Airline travel

[debst99@yahoo.com]

I haven't been on here for awhile, but I thought I remembered that people said for you to be able to carry a CPAP machine on an airline, you needed a prescription for it with you. Can you help me? Thank you.

[meg20]

I actually just flew a couple days ago and asked. You need a prescription for distilled water if you plan on carrying that on. If it's just your machince, you have to take it out of your carrying case like a laptop and then once it goes through the xray macine a security person will swipe it with something and have that run through a machine and you are good to go!

[tattooyu]

Meg is correct. I just flew out of Burbank to Denver and back. I went the extra step of putting the blower itself in a 2 gallon ziploc bag for the bin. I left everything else in my CPAP soft-case (mask, filters, tubes, humidifer, etc.). It was a cinch!

I did not take distilled water with me since we were able to get some at the supermarket at our destination.

[araminta]

I just completed a series of flights. Not all airports even bothered to ask me to remove the cpap from its bag. I do have a medical equipment tag (which you can download from an earlier posting). And I did bring with my Rx just in case - but no one asked for it.

[millich]

I just completed a series of flights. Not all airports even bothered to ask me to remove the cpap from its bag. I do have a medical equipment tag (which you can download from an earlier posting). And I did bring with my Rx just in case - but no one asked for it.

Exactly my experience this month (except I didn't have a medical equipment tag) - on both American and Southwest Airlines.

[judyhorowitz@aol.com]

How about international travel?

[bearded_two]

I wonder if the TSA has finally stopped requiring that CPAP machines be swabbed.

Those "Medical Equipment" tags won't make any difference to the TSA, the x-ray will show that you have a CPAP machine your bag, and the inspectors know what it is. A "Medical Equipment" tag could make a difference when boarding an aircraft with more than the normally allowed number of carry-on bags, especially if the bag doesn't look like a CPAP bag.

[El Pap]

I wonder if the TSA has finally stopped requiring that CPAP machines be swabbed.

TSA at Myrtle Beach International Airport swabbed mine when I flew out earlier this month.

[cflame1]

How about international travel?

I've flown international (mind you it's been between US and Canada) a few times with mine. No need for a script. I haven't needed a medical tag, I carry mine in the Respironics case that's clearly marked.

[bearded_two]

It is a good idea to carry a copy of your prescription with you when you travel in case an unfortunate situation arises where you need to buy a new mask or to rent/buy a CPAP machine when you are out of town. I carry a copy of my CPAP prescription in my wallet when I fly so that I will have it with me if the airplane has to be evacuated in an emergency.

[drj130]

I've not had to fly yet with my machine, but I have several items that I plan to carry with me. Letter from my doctor saying that I have to carry it with me, a copy of my prescription, and the tag that will go on my bag.

David

[LinkC]

Just got back from a trip traveling by air and train. No probs whatsoever. Two out of three trips thru TSA they swabbed the machine...always clean gloved and they always asked me first. (Dunno what would have happened if I said No...)

ALL flights, I went to the podium and said "I have medical equipment I have to keep with me. Can I get pre-boarding?" Every time they went out of their way to get us on first so there was plenty of storage for carry-ons. Once, she moved out seats to an empty row so we had a seat between us for the CPAP bag. (I think she thought I had to use it in flight, but I didn't tell her that either way. I just thanked her profusely for accommodating us.) We boarded either with or BEFORE First Class on all flights. Felt like a rock star! lol Even had a nice conversation with Paula Deen's hubby while waiting to board. He's a hosehead, too, btw. (Guys, ask your wife who that is...)

I was NOT allowed to take a sealed bottle of water marked "Purified water for CPAP". Don't know if a 'script would have helped. I DO have a tag on my case (standard M-series bag). Dunno if it helped or not. I made sure it was facing out when stowing the bag in the overhead, and no one ever tried to stuff another bag on top of it...even on a flight where they were cramming stuff everywhere. It may have helped there (although I doubt they could have hurt it, anyway.)

[sheldons65]

I've traveled to Europe, Canada, Peru, and Brazil as well as inside the USA since getting mine back in late April with no problems. Have also flown internally in Brazil, Peru, and Europe. I use the Respironics black bag.

All of the security personnel seem to be familiar with such equipment. Airline personnel never say anything or question about the equipment. I use bottled water mainly when I travel without any difficulty. Sometimes I have to use tap water.

DFW TSA personnel recently started asking me to remove the unit from the bag. I really don't like putting it in the same container used for shoes so I think next time I will mention this...

[Reddwarf]

I have had to start traveling again for work on a weekly basis. Every time I go through security they check my CPAP machine with the swipe test. I take it out of the case and put it in a bin just like the laptop. That speeds up the process a bit. I usually tell them I have a CPAP so they have a heads up. I never thought about carrying the prescription with me. That seems like a good idea.

Only once did a flight attendant stop me when I had 3 bags (1 carry on suitcase, 1 laptop bag, 1 CPAP bag). I told her one was a medical device and she didn't protest. I'm going to look for the medical tag referenced in this thread.

The only problem I have is getting the distilled water. I have to hunt down a drugstore and buy a gallon. I have considered taking a bottle with me as I heard if you have a prescription for the distilled water they will allow it, but that seems like a bigger hassle to me.

Don't know what I would did if the TSA machine gave a false reading on my CPAP machine! That happened years ago to an insole I had in my shoes. I had to leave my insoles at the airport in order to fly home.

[millich]

We boarded either with or BEFORE First Class on all flights. Felt like a rock star!

Now if we could just figure out a way to get ourselves upgraded to First Class, wouldn't life be grand?