Originally Posted by
chasm54
Well, of course they can. The main issue is whether a passenger has a pre-existing condition that could be exacerbated by flying and endanger the safety of the flight or the other passengers. And obviously airlines aren't keen on flying someone who is quite likely to experience a medical emergency and cause them to divert the flight.
But this isn't an age restriction. It will happen more with the very elderly because they are more likely to suffer from such conditions. But my mother, for example, took her last flight when she was 86, iirc.
Edit: KLM require a medical certificate from potential passengers who
- Passengers who have a medical condition that could result in a life-threatening situation or could require the provision of exceptional medical care for their safety during the flight.
I'd be mildly surprised if all airlines didn't have some similar policy.
This gets a bit sticky when, for example, my son, who is quadraplegic, travels on airplanes. The US of A has regulations:
"Carriers may not refuse transportation on the basis of disability. By law, US air carriers must comply with highly detailed regulations that affect people with disabilities. These do not cover foreign carriers serving the United States." Also note the Air Carrier Access Act.
http://www.disabilitytravel.com/airl...arrier_act.htm
My son travels tens of thousands of miles per year on US airlines - and it would be a travesty if he got to England and could not come home. Without federal regulations, so much is left to the interpretation of the airlines.
Obviously a sensitive subject for me.