Mask exemptions for airlines and Heathrow

Brie

Please be nice and don't say I should google this - I've been trying to sort things out for days.

I need to fly to Canada.  Need, not want.  And I can't wear a mask.  I've tried repeatedly and I last about 2 minutes and need to remove it or faint.  Net result is I can't "pretend" long enough to get through security or from the gate unto the plane.

I can, and do, wear a visor.

Now the Heathrow website says I must wear a face covering so I think I'm ok with just a visor but would really appreciate if someone can confirm that.

The BA website says I have to wear a mask as soon as I'm in the airport which contradicts the above.  And they say I need to ensure I have enough masks to change them every 4 hours which I understand but as I can't wear a mask is kind of immaterial. 

Air Canada says I need to wear a mask unless I get them a mask exemption form which needs to be signed by a doctor, dentist or a couple of other medical types.  The doctor's surgery has said it's not needed therefore they won't sign it.  The dentist I've been to the last couple of years has returned to Poland so no one else in that practice knows me and so won't sign it.  I think the other medical types are something available in Canada but not in the UK and in any case I don't know anyone with those titles.

I'm at the point of trying to contact the surgeon that did my knee op a couple of years back to see if he will sign the form for me as I'm running out of options.  My only other option may be contacting a guy in Canada I knew who went into medicine to ask him to sign it.  But I've not seen him in a couple of decades at least.  He is however my brother's doctor.  

Any ideas or suggestions?

Sandtree

British Airways state UK government exemption apply however unlike in shops etc they do reserve the right to question you about the exemption and request supporting documentary evidence to support it. 

You also need to check the rules for Canada, whilst the UK allowed exemption for "personal distress" from wearing a mask not all countries have... a quick glance seems to suggest in general you will need a doctors certificate that there is a "medical reason" for you being unable to wear a mask.

You will need to persist with your Dr and may help to acknowledge that like travel vaccinations, this is discretionary and therefore the doctor can charge for it as a private service.

Brie

@Sandtree thanks - I would have no issue with having to pay a suitable fee for the doctor to do something for me that has nothing to do with the NHS.  All I get from the surgery is "Covid!!  We're too busy to sign anything!"  And frankly I wonder if they've even actually asked about it.  

I'm hoping that they possibly might agree when I have an appointment for meds renewal next week.  The surgery has delayed this happening for 2 months already and OH says I should just sit in the surgery until the dratted form is signed.  None of which is any help for my high blood pressure.

As for anyone with direct experience at Heathrow I'd love to hear about it.  I've been made to believe that even if I do manage to get the form completed and am able to board a flight that the other passengers may be violently abusive to have me in their midst.  It's going to be such a fun time. (not)

Sandtree

Brie said:
I've been made to believe that even if I do manage to get the form completed and am able to board a flight that the other passengers may be violently abusive to have me in their midst.  It's going to be such a fun time. (not)

We've made use of the fact that airmiles have been easy to use in the last 18 months (we are typically not good at planning more than a month or two out for various reasons) and so had a fair few flights but all in PE or Business as its the best return on the miles.

You may always find unpleasant travelling companions on flights but our experience has been much more that there are people nursing drinks/bags of crisps etc to justify keeping the mask off... more so now that drinks on requests are available again unlike our first flight last year which was no alcohol and drinks only offered with food. Flight attendants telling them to put it back on and it coming down as soon as they've passed so they can take their next micro sip of wine etc.

theoretica

Are there any private GPs around your area?  You might contact them to find out if they can and will do this.

emmajones1976

You will need a GP letter for the flight. As for the airport you will more than likely get away with it at this end, nobody was enforcing it at Manchester T2 the other week when I was there.
As for the Canadian end....no idea. 
The changing masks every 4 hours is odd, I was on a 5 hour flight with a different airline and nothing was said.

[Deleted User]

Have you tried different types of mask? If it's the closeness of the material you can get one that doesn't touch your lips etc.

You may have a hard time convincing a medical professional to sign off on this. Have you considered asking for therapy to help you overcome the phobia?

You have to remember that not wearing a mask may alarm other passengers, and some of them might have a religious exemption from being near an unmasked person. As such you probably need to warn the airline well in advance that you plan to travel unmasked, rather than just turning up with an exemption letter.

Westin

Above points well made but do consider the rules of Air Canada/Canada.  Even if you find way to circumnavigate the situation at Heathrow, once you step on to the Air Canada flight then Canadian rules apply.  If you are not prepared to follow those instructions and rule then you won’t get to walk down the jet bridge to board.

onashoestring

If you go on the air Canada website you can do live chat with someone who will be able to confirm if a visor will be accepted as a face covering and if a Doctors letter will exempt you from the requirement to wear a face mask on the plane and at the airport in Canada. 

emmajones1976

Also...surely the letter cant just be from a random doctor and it actually has to be from your GP?

Soot2006

Air Canada guidelines are straightforward: https://www.aircanada.com/content/dam/aircanada/portal/documents/PDF/en/medical-certificate_en.pdf

That's the form you need to submit 48 hours before travel, as filled in by a medical professional who needs to explain WHY you have a medical exemption.  If it's a phobia, this will need to be medically certified, so I'd get on the case sooner rather than later. You then need to follow different travel rules from the masked general public

-- If I receive authorization not to wear a face covering from Air Canada, I will need to present a negative
COVID-19 test result at the airport check-in and/or boarding gate prior to departure.
-- This test must be performed no earlier than 72 hours prior to the scheduled departure time of the first
flight of any same-day itinerary, or the first flight of any direct connecting itinerary.
-- I will need another negative COVID-19 test for my return journey if the departure of my return trip
exceeds 72 hours from the time the test was taken.