CPAPtalk.com

Here is my experience from last week. I had a ten hour flight from Chicago to Sao Paulo Brazil and back again a week later, on United. It took me over 4 hours and numerous switches and hang ups to get to the med team at United. They said it was too late to approve the use on the flight down (48 hours later), but they should have the approval for the return flight in a week. It never came through.

It did not really matter because I could not use the machine. I was in business class and had a power plug. However, the power plug seemed to require a 12 volt connector like a car which was not disclosed anywhere on their website. It was also so close to the actual seat cushion, that unless one was Twiggy (which I venture not many of us are), there would have no way to access it anyway. And that was with an $8000 plane ticket!

The good news is that I had no problem getting it through security either in the U.S. or Brazil. I did use it in my hotel room.

So two nights of real crummy sleep on the plane....

Bad airline-- I never expect much from them--I usually try to get on a different carrier.
Their prices are generally a little less, but you give up a lot.

I thought sleep apnea wasn't an issue on airplanes as long as you are sleeping somewhat upright? Something about the palate not being able to obstruct in that position?

My seat went back to about 45 Degrees, but still slept badly. I am rather short and do not really fit the "parameters" of their standard seat so never fit quite right. Most of the slender women were curled up into balls, the men assumed all sorts of positions....

soundersfootballclub wrote:I thought sleep apnea wasn't an issue on airplanes as long as you are sleeping somewhat upright? Something about the palate not being able to obstruct in that position?

Some people may get some relief from a more upright position, but a lot of people don't. Otherwise we'd all use recliners instead of CPAP.

I've found going thru all the hoops for in-flight approval just isn't worth it. NO ONE sleeps well on a plane anyway. I DO try to schedule daytime flights, but many times you can't. I leave it in the overhead, recline my seat, and sleep as best I can.

archangle wrote:

soundersfootballclub wrote:I thought sleep apnea wasn't an issue on airplanes as long as you are sleeping somewhat upright? Something about the palate not being able to obstruct in that position?

Some people may get some relief from a more upright position, but a lot of people don't. Otherwise we'd all use recliners instead of CPAP.

I agree. I actually asked my doc about this one since I thought it would be cool to create something just for flying and you didn't have CPAP handy. He said the angle of a coach seat negates apnea because the palate can't flap around. But then again not everyone has SA just because of the soft palate issue. As usual can't get necessarily "right" answer from a medical professional. Aargh.

Inexcusable airline behavior! I would file a complaint with the FAA and TSA, if only for the fun of it. Failure to accommodate a disability. Failure to comply with regulations relating to medical problems. Just plain being a$$holes. Nothing will change unless we scream bloody murder when this happens. ... Have fun!

LinkC wrote:NO ONE sleeps well on a plane anyway.

As a generalisation that is not sustainable.

While there are a lot of things that can keep you from sleeping on a aircraft, and I've learned never to depend on it being possible, none the less I've certainly slept well on long haul overnight commercial flights on numerous occasions.

Cheers,

Bill

Breathe Jimbo wrote:Failure to accommodate a disability. Failure to comply with regulations relating to medical problems.

There were no failures in either case with current regulations. The regulatory position in the USA for the use of a xPAP in-flight mandates, amongst other things, that the user provides their own own battery power supply with a capacity for operation over 1.5 times the scheduled flight duration.

Breathe Jimbo wrote:Nothing will change unless we scream bloody murder when this happens.

Complaining when no regulations were breached does no one any good at all.

I have always had problems with United for my external O2 device. When I fly, I usually rent one of those battery operated concentrators. The one I rent puts out a max of 6 liters which is OK if I don’t move around too much and it has two batteries which will last about 5 hours but will pug into 110 volts or 12 volts. Unfortunately, United has never allowed me to use that or anything else unless it was rented from them and I have always had rent from them at a cost of $225 per leg of the trip, each way. Needless to say unless there is nothing else including a crop duster I have to put up with them but this airline is not really handicapped friendly.

Roger

(On plane, while getting ready to nap)--"I apologize in advance for my snoring, please refrain from touching my face as I may get physical.
If I stop breathing for more than 15 seconds, please summon the flight attendant."

I've got to agree with Bill on this one, even with my disdain with United and their complete and utter disregard for customer service and just plain old rude behavior from every employee you come in contact with. It's a disgrace how they treat the paying customer. No other service industry can get away with what airlines do.

soundersfootballclub wrote:I thought sleep apnea wasn't an issue on airplanes as long as you are sleeping somewhat upright? Something about the palate not being able to obstruct in that position?

I only wish. I was in ER in January, all hooked up and in sitting position and my O2 dropped below 79% when I dozed off and I woke myself up choking.

I stand corrected! Make that "no NORMAL person sleeps well on an airplane". Unless they're a pilot of course...