Great TSA experience w/CPAP

[evbirch]

Just got back from my first air travel with CPAP. Went through security in Seattle, Kansas City, and Washington National airports and had no trouble at all.

I used the free CPAP medical ID tag (from: http://www.mindspring.com/~jimw203@mind ... -Tag_1.pdf). When I went through security, they swabbed my machine, but no one minded when I asked them to put on new gloves or use a new swab. I only wish that the bag that came with my machine was set up a little differently, so it would have been easier to pull out the machine only (not the humidifier, etc...), but it wasn't a big deal. Not a single TSA or airline employee (Midwest Airlines) gave me any trouble about having an extra carry-on (I had a backpack, purse, and CPAP bag) and everyone knew what CPAP was.

So, fellow CPAP-ers, easy air travel with CPAP may not always (or even usually) occur, but it is POSSIBLE.

Emily

[Captain_Midnight]

Emily, I always ask (politely) for new gloves as well. I think that they always use new swabs.

One other thing. The plastic bins and also conveyor belts into and through the x-ray machine are truly filthy. I travel with a few clean plastic bags (usually just grocery bags) and let my apap ride through the machine safely shielded from whatever crud came from people's shoes, coins, and who-knows-what?

Then after the TSA swab, I just toss the contaminated bag. (I'm always thinking of fungi, like from feet, but TB, legionnaires, and other pathogens do lurk about.)


.

[carbonman]

I'm flying this weekend.
I plan on taking my heated hose, the Ozzy kind, not the reptile kind,
in my cpap case.
Any problems w/TSA??

[DreamDiver]

I'm flying this weekend.
I plan on taking my heated hose, the Ozzy kind, not the reptile kind,
in my cpap case.
Any problems w/TSA??

So long as looks like a commercially manufactured medical device and not a duct-taped-and-wired wmd, I'm sure it will be fine. Probably best to leave the reptile hose at home, eh?

[tgzlavistane]

I have more problems with a little bottle of Crest toothpaste than my CPAP nowadays when it comes to the TSA. I will not even go into it but let me say there is no use in fighting battles you can't win when it comes to the TSA. Just throw out the new bottle of toothpaste get trough screening and head to the airport lounge and forget about it.

[jnk]

My understanding is that the main reason the blowers are screened is the density of the electronics. The humidifiers, for example, are not screened. For that reason, I doubt a heated hose would draw any attention. However, I would probably put any accessories I wasn't sure about in my checked-in luggage if I had any.

The biggest trouble I ever had with airport security was years ago when I brought back an over-sized bottle of sunscreen from a Caribbean cruise and then left it in my carry-on for flying back to NYC. (Not very smart, even back then.) They went through my carry-on luggage with a fine-toothed comb and swabbed and tested everything. I don't think it was explosives they were looking for, though.