To fly on Philippine Airlines with a condition that could worsen at altitude, require in-flight care, or affect other passengers, you complete the Philippine Airlines MEDIF form in two parts — Part 1 by you, Part 2 by your attending physician — and submit it to PAL’s Medical Desk at least 72 hours before departure for clearance.1Philippine Airlines. Medical Passengers
Do You Actually Need a MEDIF
Not every passenger with a health concern does. The Medical Information Form is for travelers whose condition could worsen in flight, who may need medical attention on board, or whose condition could affect the safety or comfort of others. Typical triggers include:
- A communicable disease that could spread in the cabin
- Recent surgery or hospitalization
- A need for supplemental oxygen supplied by the airline
- Stretcher transport, or an inability to sit upright
- Respiratory or cardiac conditions sensitive to reduced cabin oxygen
- Any condition whose appearance, conduct, or odor could cause discomfort to nearby passengers
Wheelchair assistance may also require a MEDIF, depending on how much help you need. The form lists three categories: WCHR for help to and from the aircraft stairs or ramp, WCHS for help up and down stairs, and WCHC for passengers who must be carried to the seat. If the wheelchair need is tied to a medical condition affecting fitness to fly, expect to submit the form.
One boundary worth flagging: pregnant travelers do not use the MEDIF. PAL uses a separate Expectant Mothers Information Sheet (EMIS) instead, with different documentation at 24, 32, and 33–35 weeks, and no air travel permitted beyond 35 weeks.3Philippine Airlines. Expectant Mothers
Where to Get the Form
The MEDIF is a PDF you download from the medical passengers section of the Philippine Airlines website.1Philippine Airlines. Medical Passengers Print it. The form is built around a multi-color carbon-copy distribution — white, blue, pink, green, and a second white copy routed to the origin station, boarding station, destination station via the purser, the attending physician, and the passenger. That design means PAL expects a physical, ink-signed document rather than a digital submission.2Philippine Airlines. Medical Information Form
Filling Out Part 1: Your Section
You or your representative complete Part 1 in block letters. It covers:
- Your name, age, address, and contact numbers.
- Your proposed itinerary — each flight leg, with carrier, flight number, class, date, and booking reference. Include connecting flights on other airlines so PAL can coordinate with partner carriers.
- The assistance you need. Tick the boxes for wheelchair type (WCHR, WCHS, or WCHC), stretcher, or on-board oxygen. If you need oxygen, state whether it should be continuous and give the flow rate in liters per minute.
Part 1 closes with a passenger declaration. By signing, you accept that fees for services such as oxygen, a stretcher, or ambulance transfer are your responsibility, and that the airline’s liability is limited to its standard conditions of carriage.2Philippine Airlines. Medical Information Form
Filling Out Part 2: Your Doctor’s Section
Your attending physician completes Part 2, and this is the section PAL’s medical team will actually judge. Vague or incomplete answers are the fastest route to a delayed or denied clearance. The form instructs the physician to answer every question.
Your doctor needs to provide:
- A detailed diagnosis, vital signs, and the date of diagnosis.
- Prognosis for the trip — whether the condition is stable, improving, or at risk of worsening in flight.
- Contagious disease status, and if applicable, the precautions required.
- Whether you can sit upright in a normal aircraft seat. A “no” is what triggers the stretcher requirement.
- Whether you can eat, use the lavatory, and handle personal needs unassisted. If not, the physician must specify the type of escort or companion needed.
- Any medication you’ll need during the flight, and any special equipment such as a respirator or incubator.
Your doctor must include a clear fit-to-travel declaration and sign the form, with their name, professional license number, business address, and reachable contact information. PAL’s medical staff may call to verify details or ask follow-up questions, so stale contact numbers slow the review. Typed entries or very clear handwriting help; illegible clinical data does not.
One date rule catches people out: the physician’s signature must be no more than seven days before your flight. A form signed earlier than that is considered stale and will not be accepted.4Philippine Airlines. Medical Passengers
A Note on Medical Escorts
PAL cabin crew are trained in basic first aid only. They cannot give injections, dispense medication, or dedicate themselves to a single passenger during the flight.2Philippine Airlines. Medical Information Form If Part 2 indicates you cannot manage your own needs, you’ll be required to travel with a companion or qualified medical escort, and that escort pays a separate fare.5Philippine Airlines. Inflight Oxygen Your doctor specifies the escort type on the form; PAL’s medical team confirms it during review.
Where and When to Submit
Send the completed MEDIF to the Philippine Airlines Medical Desk, or hand it in at a local PAL ticket office. It must reach PAL at least 72 hours before your scheduled departure, with no exceptions.1Philippine Airlines. Medical Passengers That window gives the medical team time to read your physician’s data, arrange any equipment or seat changes, and follow up on anything unclear.
Because of the carbon-copy format and the required ink signatures, plan on delivering or mailing the physical document. If you are using a PAL ticket office, staff there can route it to the medical department for you. Travelers booking from outside the Philippines should call PAL reservations to confirm the best route for getting the form to the medical desk in time.
What Happens After Approval
Once PAL or PAL Express (PALEX) Medical approves the form, the clearance is valid for only 72 hours.1Philippine Airlines. Medical Passengers The clock runs from the approval date, not from when your doctor signed. If your flight is delayed or rescheduled beyond that window, you may have to go through the clearance process again.
At check-in, have your clearance confirmation ready. The blue copy of the form is routed to the boarding station, so airport staff should already have you in their system, but your white passenger copy is a sensible backup if anything is unclear.
If Clearance Is Denied
PAL can refuse carriage if you fail to submit the required clearances, decline to provide additional medical tests when asked, or if the airline has reasonable doubt that you can complete the flight safely.4Philippine Airlines. Medical Passengers A denial can also happen at the airport if you arrive without valid clearance.
PAL does not publish a specific refund or rebooking policy for medical denials in the MEDIF documentation. The passenger declaration only notes that carriage is subject to the airline’s general conditions of carriage and tariffs.2Philippine Airlines. Medical Information Form If you are denied, contact PAL reservations or customer service to work out rebooking or refund options under the fare rules on your ticket.