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Passenger Assistance Services for Airlines | PAS

Pre-travel medical clearance and coordination for passengers with special medical needs.

Passenger Assistance Services helps airlines manage medically complex passenger cases before departure. MedAire supports airline teams with medical review, physician coordination, documentation handling, and recommendations aligned to airline protocols and applicable guidance.

What are Passenger Assistance Services or PAS?

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Passenger Assistance Services is a pre-travel medical clearance and coordination service for commercial airlines. It helps airline teams assess and manage passengers who require additional medical review before travel.

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PAS supports cases involving special medical needs, fit-to-fly questions, physician-provided medical information, and requests for equipment or assistance that may require review before a passenger is cleared to travel.

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This is not an in-flight response service. PAS is designed for pre-departure case handling, helping airlines make more informed, more consistent decisions before the passenger boards.

Pre-Travel Medical Clearance Workflow

How does PAS Work?

Passenger Assistance Services gives airlines a practical, medically informed process for handling pre-travel medical clearance cases, from intake through recommendation.

 
1

The airline submits the case

The airline shares the passenger’s travel details, relevant medical information, and supporting documentation, including MEDIF or MEDA forms where applicable.

2

MedAire reviews the medical information

MedAire’s medical professionals review the documentation, the passenger’s condition, and any special equipment or assistance requests related to travel.

3

MedAire contacts the treating physician if needed

When clarification is required, MedAire can communicate directly with the passenger’s treating physician to better understand the medical situation and travel considerations.

4

The case is assessed against applicable guidance and airline protocols

MedAire evaluates the case using relevant medical guidance, operational considerations, and the airline’s own procedures for handling special medical needs passengers.

5

MedAire provides a recommendation

The airline receives a medically informed recommendation to support decision-making on passenger travel, required precautions, or additional case handling needs.

6

The airline proceeds with a more consistent process

With expert review and coordinated case handling, airline teams can move forward with greater clarity, stronger documentation support, and a more consistent passenger experience.

Case Identification

When Should an Airlines Use PAS?

Passenger Assistance Services is used when a passenger’s medical condition, recent treatment, or assistance needs require additional review before departure.

Use PAS when a passenger case involves:
✓
Recovery from surgery or another recent procedure
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A chronic medical condition that may affect fitness to travel
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Requests for supplemental oxygen or review of portable oxygen concentrator use
✓
Mobility or onboard assistance needs that require medical review
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Recent hospitalization, ongoing treatment, or active physician oversight
✓
Physician-provided documentation that needs review before travel approval
✓
A medically complex itinerary where the airline needs clearer pre-travel guidance

PAS helps airlines manage these cases through a structured medical review and coordination process rather than relying on inconsistent internal handling.

Operational Support

How Are Your Operations Supported by PAS?

Passenger Assistance Services supports the airline teams responsible for reviewing and coordinating medically complex passenger travel before departure, helping create a more consistent process across departments.

Airline Medical Desks
Manage passenger medical clearance workflows and review medically complex travel requests with greater consistency.
Customer Care Teams
Support passengers who need additional medical review before travel and help coordinate required next steps.
Airport & Special Assistance Teams
Coordinate medically related travel requirements, including special assistance needs and supporting documentation.
Operational Support Teams
Improve escalation handling and support a more structured review process for complex passenger cases.
Cross-Functional Airline Stakeholders
Provide a reliable approach for managing special medical needs cases across departments and operational teams.

PAS helps create a more coordinated approach when multiple teams are involved in a single passenger case, bringing greater clarity to pre-travel medical review and decision support.

Practical support for medically complex passenger cases

Why Do Airlines Choose PAS?

Passenger Assistance Services helps airlines handle pre-travel medical clearance cases with greater consistency and less operational friction.

PAS brings structure, medical insight, and clearer coordination to a process that often involves multiple teams, multiple documents, and multiple decision points.

More consistent case handling

PAS supports a more standardized process for medically complex passenger reviews, helping airlines avoid ad hoc decision-making across teams.

Less internal back-and-forth

By coordinating medical review, physician clarification, and documentation support, PAS helps reduce the burden on airline personnel managing special medical needs cases.

Better coordination across stakeholders

PAS supports communication between the airline, MedAire, and the passenger’s treating physician when additional clarification is needed.

Access to aviation medical expertise

Airlines gain support from MedAire medical professionals with experience in aviation medicine and the operational realities of commercial airline travel.

Stronger support for procedural alignment

PAS helps airlines manage cases in a way that reflects their own protocols as well as applicable medical and regulatory requirements.

A better pre-travel experience for passengers

When cases are reviewed and coordinated before departure, airlines are better positioned to manage passenger expectations and reduce last-minute complications.

Passenger Care Journey

How PAS Fits Within MedAire’s Passenger Care Support

Passenger Assistance Services is part of MedAire’s broader support for airline passenger care across the travel journey, helping airlines access the right level of medical support at the right point in time.

01
Pre-Travel

Passenger Assistance Services

Supports pre-travel medical clearance and coordination before departure for passengers whose cases require additional review.

02
Day of Travel

Passenger Fit to Fly

Supports day-of-travel medical assessments when immediate pre-flight review is needed at the airport or before boarding.

03
In Flight

MedLink

Supports in-flight medical events with real-time medical consultation and guidance during flight.

Together, these services help airlines bring the right medical support to the right moment in the passenger journey, from pre-travel review through day-of-travel decision support and in-flight consultation.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does PAS make the final decision on whether a passenger can travel?

No. Passenger Assistance Services provides a medically informed recommendation to support airline decision-making, but the final decision on whether a passenger can travel remains with the airline. That keeps the service aligned with airline procedures, operational requirements, and the carrier’s own responsibility for passenger acceptance.

What information does MedAire need for a PAS case?

MedAire typically needs the passenger’s itinerary, relevant medical information, treating physician details, and supporting documentation such as a MEDIF or MEDA form in English. The more complete the initial submission, the easier it is to review the case and determine whether any additional clarification is needed.

How far in advance should a PAS case be submitted?

For a straightforward case, MedAire needs at least 24 hours to process a MEDIF. In practice, airlines should plan for at least 48 hours before travel, and longer if the timing falls over a weekend or if physician follow-up may be required. That lead time helps support a more complete review before departure.

Can PAS support oxygen and portable oxygen concentrator requests?

PAS can review the passenger’s medical condition and the travel implications of oxygen-related needs, but MedAire does not coordinate oxygen service or wheelchair arrangements. For portable oxygen concentrators, MedAire can provide guidance on the passenger’s health and fitness to travel with a POC, but it does not issue a separate equipment recommendation.

Can an airline use its own MEDIF or MEDA form?

Yes. MedAire can work with an airline’s existing MEDIF or MEDA process, although it may also provide the industry-standard form and recommend its use where appropriate. This gives airlines flexibility while still supporting a more consistent medical review workflow.

How does PAS help airlines manage medical clearance cases?

PAS helps airlines manage medical clearance cases through structured review of passenger medical information, coordination with the treating physician when needed, and medically informed recommendations for travel. This helps reduce ad hoc internal handling, supports more consistent case review, and gives airline teams a clearer process for managing passengers with special medical considerations before departure.

How is PAS different from in-flight medical support?

PAS is a pre-travel service used before departure when a passenger’s medical condition or supporting documentation requires review. In-flight medical support is used once a medical event happens during flight. In MedAire’s passenger care journey, PAS supports pre-travel medical clearance and coordination, while MedLink supports real-time in-flight medical consultation.

Does PAS support regulatory and procedural alignment?

Yes. PAS helps airlines manage cases in a way that reflects airline-specific protocols as well as relevant medical and regulatory considerations. MedAire uses aviation medical experience and internal guidelines to support its recommendations, while working within the airline’s operating context and case-handling process.