Ridley Scott has been given medical advice not to fly while he heals from a minor procedure. He will miss his honorary Oscar presentation at the Governors Awards in Hollywood on Sunday 15 November, The Hollywood Reporter can exclusively report.

Scott pre-taped his acceptance speech, and it will play during the ceremony. His wife, children and grandchildren will still travel to Los Angeles to celebrate, so the party goes on without him.

Why Surgeons Limit Flying Afterward

There is no universal waiting period after surgery, Acibadem says. Some minor procedures allow travel within days, but the timing depends on the operation, the recovery and the length of the journey.

Scott is based in London, while the ceremony takes place in Hollywood. The procedure has never been officially revealed beyond its description as minor, and the report does not say how long he must wait before flying.

A one-hour flight involves far less sitting than an eleven-hour trip with a connection. The treating surgeon, rather than a general chart, makes the final fitness-to-fly decision.

Cabin pressure drops at altitude, and any gas trapped in the body can expand. Lower oxygen levels and hours of sitting still can also strain some recovering patients.

Surgery temporarily makes blood more prone to clotting. Sitting still on a long journey adds to that effect, which is why clot prevention shapes most post-surgery travel advice.

Two patients can have the same operation and still get different travel advice. One may walk comfortably within days, while another has swelling, poor pain control or a clotting history.

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What Recovery Timelines Usually Look Like

Professor Tony Kochhar, a consultant orthopaedic and trauma surgeon at London Bridge Hospital, advises waiting at least a week after surgery under general anaesthetic. That applies to flights under four hours.

He adds that patients who have keyhole surgery should be safe to fly a couple of days later if they are comfortable. He advises waiting at least four weeks before a flight longer than four hours.

Suggested waiting periods vary considerably according to the procedure and the patient's recovery. Patients should follow their surgeon's advice rather than rely on a general timetable.

A Mayo Clinic study of anatomic pulmonary resection patients found no significant difference in complications between those who flew and those who travelled by ground. Flying after surgery is not always dangerous.

Patients should give their surgeon the route, total travel time and any transfers. Decisions on stockings, blood thinners and seating are then made against that specific journey.

Walking the aisle regularly, drinking water and skipping alcohol can lower clot risk on long flights. Compression stockings may help some travellers, but a surgeon must decide whether they are suitable.

New swelling, pain, redness or warmth in one leg needs urgent medical help. So do sudden breathlessness, chest pain or coughing up blood, which can signal a clot in the leg or lungs.

Airlines often ask for a fit-to-fly letter after recent surgery. The letter is a doctor's confirmation that the patient is well enough to travel by air.

Honours Still Go Ahead Without Him

Actress Glenn Close and animator Floyd Norman will also receive honorary Oscars. Producers Christine Vachon and Pamela Koffler will receive the Irving G. Thalberg Memorial Award.

Scott turns 89 on 30 November and has earned best director nominations for Thelma & Louise, Gladiator and Black Hawk Down. His films have grossed about $5 billion, yet he has never won a competitive Oscar.

BAFTA honoured him with its Outstanding British Contribution to Cinema Award in 1995, shared with his late brother Tony. It also gave him its Fellowship in 2018, two career honours.

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