Someone please give me update on flying with CPAP

[CrazyOldCatLady]

Hi,
Just took my first flights with my CPAP. (Seattle > Burbank and back) TSA asked me to treat it like a laptop. All I did, though, was open the ResMed travel case and expose the machine once it was in it's own scanner tray. I also had my prescription and a doc which ResMed has on their website especially for this. The biggest hassle was remembering to get distilled water for the humidifer when I got there. BTW, if you use a humidifier, don't be surprised if the amount of water it uses varies significantly in a new location. Here in Seattle, a fill lasts almost a week. Southern California - 2 nights at best.

Hope you are going someplace fun.

[JointPain]

Thanks. Venice. Camera is a DSLR so too bulky to fit in with laptop. I guess I could put both in a trash bag for travel.

[máirtín]

Last year I travelled to Europe with the machine.
Here's a summary of my experience:
SFO to Chicago on United: No problem. I carried the machine in a Lidl bag and placed the open ResMed bag in a separate tray to go through the scanner.
Chicago to Dublin on AerLingus: No problem. Security asked me to step aside for secondary screening. Pleasant CPAP conversation while the agent swabbed the machine.
Dublin to Tours on RyanAir: No problem. Asked by other passenger why I got to have two carry-on bags (I detected a slight note of bitterness in the tone).
Tours to Dublin on RyanAir: Slight problem in Tours: French RyanAir employees had never seen a CPAP machine before. Supervisor called to inspect documentation (I didn't have Rx but had all of the billing documents from Apria).

Get yourself a Lidl bag (Leclerc bags work great, too).

[GumbyCT]

Thanks. Venice. Camera is a DSLR so too bulky to fit in with laptop.

My cell phone takes absolutely great pictures. No problem carrying it anywhere I go. On a recent trip I took over 600 pics and not once had to go looking for film.

[Bluecat]

If flying with Ryanair, here is their answer on carrying CPAP equipment on board:

If a passenger has sleep apnoea they may carry their CPAP machine and ancillary equipment free of charge, however the use of these machines is not permitted inflight.

If the CPAP is within our cabin baggage dimensions (55cm x 40cm x 20cm) then it can be carried onboard and does not form part of the cabin baggage allowance. However, if the CPAP is larger than these dimensions it would need to be suitably packed and would be carried in the hold of the aircraft and would not form part of the checked baggage allowance.

Electronic CPAP machines are acceptable, however if the CPAP machine is battery operated the batteries used for CPAP are required to be non-spillable and the outer packaging must be marked "NON-SPILLABLE" or "NON-SPILLABLE BATTERY." If a battery is not labeled non-spillable, crew members will treat the battery as a spillable battery and will be unable to accept the CPAP for carriage.

Requirements for Traveling with a CPAP Machine

All of the following requirements must be met to travel with a CPAP on a Ryanair flight

Customers must pre-advise their carriage of the CPAP and model to the Ryanair Special Assistance Line A questionaire will need to be completed by the customer regarding the type and model of the CPAP. Once the questionnaire is submitted to Ryanair and carriage of the item approved has been approved by Ryanair a confirmation letter will be sent/emailed to the customer. The confirmation letter must be presented along with the CPAP machine and a letter confirming that the passenger is fit to fly at the Ryanair Visa/Document Check desk or Bag Drop desk at the departure airports. Once all items have been inspected to ensure compliance with our requirements then the confirmation letter will be stamped 'ok for travel' and the passenger may then proceed with the item to the boarding gate.
The customer must have also present a letter in English on headed paper from their doctor advising that:

The user of the CPAP machine is fit for travel

[SleepingUgly]

Get yourself a Lidl bag (Leclerc bags work great, too).

Never heard of it!

Do I have to have some kind of documentation?

[dtsm]

Put your camera and laptop in the same bag. Put nothing but CPAP equipment and supplies in the other. They can't say a thing.
In fact, you would still be authorized a "personal Item"...

Not entirely true as I don't believe all international carriers abide by the USA TSA rules re cpap and medical equipment. I've never had a problem but only because I fly business. If economy, you might encounter a problem with three carry-ons, even though they're small.

YMMV

[Bandnuts]

Thanks. Venice. Camera is a DSLR so too bulky to fit in with laptop. I guess I could put both in a trash bag for travel.

I use duel camera/computer bags... To start, I bought a small DSLR camera bag that fits just the ResMed S9 unit perfect (no humidifier or power cord). This provides great padding and carries like a dream. Because I don't put the power cord with it, anyone traveling with me (wife, daughter, etc...) can carry it easy if needed.

A lot of times I'll have to carry a larger camera kit (with a pro sized and gripped DSLR, 2 or 3 large lenses and a full size flash). To carry the ResMed S9, I use my smaller camera case (for padding) and sometimes a combo computer camera backpack (NOTE: I have to leave the humidifier at home). So, I end up with two options:

1) A large DSLR camera case and small one with the S9 or...
2) The larger camera case and a computer backpack that is large enough to carry my computer and the S9 in it's padded case.

The hoses, mask, computer power cord, etc... go in the checked bag. I decide where to put the ResMed power adapter based on available space (that dude is heavy).

These set-ups seem to work great. Because of a hip implant, I have to get "personal" with the TSA Agents every time I go through an airport. If they want, they check my carry-on bags separate while doing the pat down (only happened one time out of 6 trips so far).

Bandnuts...

[máirtín]

Get yourself a Lidl bag (Leclerc bags work great, too).

Never heard of it!

Do I have to have some kind of documentation?

Lidl is a supermarket chain. They have branches all over Europe. You can buy a large sturdy bag with handles that fits the dimensions of carry-on for 1€.
E.Leclerc is another large supermarket chain based in France.

[LinkC]

Not entirely true as I don't believe all international carriers abide by the USA TSA rules re cpap and medical equipment. I've never had a problem but only because I fly business. If economy, you might encounter a problem with three carry-ons, even though they're small.

Number of carry-ons and/or medical equipment is not subject to the TSA.

I assume, as the OP lives in Texas, he will be flying an airline which serves the US. Each airline operating in or to the US has their own policy which must be in line with FAA's 14 CFR Chapter 1. If you know of an international carrier which serves the USA and is NOT complying, you should report them to the FAA.

(So how does 1 CPAP bag and 1 cam/laptop bag add up to "three carry-ons"?

[Bright Choice]

I hope all aspects of you trip go smoothly- airlines, sleep et al. Have fun too!

[LinkC]

Camera is a DSLR so too bulky to fit in with laptop. I guess I could put both in a trash bag for travel.

Delta (as an example):
Approved Personal Carry-on Items
1 purse, briefcase, camera bag, or diaper bag;
or 1 laptop computer (computers cannot be checked and must be carried on);
or 1 item of a similar or smaller size to those listed above.

OK, so EITHER the cam bag OR the laptop can count as your "personal item". You are allowed 1 carry-on and 1 personal item, as long as each will fit in the overhead.

Carry-on: cam bag
Personal item: laptop
CPAP: medical (doesn't count at all)

Voila!

[LinkC]

The hoses, mask, computer power cord, etc... go in the checked bag.

And if your checked bag is lost/delayed?

I would NEVER check anything necessary for CPAP therapy. It's too important to me. But that's just me...YMMV.

[JointPain]

Thanks for the info. I did find the following old post viewtopic.php?t=4500&highlight=airport#p64047. Hopefully they've got more accurate tests now. (And I don't know whether to be relieved (as a cpap user) or worried (as a passenger) that they would allow on the plane a device that is positive in their tests!)

[LinkC]

Dunno about "more accurate"... But I haven't had them even swab my machine in the past year or so. They scan it and let it go. Guess they see enough of them they are getting more comfortable. (Watch some idiot hide a bomb in a CPAP shell and screw it up for us hoseheads!!!)