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I’ve ended up in a situation where I’ve been told I need to fill out a Medif form when I quite clearly don’t need to. I am in an email discussion with the Medaccc team about it, but finding it pretty frustrating. No names at the end of the email, but I imagine it is someone different every time, and whilst the email comes from the Medacc email account, the sign off at the end is from the Customer Contact Centre.
I would really like to actually speak to a human about this, but there is no phone number for the medaccc department. The Medif form is a complete waste of my time, my GP or Consultant’s time (not that I’m even convinced I’ll be able to get it filled out at such short notice) and the Qatar medical team’s time.
All of this has arisen because I made the mistake of asking for a second bag for carry on due to the need to carry medical equipment, not actually realising until too late that as a business class passenger I already get two hand luggage bags, so between me and my husband I can fit it all in (the equipment is catheters).
I am so annoyed with myself that I initially read the hand luggage allowance incorrectly, and have put myself in this position. I have flown frequently since my surgery in 2015 (yep, 9 years ago) and have never had this kind of issue before. BA in particular have been brilliant, and a letter from my specialist nurses has always been more than sufficient when I’ve required extra luggage, and nothing more has been said.
My condition is stable, surgery was years ago, and I need no assistance with it (I do need special assistance getting through the airport due to another, but the form isn’t to do with that and specifically says that it is not for special assistance requests).
Not really sure what the point of this post is other than to get out my frustration! But if anyone does have any bright ideas about this I’d be all ears. I’m now completely stressed out about how I’m going to get a pointless form filled out (my GP surgery says that any requests can take up to 40 working days, and I fly in 18 days. The hospital where I got the surgery done is nowhere near me and whilst I am going to try emailing the form over, there is absolutely no guarantee they’ll fill it out.
Grrrrr, very stressed and annoyed.
You should be able to find a private video GP online to help you – may cost 100 quid but your GP may charge anyway and better than being denied boarding, Qatar are known for being very inflexible!
You should be able to find a private video GP online to help you – may cost 100 quid but your GP may charge anyway and better than being denied boarding, Qatar are known for being very inflexible!
Thanks. My GP surgery do do things like this (for a charge of course) but the main problem there is that they say it can take 40 working days. I fly in 17 days. Also, the form can’t be dated more than 10 days before the flight. I am going to email my consultant’s secretary, but it wouldn’t surprise me if they say no as well (nor would I blame them).
I am so annoyed and stressed. Having printed the MEDIF, it isn’t in the least bit relevant to my surgery 9 years ago. My last ditch attempt this morning was to reply to their email asking if I could speak to someone in the medical team on the telephone. I feel like a simple phone call could sort all of this out.
I didn’t get to sleep until 3am last night worrying about it.
I had a similar situation earlier this year and spent lots of time going through hoops and hurdles figuring out what to do. For my situation, it was actually BA who requested the medif form
As you said, going through an NHS GP can take way too many days, so after some research, it seemed like going through a private online GP was one way of solving this problem.
I figured that since I used my email to discuss the medical situation with BA, they could have somehow linked it to my flight booking and hence it would be a bit risky to just “wing it” and turn up without a completed medif form. I was lucky that my flight was redeemed using points, so I just cancelled it and re-booked using cash on another airline instead (and didn’t mention anything to them), and that went fine, even though we brought a wheelchair on board. I appreciate this might not be the case for you, so maybe the best thing would really be to utilise the help of a private GP
I had a similar situation earlier this year and spent lots of time going through hoops and hurdles figuring out what to do. For my situation, it was actually BA who requested the medif form
As you said, going through an NHS GP can take way too many days, so after some research, it seemed like going through a private online GP was one way of solving this problem.
I figured that since I used my email to discuss the medical situation with BA, they could have somehow linked it to my flight booking and hence it would be a bit risky to just “wing it” and turn up without a completed medif form. I was lucky that my flight was redeemed using points, so I just cancelled it and re-booked using cash on another airline instead (and didn’t mention anything to them), and that went fine, even though we brought a wheelchair on board. I appreciate this might not be the case for you, so maybe the best thing would really be to utilise the help of a private GP
Not a chance of re-booking unfortunately (I already had that thought in the middle of the night when I couldn’t sleep!). It is the elusive avios flights on Qatar to Auckland and flying back from Sydney that we have booked. If it was a more common route with lots of availability I would definitely consider doing that.
I’ll start looking into private GPs in case I need to go down that route.
Not that they’ll care at all I’m sure (they probably won’t even reply) but once we’ve flown I’m going to make a complaint. The request is completely unnecessary and I’ve gone from being really excited about my holiday to being completely stressed out and unable to sleep.
@Ladyshopper have you gone through their medical conditions of carriage. They will be on the site somewhere. Od suggest searching disabled travelers and working from their.
If their own term state it’s not needed then you immediately end the issue. If they then denied boarding you’d have grounds to claim.
I’d look on the site. Save the page then email them their own T&C IF ( as I suspect is the case) you’re exempt from any additional requirements.If that works I’d also demand a mangers name as reference and take a printed copy of the page with you to check-in
Qatar are very “by the book” on the ground. Quoting t&c etc will not get you anywhere with them so you likely just need to comply unfortunately to be sure of boarding without hassle. Try your Dr’s but there are plenty of online GPs that will be able to assist with this with little pain (other than to your credit card !)
On the off chance that you have private health care, does that include a video GP service?
On the off chance that you have private health care, does that include a video GP service?
No private cover for me unfortunately.
Well, it seems like miracles do exist! My last ditch email with a request for a telephone call and repeating all the information that I had already told them (that the surgery was 9 years ago, I don’t need any kind of assistance on the plane etc etc) finally seemed to work, and I have had a reply from the medical team that I do NOT need a MEDIF form. Common sense prevails.
Even though it was blatantly obvious I didn’t need a form I didn’t expect them to change their minds, so I am over the moon.
And yes, I will be printing off that email just in case of any difficulties at check in!
Thanks for everyone’s advice.
Great result, hopefully a very good night’s sleep will follow now.
Have a great trip.
Hi can I ask the op how you got on at the airport. I’m in the same situation my daughter needs catheters also I contacted qatar medic email and been told we need the medif form completed and doctors letters! I’m getting nowhere and there’s no way my doctor will have this done for a weeks time. We travel in 2 and a half weeks. My daughter already had wheelchair assistance in place. All I needed was extra hand luggage for her catheters and my medications as I have crohns disease. I’m so stressed with it I’ve never had this much hassle for a flight before. Thanks
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