It is important that airlines are aware of any pre-existing medical conditions of their passengers before a flight is boarded, it has been asserted.
According to the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA), customers should make sure they contact their operator to inform them of any such health problems well in advance of a trip abroad.
Jason Wakeford, spokesperson for the CAA, said: "If you have a condition that can be exacerbated by the conditions inside an aircraft, then you don't want that happening at 30,000 feet."
He added that customers should seek advice from their GP to evaluate the risk of flying before deciding to book a ticket.
The CAA offers guidance for GPs on how to best carry out a risk assessment for a patient who has concerns about how their health will be affected by air travel.
Statistics released by the CAA showed that there 514 emergency calls made by UK airlines during 2007 as a result of passenger health problems, which resulted in 58 diversions.
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