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Medical information for cabin crew

Guidance on requirements and the assessment process

  • All operating cabin crew must either:

    • Hold a valid cabin crew Medical Report issued in accordance with Subpart C of Part-MED (Annex IV of EU Regulation 1198/2011),
      or
    • Have been assessed as fit following a medical assessment under Regulation (EEC) No. 3922/91 Annex III (EU-OPS) OPS 1.995 within the previous five years (see Transitional arrangements)

    Medical examination and assessment

    Cabin crew medical examinations and assessments may be carried out by an Authorised Medical Examiner (AME) or approved Occupational Health Medical Practitioner (OHMP). A list of UK AMEs and OHMPs can be found at Find an AME.

    A cabin crew Medical Report issued by a UK AME or OHMP is valid in any EASA State. Similarly, a Medical Report issued by an AME or OHMP of any other EASA State is valid in the UK.

    All new cabin crew require an initial medical examination. Periodic medical assessments are required for all cabin crew at intervals of no more than 60 months.

    Cabin crew periodic medical assessments carried out up to 45 days prior to the expiry date of the previous Medical Report will be valid for 60 months from that expiry date. Assessments carried out more than 45 days before the expiry date of the previous Medical Report will be valid for 60 months from the date of the medical assessment.

    A crew member shall not operate after the expiry date of their Medical Report until they have been medically assessed as fit and issued with a Medical Report.

    If the Medical Report has expired, the AME or OHMP need only carry out a periodic medical assessment.

    More frequent medical examinations or assessments may be required in certain circumstances, such as the crew member having a medical condition requiring regular surveillance.

    Additional medical examinations or assessments may be necessary if:

    • a cabin crew member returns to work following a prolonged period of illness
    • there is any doubt about the continued fitness of a cabin crew member

    Note: Some employers may also require you to have an assessment by their occupational health department or provider. You should always check whether a medical assessment is being carried out for the purposes of the EASA Part-MED requirements, under the employer’s occupational health requirements, or both.

    If you are having an assessment for the purposes of the EASA Part-MED requirements, you should always be issued with a medical report, signed by the AME or OHMP responsible for the assessment, confirming that you are ‘fit’, ‘unfit’ or ‘fit with specified limitation(s)’ – see below. Medical assessment for occupational health purposes is a matter for the employer and, in some circumstances, it is possible that you may be assessed as not meeting the occupational health requirements even though you have been issued with an EASA medical report stating that you are fit for cabin crew duties.

    Medical requirements

    The UK requirements for cabin crew medical examinations and assessments are detailed in the Implementing Rules (IRs) and Guidance Material (GM).

    Medical report

    Following a medical examination or assessment, the crew member will be issued with a Medical Report. The crew member must sign the report and provide a copy to their employer. There is no standard format for the Medical Report, but it must contain all of the elements specified in AMC1 MED.C.030 Cabin Crew Medical Report.

    A Medical Report issued by a UK AME or OHMP is valid in any EASA State. Similarly, a Medical Report issued by an AME or OHMP of any other EASA State is valid in the UK.

    Transitional arrangements

    Cabin crew who have been assessed as fit under the requirements of EU-OPS 1.995 do not require further medical assessment until the expiry date of this assessment. They will then require a periodic medical assessment in accordance with the Part-MED requirements.

    All cabin crew will be required to hold a valid cabin crew Medical Report from 8 April 2019.

    Decrease in medical fitness

    Cabin crew who hold a Medical Report and experience a decrease in medical fitness are required to seek further advice.

    Crew who are operating under an assessment as fit for cabin crew duties under the EU-OPS requirements should seek guidance from their manager on the procedure to be followed if they experience a decrease in medical fitness. In most instances this will require them to seek advice from the operator’s occupational health service or adviser.