Flying with CPAP

[Dan on CPAP]

Anyone fly with CPAP recently? If so,
- where did you plug in?
- was it weird with strangers around
I'm taking a 6 hr flight next month (overnight) and I always sleep on planes, 1st time since CPAP. Please give me your experiences

[reitzell]

I'm curious too. I'm flying to Paris from San Diego next month. I called Delta and the person there said it shouldn't be a problem. The Delta website said they do not provide power and and don't allow wet batteries.

A "gotcha" about this is one is the website says the machine needs to be labeled that it complies with FAA regulations and mine doesn't have the label so we'll see.

[dtsm]

There are about 4-5 detail threads on this. Here's one to help you get started, do a search for the others
viewtopic/t51181/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=47 ... ap#p443408

[Marietjie]

Dan on CPAP

Read more - Tag for your Cpap equipment - https://www.cpap.com/productpage/medica ... pment.html

[reitzell]

Thanks... 2009. The rules on this are changing... probably why he asked about recent travel.

I found this article another May 2009 thing but it lists the label requirement:

http://www.ehow.com/list_6039892_faa-rules-cpap.html

[reitzell]

Dan on CPAP

Read more - Tag for your Cpap equipment - https://www.cpap.com/productpage/medica ... pment.html

I'm going to get this and see if it helps. Thanks!

[dtsm]

Thanks... 2009. The rules on this are changing... probably why he asked about recent travel.

I found this article another May 2009 thing but it lists the label requirement:

http://www.ehow.com/list_6039892_faa-rules-cpap.html

2010 posts - not much has changed but common sense says to call the individual airline in case they've relaxed their regulations.
viewtopic.php?f=1&t=49232&p=450930&hili ... ag#p450930

I'm doing an international trip later this month (my first since starting cpap), with a couple of sectors with 12-17 hr flight times....so it will be interesting to see what transpires. Haven't finalized my reservations so not sure which airlines I'm flying yet....

[LinkC]

The downloadable tag will get your machine on the plane (and not counted as a carry-on so long as there is nothing but CPAP supplies in it).

Getting approval to USE it onboard is a different issue. Aircraft usually have a few seats with power outlets, but you need to reserve far enough in advance to get one...and you need to know which ones they are. Or you need your own power supply.

If it were me...and only a 6-hr flight...I'd take a good book or two.

[cpapernewbie]

Agree with LinkC opinion

Last year I traveled across the Pacific to Asia and spent more than 16 hours on flight and flying to different countries/cities there - may were more than 6 hours.

There was no way for me to even try booting my small netbook, let alone trying to sleep with a CPAP
Just trying to eat meal was already a big chore in that very tight space

The Economy class these days really treating passengers like sardines in the can, there is no room for anything, except your body.. even that it is very very limited

Unless you fly Business or First Class, it is wishful thinking to think even about sleeping. I cannot imagine setting up a CPAP with humidifier and the battery pack there, unless you buy another ticket for your CPAP set - your CPAP as a passenger accompanying you

[snoreking]

Do it often, and have done so recently on British Air, United, and Lufthansa. I carry a light weight Lithium Ion battery that will power my machine for 10 hours between charges in my CPAP case. They are FAA approved as carry-on, but not as checked baggage. That said, I have almost always been able to plug in directly and not use the battery. Some airlines have standard plugs, others have special plugs. You can check your exact seat to determine the power availability and plug on the SeatGuru web site.
The airline crew are used to the machines, and other passengers don't seem to blink -- or at least never have said or shown any interest or even curiosity in my experience.

[DreamDiver]

Do it often, and have done so recently on British Air, United, and Lufthansa. I carry a light weight Lithium Ion battery that will power my machine for 10 hours between charges in my CPAP case. They are FAA approved as carry-on, but not as checked baggage. That said, I have almost always been able to plug in directly and not use the battery. Some airlines have standard plugs, others have special plugs. You can check your exact seat to determine the power availability and plug on the SeatGuru web site.
The airline crew are used to the machines, and other passengers don't seem to blink -- or at least never have said or shown any interest or even curiosity in my experience.

First class or business? Where do you set your machine?

[snoreking]

Economy, or premium economy. Sometimes Business. Never First.

I just set the machine on the floor by my feet, and run the mask tube up from there. Since you don't toss, turn, or roll around a lot, the standard mask tube is plenty long enough.

[Dan on CPAP]

Thanks for all the replies and threads. I should've included that the flight is a red eye flight to meet a cruise ship out of Flordia. I will keep all informed of my CPAP Flight adventure....

[billbolton]

I'm taking a 6 hr flight next month (overnight) and I always sleep on planes

Keep in mind that your CPAP machine is a piece of electronic equipment. No matter how it is powered, you will not be able to use it until the aircraft, more or less, reaches cruising altitude and you will need to switch it off when the aircraft starts descending to land.

Depending the specific flight parameters, that could be up to an hour of flight duration where you will not be able to use CPAP.

Cheers,

Bill

[dtsm]

Agree with LinkC opinion
The Economy class these days really treating passengers like sardines in the can, there is no room for anything, except your body.. even that it is very very limited
Unless you fly Business or First Class, it is wishful thinking to think even about sleeping.

I can't speak from first hand cpap experience (yet) but having flown trans-pacific for many years, there's plenty of room in business or first on Asian carriers (eg SQ, CX, OZ). And on some carriers, economy is also quite comfortable - again the non-stop direct long hauls from say JFK to HK or JFK to Singapore, on CX and SQ are good examples.

Maybe you're talking about US carriers?