Expert: Matthew Smith - 2/11/2008

Question
My husband is on now on a waiting list for a hip replacement operation.   We have been booked since November 2007 to fly KLM from Edinburgh to Amsterdam to Bangkok on 21 June 2008.   To avoid being given an date which is unsuitable, the hospital waiting list manager has asked me to check the airline's policy on minimum time after this operation before travel is allowed/recommended.   I have checked the KLM website without success and also telephoned KLM but they are not aware of any such policy and only advised me to let them know if my husband would be able to sit upright and if he needed assistance.

Can you please if you can provide any information or advice on travelling with KLM after a hip replacement?

Many thanks
Moira glencorse

Answer
Dear Moira,

KLM was your best source of information.  I don't keep track of individual airline's policies.  Since the KLM employee was unaware of a policy, just use your own judgment.  Try to arrange the surgery sooner rather than later to give him time to recover.  

I'm not sure how the security in Scotland is, but in the USA he would need only to tell the TSA about his new hip and ask them to be gentle about patting him down.  I reckon that the airport security in the UK, while thorough, may be less stressful than it is in the States.

I'd also recommend that during the flight he get up frequently and flex his hip to keep his muscles loose.  Sitting on a plane for that long is hellish enough on healthy hips, I imagine it would be terrible on a newly replaced hip.  Whenever he gets the chance tell him to walk up and down the aisle, stretch out a little bit near the loo, and walk a couple more laps up and down the aisle until he feels better.

Best of luck!

Matt