Air Canada recently changed policy RE: CPAP & carry-on?

In the past, from flying Air Canada, I know they've considered a CPAP machine as one of your pieces of carry-on. Any time I've flown with Air Canada, I've brought my laptop bag and have had to cram my CPAP bag inside my carry-on small suitcase (with carry-on items). I'm traveling Air Canada in November and thought I'd look up their policy: it seems to have changed to allow CPAP machines *in addition to* your normal 2 carry-on allowance. If I'm reading this correctly, this is GREAT! I've always hated that my CPAP was considered a piece of carry-on.

http://www.aircanada.com/en/travelinfo/ ... ry-on.html
under "Special Items"

Special items
The following items are allowed at all times, in addition to your carry-on allowance:

* Mobility aid (e.g. braces, cane, crutches, walker, communication device*) or other special need item,
* Container carrying life sustaining items,
* Medication in its original, labelled container,
* Battery powered medical equipment (such as CPAP and sleep apnea devices) and Personal Oxygen Concentrators,
* Cremated remains**,
* Syringe or needle for personal medical use (e.g. Epipen). See Exception in ‘Prohibited Items' section below.

ChrisC wrote:In the past, from flying Air Canada, I know they've considered a CPAP machine as one of your pieces of carry-on. Any time I've flown with Air Canada, I've brought my laptop bag and have had to cram my CPAP bag inside my carry-on small suitcase (with carry-on items). I'm traveling Air Canada in November and thought I'd look up their policy: it seems to have changed to allow CPAP machines *in addition to* your normal 2 carry-on allowance. If I'm reading this correctly, this is GREAT! I've always hated that my CPAP was considered a piece of carry-on.

http://www.aircanada.com/en/travelinfo/ ... ry-on.html
under "Special Items"

Special items
The following items are allowed at all times, in addition to your carry-on allowance:

* Mobility aid (e.g. braces, cane, crutches, walker, communication device*) or other special need item,
* Container carrying life sustaining items,
* Medication in its original, labelled container,
* Battery powered medical equipment (such as CPAP and sleep apnea devices) and Personal Oxygen Concentrators,
* Cremated remains**,
* Syringe or needle for personal medical use (e.g. Epipen). See Exception in ‘Prohibited Items' section below.

I have been flying with my CPAP and a laptop for business over the last five years with Air Canada throughout Canada and never have had a problem with Air Canada. The vast majority of my flying has been with AC. Were you ever instructed otherwise prior to you checking this out?

flew with AC in 2008 and CPAP is not a problem at all.

Since your xpap machine is your lifeline, Every Airline has the same policy on medical equipment not counting as a carry on.

I've never had trouble with even flying a partner flight of AC (sold as AC)

rdfry wrote:Since your xpap machine is your lifeline, Every Airline has the same policy on medical equipment not counting as a carry on.

No he is right until last year cpap was considered part of your carry on. In the USA the rules are federal but I am not sure about Canada. But definitely it was not considered carry on medical equipment. People in the past had no issues with it but that was not guaranteed.

rdfry wrote:Every Airline has the same policy on medical equipment not counting as a carry on.

The US regulations only apply to flight sectors originating or terminating within the US. AIrlines flying on other sectors have widely varying policies on whether xPAP equipment is counted withing carry on limits.

In any case, relying solely on the US regulations applying every single time is not a good plan. Flight safety considerations are paramount, and the air crew can decide at the point of service what is or isn't permitted to be carried on.

Cheers,

Bill

I like how our Darth Vader paraphernalia are in the same category as cremated remains.

Fredman wrote:
I have been flying with my CPAP and a laptop for business over the last five years with Air Canada throughout Canada and never have had a problem with Air Canada. The vast majority of my flying has been with AC. Were you ever instructed otherwise prior to you checking this out?

Yes, the website used to state that CPAP counted towards your carry-on. I actually called AC the first time I flew with them to get clarification on whether my CPAP was considered a carry-on bag or not, as I thought the website might have stated an old policy or been in error. i was told that it was their policy that it would be considered a piece of carry-on (as your either carry-on bag or "personal item"). That's why I was surprised to see the change of heart on the website now. I understand that it is the policy of most major carriers to allow xPAP, but it wasn't always the case with AC. I never tried to push the issue at the gate, just had to cram my CPAP bag in with my carry-on luggage every time just in case. I routinely fly on a small DASH-8 where they're notoriously sticky about luggage, so I expected they'd hold me to the letter of the policy.

Exciting development though. I'm glad they've gotten with the times and changed their policy.

That has ALWAYS been the policy. It's not an AC rule, it's a TSA/CATSA rule. They're medical devices and they are exempt. They just don't advertise that you can take a third bag this way as it would confuse people.

rdfry wrote:Since your xpap machine is your lifeline, Every Airline has the same policy on medical equipment not counting as a carry on.

Not true - domestic and international policy varies as do regulations however in my experience they all tend to look the other way .... if you tuck a laptop in be sure to show that the laptop is used to read data from the xpap if confronted.

I have never had a problem domestic nor international.

Guest wrote:That has ALWAYS been the policy. It's not an AC rule, it's a TSA/CATSA rule. They're medical devices and they are exempt. They just don't advertise that you can take a third bag this way as it would confuse people.

UNtrue. TSC/CATSA only sets rules about what is permissable to be taken aboard an aircraft. They do NOT specify whether they are counted as part of an allowed, carry-on allowance. Individual airlines set the rules for what counts as carry-on, just as they set the rules for the number of checked bags that you are allowed.

If you check the Air Canada web page that outlines their rules for carry-on baggae, you can see that they specifically do not count cpap as part of your carry-on allowance. This is a change.

West Jet's web site makes no mention of cpap which by implication means that it does count as a carry-on item. Whether they enforce it or not is another matter, and it may be left up to the flight crew of a particular flight. Not a good idea to bank on their allowing it.

I have been flying Air Canada on one or two round trips per month for the last 8 years, the last 5 carrying both my lap-top bag and the CPAP bag. The CPAP bag has a visible medical device label attached. Not once has any AC staff even insinuated that 2 carry-ons are not permitted.

David

Doodeedoo wrote:I have been flying Air Canada on one or two round trips per month for the last 8 years, the last 5 carrying both my lap-top bag and the CPAP bag. The CPAP bag has a visible medical device label attached. Not once has any AC staff even insinuated that 2 carry-ons are not permitted.

David

Yes but until it was changed it could be done if there was a space issue.

If you are a frequent flyer - especially business class, that is noted. Depending on the letter on your ticket there are different privileges.