Specifically ... Southwest Airlines

laurel wrote: I need to buy a nice bright luggage tag for my CPAP bag. I wonder if anyone makes luggage tags that actually say "Medical Equipment" somewhere on them in a bright stylish way? Could be cool.

Our sponsor, cpap.com has a luggage tag that says "Medical Device" and has the DOT and TSA rules printed on the back. It isn't "bright and stylish" though, and I wish it had a place for your name (other than just using a Sharpie to write it on the front).

https://www.cpap.com/productpage/medica ... pment.html

I made my own tag last summer. The tag is roughly 3.5" by 5"



On the back side:



I used a piece of heavy (maybe card stock) paper in my ink jet printer, signed my name on the back and then laminated the tag using a self-laminating sheet from Officemax.

Obviously not stylish, but then I wouldn't want to get too whimsical with it going through TSA checkpoints.

No issues in well over 30 SW flights since getting xpap in 05.

I always carry my apap in a back pack, and never bring humidifier. It goes nicely under seat.

Also you can also the gate counter (where you actually board the plane - not the luggage drop off check in) for a "Pre-Boarding" pass due to medical equipment. I've done this numerous times with Southwest without any questions asked. I always put my CPAP bag on the floor under my seat - so its safe and within my control. It's small and narrow enough to my feet go between. Better safe than sorry.

This is what I've used for my PR CPAP travel bag....lamented it and use it as a luggage tag

It has been my experience that airlines and airport security pretty much ignore CPAP machine. We went to Russia via Amsterdam and returning through Paris. Flew Horizon, Delta, Air France and KLM. The only place I was even asked to open the bag was in Seattle when we returned home. I had a big tag on the case that said "Medical equipment CPAP" but I don't think that made a difference. Never flown Southwest with the CPAP but have relatives that have and reported no problems.

Friday will be my first time flying with the machine an will be using Southwest. I printed off the card and hope that I do not have issues. Guess I can carry on laptop and CPAP and check my bag. That for the advice on the tag and the who thread!! Very useful. I have a Phillips System One - I can leave the water tray at home and have the setting at "0"?

Thanks Again!
Ray

Never a problem on any airline.

I travel all over the globe with a cpap- but I have a spare junky unit that I just put in my briefcase. The Respironics units are pretty tough. No experience with other brands. I always wind up having to put the unit in its own bin for TSA just like a computer. The humidifier and any ancillary parts stay home.

A few comments- I usually travel with a spare mask and tube and keep each item in it own heavy duty ziplock bag. The plastic in these parts pick up odors from hotel rooms and luggage very easily. When I'd visit my mother, the oil burner smell from her house would come home with me.

Some of the pieces on the mask are fragile so I usually use a spare yogurt container to protect the plastic from getting squished in the overhead luggage rack. It's usually the most vulnerable piece.

I ALWAYS travel with an 18 gauge zipcord style extension cord (at least 15 feet). Lots of hotel rooms don't have free outlets by the bed unless you pull stuff away from the wall.

The bags that have come with my cpap units are needlessly awkward in shape, ugly, not well padded, and inconvenient for travel. I won't use them.

I flew with Southwest Air 2 weeks ago... My resmed bag had the tags from CPAP.com on it.

I had the CPAP bag and a medium sized backpack.... We had no issues at all.

As a matter of fact during gate check-in, the gate attendant offered me head of the line priviledges during boarding.... which I declined.

TSA also saw the tags and had no issues.

Everything went smoothly

I have no trouble on SW. TSA calls it a "breathing machine" at my airport. I put everything in plastic in case a TSA agent wants to handle the parts with those grimy gloves. I've also asked hotels to have a gallon of distiller water in my room when I get there without difficulty.

I'm actually a Supervisor for Southwest and have had Customers with CPAP machines before. (I've actually been on this forum reading a lot because I was just diagnosed with OSA myself)

I've had Customers put their CPAP in their checked and carry on luggage... Please don't check your CPAP unless it is really necessary. There is always a chance that your bag will be delayed and the fine print officially recommends against checking it. With that said, should we delay your bag with your CPAP inside we would pay for rental costs while you are without. But its on a reimbursement level and that only goes so far.. especially trying to find a rental in a new city. The Southwest office does have contacts for wheelchair repair, but CPAP rentals is less common.
And in the worst case scenario, we insure bags for up to $3400.. We have up to five days to locate your bag before it is considered /lost/. We also don't scan bags on or off our aircraft... so exact location data is slow to come by when your bag is delayed. I really feel for our Customers who have their medicine or medical devices delayed. (Or house keys or car keys or wallets or passports or large piles of cash............)

If you are able to carry your CPAP with you, it will be allowed outside of normal carry on policy. (IE One carry on item, a personal item, and your CPAP bag.) If the flight is full and they inform you that there is no more room in over head storage, the CPAP does get "priority" meaning that it is only checked if that's what you want. On most of our aircraft we have a wheelchair compartment that is empty during flight. Most Customers are unaware of it, but we are able to store things like canes and CPAP bags (It is solely reserved for medical equipment... but usually used for flight attendant bags) in this cabinet which is typically located in the aft galley (Depending on aircraft series).

As far as pre-boarding goes... We are limited on what questions we can ask and how we can allow a Customer to pre-board. If you do approach an SWA employee at the gate and ask for pre-boarding they can ask you two questions and two questions alone. (Or they're doing it wrong) Do you need a specific seat on the aircraft? Do you need assistance down the jetway? Simple yes or no answers suffice.

The only time that I've seen a Customer have an "issue" regarding their CPAP was when they placed it in their checked bag... They placed their 8lb CPAP in their bag which weighed 75lbs. They wanted us to waive the over weight fee due to the medical device. We would have waived the weight of the machine but they were still too heavy. (Our limit is two free bags at no more than 50lbs each.. and they were only checking one bag)

Hope this information helps.

SWA Anon

SWA Anon wrote:If the flight is full and they inform you that there is no more room in over head storage, the CPAP does get "priority" meaning that it is only checked if that's what you want. On most of our aircraft we have a wheelchair compartment that is empty during flight. Most Customers are unaware of it, but we are able to store things like canes and CPAP bags (It is solely reserved for medical equipment... but usually used for flight attendant bags) in this cabinet which is typically located in the aft galley (Depending on aircraft series).

Is this cabinet the famous "priority stowage" I read about in the CFRs?

I fly SWA a lot for business. I know some people don't like the cattle call seating, but I've never had a problem with them. Their frequent flyer program used to be the most generous in the business, but it's less so now, still one of the easiest to use, though. I've not had any problems flying with them, but I ALWAYS do carry-on, never checked baggage. I have one rolly bag (which also has my laptop), and the cpap bag. I travel with an older Everest II, which is no longer made. I also carry an extension cord and a multi-tap which fit in the cpap bag, along with copies of my Rx and a letter of medical necessity, signed by my doc. I almost always board in Group A, so overhead bin space is not an issue. If you are in C group, you might have to check something, but NEVER check your cpap! it should fit easily under your seat. Explain if necessary that it is medical equipment and should not be separated from the patient. You can get luggage tags that say MEDICAL EQUIPMENT on one side and DO NOT SEPARATE FROM PATIENT on the other. As someone else remarked here, there is the wheel chair stowage location that you could ask be used to stow your cpap if all else fails. By both TAS and DOT regulaltions, cpaps are to be given priority (along with other medical equipment in stowage.

Good luck with your trip!

I've flow Southwest weekly over the last 6 months without a problem.