CPAP Airline Travel - Is It Counted As a Carryon?

swab test is to see if there is any explosive residue I think. they physically swab the machine with a small cloth and put the swab through some type of analysis device they have at the end of the line.

Although I don't travel by air every week--ditto what schwawi said. It's just not an issue in the US--and I have had no problem on overseas trips either. It's amazing how many people are carrying those familiar cpap bags in the airport, that I never noticed before becoming a hosehead!

What's this "swab test" all about?

one more thing.... At larger airports, prior to entering the security line, TSA may question why you have three bags and tell you you can only have two, but if you tell them you have a medical device in the third, they will let you pass through into the line. Safe travels

As someone who flies evary week with a CPAP machine, I can confidently tell you that the machine does not count toward your carry on limit. I regularly carry on a rolling suitcase, a laptop bag, and my CPAP travel case. On smaller planes, I gate-check my rolling suitcase, but carry on my laptop bag and CPAP travel case. On larger planes, I carry on all three, putting two in the overhead and one under the seat in front of me.

When you travel with a CPAP, you will have to remove it from the bag and put it through the x-ray machine at security, just as you would a laptop. Additionally, for the CPAP, TSA always conducts a swab test, but this takes only a few minutes.

Hope this helps.

Georgio wrote:Good Morning, I have a flight on AirTran airways in a couple days, and have been reading the discussions about cpap carry ons. My last impression was that the airlines allow the cpap as a "freebe" in addition to, with Airtran, 1 - carry on bag, and 1 - personal item, purse, briefcase or laptop computer. What's the latest intel on this subject?

Thanks, Georgio

You have described how it is supposed to be on US carriers (that a separately carried CPAP shouldn't count as one of the carry-ons allowed), but the actual practice of what happens on the plane may be different. With the (now separate) charges for checked baggage some flights and planes are packed and the regs and policices tend to take a back seat. It can be quite chaotic and the flight attendants may struggle just to try to get the plane in the air in a timely way - they may not care if you bag has a CPAP or wet towels in it. Apparently CPAPers may be able to qualify for pre-board which would ensure space for the extra carry on, but I have not tested this. Getting on the plane late in the boarding process increases the chance of problems because the space to stow carry-ons may be completely gone.

Practical suggestions vary, as have some of the experiences of flying CPAPers. My suggestion is that if time and finances allow it, check all that you can and take your CPAP and maybe one very small other carry-on with just what you need or can't bear to have arrive late. Others will certainly have other suggestions.

Common sense would suggest that any "medically neccesary equipment" would not be considered part of your carry-on limit. However, since airlines tend not to follow common sense, I'd ask them ahead of time.

Good Morning, I have a flight on AirTran airways in a couple days, and have been reading the discussions about cpap carry ons. My last impression was that the airlines allow the cpap as a "freebe" in addition to, with Airtran, 1 - carry on bag, and 1 - personal item, purse, briefcase or laptop computer. What's the latest intel on this subject?

Thanks, Georgio