may travel to the end of week 30 without certification
• Between 30 and 36 weeks of your pregnancy you'll need written approval from your doctor confirming your expected date of delivery, that you are in good health and that there is no reason why you should not fly. Beyond 36 weeks we will refuse travel
• For mothers expecting twins or triplets travel may be permitted up to the end of your week 32 of pregnancy
• Please consider your return journey when you make your reservation
• New mothers are not recommended to travel within seven days of giving birth.

Babies may not travel within the first seven days after birth.  Premature babies and under medical supervision can only travel after medical clearance and a qualified escort must accompany them, i.e. a doctor or a nurse.

We offer services to make travelling with children easier.

Find out more about children and flying

Tempus 2000, our integrated telemedicine service, is available on all flights to Saudi Arabia, and Cairo and Tel Aviv.

Tempus 2000 enables our crew to monitor the blood pressure, pulse rate, temperature, electrocardiogram (ECG), blood oxygen and carbon dioxide levels on any passenger taken ill on a flight.

This data is then sent, via the inflight phone system to specialist physicians in the accident and emergency department of the central teaching hospital in Phoenix, Arizona who can advise the crew of the best course of action.

Tempus 2000 is the first remote medical monitoring device designed specifically for non-expert use during a medical incident onboard an aircraft