Overseas Travel - How does this work?

I travel frequently to Europe and the UK where you cannot find distilled water by that name. I typically purchase "Battery Water" or sometimes referred to as "demineralized water" from the local auto service stations. It works great and was recommended by my CPAP manufacturer.

Bookbear, I hear you. I don't travel that much to US but every time I felt like I took a bus instead of a plane.

We are lucky here in Asia that airlines still pamper their customers. We have more and more budget airlines but I have to say they do a good job as far as customer care is concerned.

As for Qantas.... probably my worst travel experience with them... on a night flight a FA kicked my leg (twice!) because I was trying to stretch it in the aisle while sleeping . But I recently flew Qantas again and they seem to be much better now.

I suspect at the end it all comes to the way the staff is treated and also managed. I love this saying: If you pay peanuts, you get monkeys. Just to relate to the apes story

I do it all the time and just got back from France. I throw all my cpap stuff in my checked bag and it survives just fine. At the hotel I use water out of the tap and a power/outlet adapter to plug in the machine with no problem. Don't make this to hard.

user from Singapore wrote:I find all the posts so far very negative about airlines. Even insulting ("luggage handling apes"). Is that because all of you are based in US?

Look up a video, "United Breaks Guitars," http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5YGc4zOqozo and you'll have some idea of where most of us are coming from.

Of course, Dave Carroll changed United's outlook... sorta.... and made himself a whole new career.

If you look for videos of poor handling you will find many. Not only from US
That's why I always use a hard case suitcase.

I have taken mine overseas many times - Israel, Cyprus, India, Romania, etc and never had any problems except the first time. I mistakenly checked my CPAP, and this caused problems when i went to use it and it malfunctioned - so DO NOT check it.

I always take it in addition to my normal carry-on. Any flight I have ever been on counts a medical device separately from your normal carry on. However, I do have to get it out at every single security checkpoint. They always always always want to scan it manually. The machine itself is easy enough to pull in and out - but I've found the hoses to be a pain. So, i usually zip-lock the hose and cord in one bag, the mask in a another, and then i put the actual cpap in a tiny bag that fits in perfectly - i think it came with the cpap. When pressed, i have checked the hose and mask with my checked luggage, but I prefer not to do so. If my luggage is lost I can get new clothes easy enough, but you can't get a new CPAP anytime soon - and you don't want to ruin your trip.

Also - most CPAPs - even older ones - are 110/220 - but check before you go, to see if you need a converted. Usually i just need an adapter, I don't need a power converter. I have never tried to use it on a flight. A.) because it is cumbersome, b.) i find that if i'm sitting up while I sleep, then the apnea is less pronounced, and I can still get some sleep on a flight

Enjoy your trip !

user from Singapore wrote:If you look for videos of poor handling you will find many. Not only from US
That's why I always use a hard case suitcase.

Can't afford hard cases, not after an airline ripped the rollers off the last set and refused to replace them.

Which is why, IF there is occasion to fly again -- and there may not be, thanks to the TSA, unless we are going overseas -- my ASV comes on board with me.