American Airlines took my medical equipment bag

[Paul56]

(Northworst is out of business I believe, or was absorbed by someone else).....

NorthWest Airlines is now owned by Delta.

I have recent experience flying with them... and found everything was excellent.

One flight was categorized as FULL but I was still allowed my ONE carry-on. Perhaps it was the TWO carry-ons that threw the agent into an uneducated hissy fit.

That agent may be a rookie on the job and doesn't know all the exceptions with respect to medical equipment.

[nocreek1]

Here is the web site for th United States of America Department of Transportation Office of the Secretary, Washington DC. This is a fact sheet titled "Steps Taken to Ensure New Security Requirments Presers and Respect the Civil Rights of People with Disabilities"

hhtp://airconsumer.ost.gov/rules

nocreek1

[tiredgrl]

I would go straight to the top of American Airlines.


President and Chief Executive Officer
Gerard J. Arpey
(817) 963-1234
gerard.arpey@aa.com

[DyannaK]

I am sorry all this happened to you... I read thru a pdf file found under Frequently Asked Questions... http://airconsumer.dot.gov/rules/rules.htm

Section 382.121 – Stowage of Mobility Aids and Other Assistive Devices in the Cabin
44. When may a bag containing an assistive device be counted towards a passenger’s carry-on bag limit?

Answer: An assistive device is any piece of equipment that assists a passenger with a disability to hear, see, communicate, maneuver, or perform other functions of daily life, and may include medical devices and medications. A carrier may count toward a passenger’s carry-on limit a carry-on bag containing items other than an assistive device. For example, a bag containing both medications related to the passenger’s disability and toiletry items or one in which a back brace and clothing are packed would be subject to the carry-on limit even though the medications and back brace meet the definition of assistive device. To the extent possible, all of a passenger’s assistive devices should be included in one bag. When making a determination as to whether an item qualifies as an assistive device, the carrier may ask the passenger how the item assists the person in performing a function of daily life.

45. May carriers assess excess baggage charges for an assistive device tendered as checked baggage that exceeds the standard size, weight, or number limit in the carrier’s free baggage allowance?

Pretty interesting reading. I guess it pays to check all this out...

Answer: As a general matter, a carrier must not charge for assistive devices that exceed the standard baggage limits on size, weight, or number of pieces. However, there are circumstances under which the carriage of devices due to their weight, size, or number would constitute an undue burden or cause a fundamental alteration of the carrier’s service. In such situations the carrier may not be required to transport the assistive device free of charge or possibly at all. These situations necessitate case-by-case determinations.

46. Is a carrier obliged to make room for a passenger’s assistive device in an overhead compartment or other in-cabin stowage area if all compartments are full by the time the passenger boards the aircraft?

Answer: Carriers must offer pre-boarding to passengers with a disability who self-identify at the gate as needing to stow accessibility equipment (see section 382.93). If a passenger with a disability does not self-identify and take advantage of the opportunity to pre-board, and all overhead compartments are full by the time the passenger boards, the carrier would not be obliged to remove and check carry-on items of other passengers in order to stow the assistive device in the cabin. Although not required by our rule, in situations where such a passenger would need to use the assistive device during the flight (e.g., a cane used to walk to the aircraft lavatory), we would encourage the carrier to ask other passenger(s) to agree to gate check an item and allow the passenger to stow this device in the cabin despite the passenger’s not having pre-boarded.

I sure hope you can get everything straightened out...

Dyanna

[Yoda]

46. Is a carrier obliged to make room for a passenger’s assistive device in an overhead compartment or other in-cabin stowage area if all compartments are full by the time the passenger boards the aircraft?

Answer: Carriers must offer pre-boarding to passengers with a disability who self-identify at the gate as needing to stow accessibility equipment (see section 382.93). If a passenger with a disability does not self-identify and take advantage of the opportunity to pre-board, and all overhead compartments are full by the time the passenger boards, the carrier would not be obliged to remove and check carry-on items of other passengers in order to stow the assistive device in the cabin. Although not required by our rule, in situations where such a passenger would need to use the assistive device during the flight (e.g., a cane used to walk to the aircraft lavatory), we would encourage the carrier to ask other passenger(s) to agree to gate check an item and allow the passenger to stow this device in the cabin despite the passenger’s not having pre-boarded.

They did not offer the pre-boarding option to those needing additional assistance on that flight. I asked about it and the gate agent said that only first class could board early... So, I was not given that opportunity. Not a good day... But, at least it happened on the way home.

[Yoda]

I would go straight to the top of American Airlines.

I am working on my letter. Thanks for all the ideas...

[ozij]

I wouldn't put my CPAP in the overhead bin in they asked me to. I don't want it bumped and banged by other people's bags -- I keep it under the seat in front of me.

O.

[Paul56]

I would go straight to the top of American Airlines.


President and Chief Executive Officer
Gerard J. Arpey
(817) 963-1234
gerard.arpey@aa.com

Anything send straight to the top in any large organization gets filtered before the person in the position gets to it.

Not that they are ignoring you but more that they simply don't have time to deal with all these issues... particularly when they likely have a customer relations group setup specifically to deal with these issues.

The email/letter will be routed to Customer Relations.

[gingerdos]

I'm traveling with my husband. We are bring 2 CPAP, 4 masks, tubes, extension cords, 2 HH, 1 nebulizer, a large amt of medication. We are carrying all this plus a laptop, noise canceling headphones, blow up pillows. We are using one rolling case, smaller then Jet Blues carryon size. We are also bringing my purse, a small cooler with food (6 hour flight plus must arrive at airport 2 hours before flight)

We have called ahead, will use their wheelchair for me, and explained that we are bring medical equipment. My poor husband has to lug all the carryon. So we need to condense our carryons. I always preboard. Even if they decide to count our bag as carryon because of the laptop which has to be carried on board, we are still within our two carryons.

I feel that AA needs to apology to you big time. Thank god you were going home, otherwise what would you have done without your medication?

On a flight with AA once my husband was asked to leave the plane because they over booked. We were already in our seats. This was before 9-11. My husband went up to the cabin and spoke to the pilot. The pilot supported my husband and the cute young boy was made to leave the plane. Sometimes strange things happen.

Ginger

[spitintheocean]

Just out of curiosity, do the regulations require that the airlines allow hand carry status for necessary medical equipment ..... in addition to other hand carried luggage? Could the airline insist that a passenger's requirement to carry medical equipment requires him/her to forfeit the right to other hand carried luggage if there is insufficient cabin space?

[LinkC]

Good grief, this feeding frenzy has drifted WAY off base...

CPAP is not an "assistive device". That term refers to mobility items: crutches, canes, wheelchairs, etc. None of the quoted "assistive device" regulations apply.

None of the quoted rules for "persons with disabilities" apply to CPAPers, either. OSA is not a recognized "disability".

You cannot intermingle "medically necessary equipment" with other substantial items and expect the entire bag to be exempt. Say....a laptop. Unless one has a prescription for it, the airline is correct to disallow it as medically necessary. Just because they sometimes accomodate passengers by ignoring the rules shouldn't alter your expectations when planes are full and space is limited. Those who expect/demand exceptions in their favor make things difficult for the rest of us.

We've heard only one side of this incident (a self-described "rant"!). Perhaps the gate agent WAS rude. Perhaps all parties were. While there are many perceived wrongs and claims of "violating the airlines own rules" and "take away my CPAP", I've yet to read any actual requirements that were broken by the airline. Has anyone?

[raylo]

On their website AA clearly states that passengers are allowed to bring one bag plus one personal item. CPAP machines are cited as an example of an "assistive device" that can be carried on board "above and beyond the restrictions" of the one bag and one personal item.

Of course they also say:

-At some airports, carry-on baggage may be more restricted.
-Additional limits may be placed on carry-on bags because of aircraft stowage capacity.
-Limits may be imposed after the boarding process has begun.

So, it would appear from their website that consolidating your CPAP into one of the two allowable carry on items is above and beyond what one should need to do, however any planning for any type of carry on is subject to being completely blown out of the water at the gate or on the plane. It probably will be blown out of the water these days with the nutty checked bag policies.

Can someone get through to the airlines that increased seating and charges for checked bags should necessitate planning for a way to deal with the resulting increased carry-on luggage. A decent gate-check system or first bag checked included in ticket price would go a long way.

Heck, if they are desperate for baggage income allow a free checked bag and a free personal item carry-on - charge me for my roller carry-on. I would be paying extra for the convenience of not waiting for unloading and for using precious cabin space. There might even be room left in the cabin for our CPAPs to be carried hassle free.

[Paul56]

I see a lot of folks trying to avoid the checked baggage fees these days... so everything gets dragged onboard and they get upset when it is not all allowed. The boarding agents need to draw the line somewhere on fully booked flights.

I still say regardless of checked baggage fee it is best to bring only one carry-on with only your laptop, xPAP equipment, prescriptions and anything else you deem absolutely necessary to keep with you. It is difficult for the boarding agent to refuse one bag when all it contains are your true essentials.

Yoda, not to diminish what you went through... but it sounds to me like you made the decision yourself to not bring your prescriptions aboard with you. Surely there was something in your 40 lb package that could have been dumped in your other bag to make room for them?

I recently spent 8 hours flying which included one short stop. I was able to manage this with one carry-on with the essentials that included a coupla sandwiches. Someone mentioned about bringing a cooler as carry-on... wow. Is that really essential unless you have medications that need to be kept cool? As well, keep in mind that if you are flying internationally customs will have questions about the food items and may disallow them.

[JRI]

I would go straight to the top of American Airlines.


President and Chief Executive Officer
Gerard J. Arpey
(817) 963-1234
gerard.arpey@aa.com

Anything send straight to the top in any large organization gets filtered before the person in the position gets to it.

Not that they are ignoring you but more that they simply don't have time to deal with all these issues... particularly when they likely have a customer relations group setup specifically to deal with these issues.

The email/letter will be routed to Customer Relations.

True it may be filtered but it will be filtered at a higher level than Customer Relations. I wouldn't write the CEO for a minor complaint but in this case I think it is OK. I wrote a letter to the President of a national medical lab about a problem I had at a local facility. I was called by a Regional VP who had been assigned by the President's office to handle my complaint.

The trick is to make your letter business-like and factual.

[Paul56]

Filtered at a higher level?

Yeah, that would be the administrative assistant to the President who sends it straight to where it belongs.