CPAP and Travel

[Nishtha Sharma]

The airlines only allow one carry on. Does that mean that they count medical equipment as the carry on? Will I be allowed to bring my personal carry on and my CPAP on board or would one piece have to be checked in? Thanks. Do they make exceptions?

[shambharwani]

You are allowed one handbag in addition to the CPAP equipment. I've not been stopped by any airline however you may want to reconfirm it with your airline. I believe there is some FAA rule which exempts CPAP (and cerain medical) equipement from being considered as hand baggage.

Sham

[greyhound]

Sham's response is true in the U.S. However, in London (at least, several years ago in London), we were permitted only one carry on, medical equipment included.

[Paul56]

You can always do like I do... take only ONE carry-on in which my notebook, cpap equipment and some odds 'n ends can fit.

They will be hard pressed to give you grief with only ONE carry-on.

[jackdenial]

As to criticisms of cpap.com relative to requiring prescriptions,it is absurd to think any firm selling products for profit would purposely make buying from them more difficult than absolutely necessary.As to obtaining a prescription,a sleep lab doctor wrote me a CPAP prescription many years ago.I wanted to upgrade to an Auto CPAP machine last December,so I went to my GP,handed him a copy of my old sleep study results,told him I needed a new prescription to get a new machine,and that the prescription should read like the text on a paper that I handed him.He reached for his prescription pad,copied the text exactly, signed the prescription,and handed it to me.

[kingsmith]

Travelling with a Continuous Positive Air Pressure machine can be frustrating the first time you try it, so the best thing to do is to bring all of your paperwork with you.

* Bring your prescription from your doctor proscribing CPAP therapy, and make sure your name matches the name shown on your identification.
* If you’ve gotten married or changed your name, bring proof of that legal change as well.