flying with CPAP

madipy · Post by **madipy** » Sat Feb 02, 2008 6:00 pm

Has anyone recently flown from Canada to the USA with CPAP. Were you asked to present a letter from you doctor?

hobbs · Post by **hobbs** » Sat Feb 02, 2008 6:53 pm

I would assume it would be at least as easy?

http://www.tsa.gov/travelers/airtravel/ ... /cpap.shtm

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Sat Feb 02, 2008 9:20 pm

Hiya.

I just love the bit where you have to ask for the searcher to change gloves and take BASIC cleanliness precautions. This stuff should be automatic, and part of their training. See a CPAP machine (and presumably other health devices), take cleanliness precautions - how dumb are these people that they can't be taught this? Do they wash their hands after taking a crap?

Regards,

GrizzlyBear

GrizzlyBear · Post by **GrizzlyBear** » Sat Feb 02, 2008 9:21 pm

Whoops, sorry. Did it again - that was me, obviously.

GrizzlyBear

lifeartist59 · Post by **lifeartist59** » Sat Feb 02, 2008 10:15 pm

I would love to hear more from people who travel with cpaps. I am really concerned about this, and worried about traveling with it for a tour on a bus. I am concerned the tour company will make the machine my one carry on allowance for the bus. I am also concerned about damaging the machine with all the moving around, and the need for extension cords and converters (European destination). I also wonder about the time it will take going through security, and the stress of making connecting flights etc. Has anyone traveled recently and had any experience? Thanks for the info in advance.

hobbs · Post by **hobbs** » Sun Feb 03, 2008 1:31 am

lifeartist59 wrote:I would love to hear more from people who travel with cpaps. I am really concerned about this, and worried about traveling with it for a tour on a bus. I am concerned the tour company will make the machine my one carry on allowance for the bus. I am also concerned about damaging the machine with all the moving around, and the need for extension cords and converters (European destination). I also wonder about the time it will take going through security, and the stress of making connecting flights etc. Has anyone traveled recently and had any experience? Thanks for the info in advance.

Spent (3) weeks in the highlands of Ecuador and the Galapagos Islands (2) years ago with my Bipap Pro and had no problems. Machine survived being in and out of many buses and cars. I see no reason the machine would need to be carry on for a bus trip. The cure for connecting flight stress is to be sure you have lots of time waiting for your next flight. Better (2) hours early than (2) minutes late!
Going to Egypt with a new machine next year. Enjoy your travel, it's good for the soul!

Assimilate · Post by **Assimilate** » Sun Feb 03, 2008 3:06 am

lifeartist59 wrote: I am also concerned about damaging the machine with all the moving around, and the need for extension cords and converters (European destination).

You'll be fine in Europe with the power, no conversion needed as your machine will deal with it; from the spec:Range 100-240V AC.

As for a plug adapter, that'll be no problem either. I live in Europe and have some American plugged electronics that I use with an adapter and have never had a problem.

Have a great trip!

differentdave · Post by **differentdave** » Sun Feb 03, 2008 6:55 am

I have flown in US, Canada and abroad all within the past few months all with my cpap. A few times when I did not check luggage, I had three carry ons and it never was an issue.
I carried (just in case) a copy or script which was never needed.
I received a bag from dme (aside from one from respironics) which has medical device clearly marked on it. It sometimes raises a red flag (as to be expected) but these days I think most if not all security people deal with xpaps daily.

Have a safe trip!

girlsaylor · Post by **girlsaylor** » Sun Feb 03, 2008 8:58 am

As one who had a nightmarish flight out of Ft Lauderdale on AirTran, and back, I can tell you that even though you request clean gloves, clean table, etc, you won't get it there. They even picked up my purse and dumped the contents all over the airport floor! Idiots! Despite my requests that I would handle my own purse, medical equipment, etc, because I was in a wheelchair I was treated as if I was a quadraplegic without a voice, like a mummy! They refused to wheel me up to the conveyor belt so that I could put my own belongings into the bin in the manner I chose, and instead descended upon my belongings like flies on chit. It was demeaning, humiliating, disrespectful, horrible! Next time I fly I'll have copies of the relevant TSA guidelines and shove it in their faces before they even touch my stuff.

girlsaylor (whose arms and hands work just fine, along with my brain and voicebox)

MartyR · Post by **MartyR** » Sun Feb 03, 2008 3:09 pm

people have told me just be sure to take care of your mask carfuly- but that the mahines are durable

NeedsSleep · Post by **NeedsSleep** » Sun Feb 03, 2008 4:13 pm

I flew on Southwest in Nov with my machine for the 1st time. All you had to do was take it out of the bag and put it in the bin. the TSA person swiped it they never touoched the hoses or the mask I kept them in the bag. I will report how I make out this weekend I am going on a cruise with the machine.

Rachael · Post by **Rachael** » Sun Feb 03, 2008 4:24 pm

I have always gotten secondary screening, probably because I don't fit the cpap profile. (I am younger, female, and slender-ish.) I always have to ask for clean gloves, and sometimes they were very surly and cranky about it. They swipe with the paper pads and always came up with "bomb" residue until a nice TSA person mentioned that many face creams have glycerin, which counts as bomb residue. Since than I wipe my cpap down with alcohol before I fly and it doesn't trigger the bomb thing.

flying with CPAP

flying with CPAP

U.S. to Canada info . . .

flying with cpap

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Re: flying with cpap

don't presume screeners were issued common sense w/ uniforms

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