Airport hand baggage allowance and CPAP

Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Christine Woods on May 7, 2012 at 22:55

Kath

Are other respiratory conditions requiring sleeptime medical equipment regarded for airport/airline purposes as a disability?
Also, as 99 has suggested, could Dame Helena Shovelton have already looked into the earlier discussed CPAP travel issues?

Kath Hope said:

That's great to hear Philip, as one of the calls I got 6 weeks ago was from a lady who said Thomson were insisting she get an official medical equipment sticker as well as the luggage tag.  I advised she photocopy the CPAP Luggage Tag we sell on the main website and sellotape it on.  We had them designed especially with careful clever wording saying it 'should' not be counted as carry-on luggage rather than 'is not' counted as........ ;)  We used to sell one from the states, but it had the 'apnea' spelling and mentioned US airlines.  Seems like Thomson have moved on and hope all the other airlines do too :)  My guess is they will, as more and more people are getting diagnosed for this 'common' condition they'll get inundated with telephone calls without hard and fast rules.
Philip said:

Thomson have recently confirmed I can take my CPAP as hand luggage in addition to normal hand luggage allowances when flying to Spain.. I contacted their specialist assisance number and it was not even a remote issue for them

 

Phil

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Permalink Reply by Kath Hope on May 7, 2012 at 23:03

You'd be best asking Marion@As I Live and Breathe on here or on her Facebook page, as she's the expert on ventilators for conditions such as scoliosis and COPD.

Re BLF, Dame Helena's retired now, but Judy should know the answer.  I'm seeing her later this month at the HSASG Sleep Apnoea Meeting, so remind me to ask her if you don't speak to her before the 24th.
Christine Woods said:

Kath

Are other respiratory conditions requiring sleeptime medical equipment regarded for airport/airline purposes as a disability?
Also, as 99 has suggested, could Dame Helena Shovelton have already looked into the earlier discussed CPAP travel issues?

Phil

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Permalink Reply by Christine Woods on May 7, 2012 at 23:19

Thanks
Don't want to hand over to Judy as she is so busy. However it would really helpful to know the BLF opinion for adding to the debate. From comments received already could I suggest it may be helpful for those experiencing CPAP travel challenges to seek official guidance. Hope others agree
>
Kath Hope said:

You'd be best asking Marion@As I Live and Breathe on here or on her Facebook page, as she's the expert on ventilators for conditions such as scoliosis and COPD.

Re BLF, Dame Helena's retired now, but Judy should know the answer.  I'm seeing her later this month at the HSASG Sleep Apnoea Meeting, so remind me to ask her if you don't speak to her before the 24th.
Christine Woods said:

Kath

Are other respiratory conditions requiring sleeptime medical equipment regarded for airport/airline purposes as a disability?
Also, as 99 has suggested, could Dame Helena Shovelton have already looked into the earlier discussed CPAP travel issues?

Phil

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by suzie Stiles on May 8, 2012 at 0:33

Just adding my 2 pennies worth --- as a regular flyer ( was travelling twice a week by plane for a year) with my cpap I never encountered any problems bar the usual swabbing of the machine and being asked why I had 2 items of hand luggage! 

I found in my experience the best thing to do is always contact the airline you are flying with before you book your flight and they will advice you on what you need to do to take your cpap onboard. I have flown with easyjet, ryanair, BA, monach, aerlingus, etc etc and never had a problem carrying 2 items of hand luggage. One is the normal 10kg hand luggage allowance and then I would have my cpap in a separate bag which would weigh approx 7kg. You always need to carry a doctors/hospital letter with you explaining that you need the cpap (and this has to be dated within the last 6 months) and I would also use a medical alert bag label. 

In most cases once you have advised the airline you are travelling with a cpap, they will issue you with a extra hand luggage waiver letter which you then have to present when checkin with the the airline  and they then inform the gate that you will be carrying 2 items of hand luggage. 

I have always found airlines to be very good once you follow their rules on carrying medical equipment. If you have all the right paperwork from the airline there shouldn't be a problem at security bar them maybe asking to look at the cpap and sometimes swabbing it. Most cases I just tell them its a breathing machine and they are fine! 

My advice is to check the airlines policy for travelling with medical equipment first - then ring them to inform them - follow their instructions to the letter - bring a doctors letter - and allow extra time at the airport for swabbing etc. 

Approx 400 flights under my belt with a cpap and I have always been able to carry it in an extra bag along with my normal hand luggage and never has it gone in the hold and Ive never really had a problem.    Good luck  & happy travelling xx

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Permalink Reply by Kath Hope on May 8, 2012 at 11:07

Great to hear from our favourite super slim ex-CPAPer and good to know you pop in from time to time :)  Thanks for sharing your useful info Suzie!

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Permalink Reply by Lisa on May 8, 2012 at 15:52

Sound advice there, Suzie. I've not had any problems travelling with CPAP either. I was interested to learn you had managed to take 2 items of hand luggage on Easyjet flights. Was that recently?  I've flown with them several times in the last couple of years and only taken the one item of luggage. Fortunately I didn't need to carry more hand luggage than I could get in my CPAP bag, so hadn't had the need to test their one item rule.

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Permalink Reply by Pete on May 8, 2012 at 18:19

Can I just clarify that the question of whether or not OSA is or is not a disability under the Equalities Act or the Disability Discrimmination Act is quite separate from whether or not one qualifies for the various disability benefits.

So, even if OSA were to be defined as a disability under the Act, it does not mean that sufferers would qualify for a disability benefit.

The latter have very specific rules of eligibility, which vary between the different disability benefits and often depend on the degree of severity of one's disability as assessed by doctors on behalf of the Department of Work and Pensions.

Pete

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Permalink Reply by Christine Woods on May 8, 2012 at 19:09

Thanks Philip for clarifiying. You are very good at explaining the differences.

Pete said:

Can I just clarify that the question of whether or not OSA is or is not a disability under the Equalities Act or the Disability Discrimmination Act is quite separate from whether or not one qualifies for the various disability benefits.

So, even if OSA were to be defined as a disability under the Act, it does not mean that sufferers would qualify for a disability benefit.

The latter have very specific rules of eligibility, which vary between the different disability benefits and often depend on the degree of severity of one's disability as assessed by doctors on behalf of the Department of Work and Pensions.

Pete

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Permalink Reply by Christine Woods on May 8, 2012 at 20:13

Apologies
Should have said Thanks Pete, regards

Pete said:

Can I just clarify that the question of whether or not OSA is or is not a disability under the Equalities Act or the Disability Discrimmination Act is quite separate from whether or not one qualifies for the various disability benefits.

So, even if OSA were to be defined as a disability under the Act, it does not mean that sufferers would qualify for a disability benefit.

The latter have very specific rules of eligibility, which vary between the different disability benefits and often depend on the degree of severity of one's disability as assessed by doctors on behalf of the Department of Work and Pensions.

Pete

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Permalink Reply by Tigers Fan on May 8, 2012 at 20:15

Tigers Fan is fat, very fat because he eats too much and does not move enough. Admittedly, it is difficult for him to move very much but he still eats too much for the amount of movement he does. And all the wrong foods, too - you know, the enjoyable ones!

Tigers Fan regards his CPAP much the same as a hair drier when it comes to travel - an electrically driven air blower. He has a small one so it fits in his one piece of hand luggage and he can carry a few other things as well. He carries one piece of hand luggage only so as to avoid all the rules, regs and whims of airlines, airports and anyone else who may be remotely interested in his hand luggage. Despite having flown from more airports and with more airlines than he can remember, all over the world and back again, he has never encountered any interest in his CPAP except once at Malaga when the security man wanted to know where was the oxygen cylinder.

 

Pragmatism rules OK!

 

Is a hotel discriminating against us if it does not have electrical sockets close to the beds - or is it complying with health and safety regs?

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Permalink Reply by Christine Woods on May 8, 2012 at 20:42

Thanks

Do you live in the UK? If so could I please ask :
How did you get your small CPAP? Did you have to buy it privately and if so did your sleep clinic give you a prescription to purchase another CPAP?
My partner has said his CPAP has a monitoring something that the sleep clinic always check at each visit. What happens if he was to buy then use both the NHS one and also private one?? Would the NHS need to check his sleep activity also for the travel CPAP??


Tigers Fan said:

Tigers Fan is fat, very fat because he eats too much and does not move enough. Admittedly, it is difficult for him to move very much but he still eats too much for the amount of movement he does. And all the wrong foods, too - you know, the enjoyable ones!

Tigers Fan regards his CPAP much the same as a hair drier when it comes to travel - an electrically driven air blower. He has a small one so it fits in his one piece of hand luggage and he can carry a few other things as well. He carries one piece of hand luggage only so as to avoid all the rules, regs and whims of airlines, airports and anyone else who may be remotely interested in his hand luggage. Despite having flown from more airports and with more airlines than he can remember, all over the world and back again, he has never encountered any interest in his CPAP except once at Malaga when the security man wanted to know where was the oxygen cylinder.

 

Pragmatism rules OK!

 

Is a hotel discriminating against us if it does not have electrical sockets close to the beds - or is it complying with health and safety regs?

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Christine Woods on May 8, 2012 at 20:53

Another question if OK-- my partner had CPAP with humidifer. We have been looking at one compact CPAP and it is nearly £700.00. Are there different grades travel CPAP with humidifier? If so would you recommend any , my partner wakens up at the moment seemingly 36 times (don't understand what this means). Regards


Christine Woods said:

Thanks

Do you live in the UK? If so could I please ask :
How did you get your small CPAP? Did you have to buy it privately and if so did your sleep clinic give you a prescription to purchase another CPAP?
My partner has said his CPAP has a monitoring something that the sleep clinic always check at each visit. What happens if he was to buy then use both the NHS one and also private one?? Would the NHS need to check his sleep activity also for the travel CPAP??


Tigers Fan said:

Tigers Fan is fat, very fat because he eats too much and does not move enough. Admittedly, it is difficult for him to move very much but he still eats too much for the amount of movement he does. And all the wrong foods, too - you know, the enjoyable ones!

Tigers Fan regards his CPAP much the same as a hair drier when it comes to travel - an electrically driven air blower. He has a small one so it fits in his one piece of hand luggage and he can carry a few other things as well. He carries one piece of hand luggage only so as to avoid all the rules, regs and whims of airlines, airports and anyone else who may be remotely interested in his hand luggage. Despite having flown from more airports and with more airlines than he can remember, all over the world and back again, he has never encountered any interest in his CPAP except once at Malaga when the security man wanted to know where was the oxygen cylinder.

 

Pragmatism rules OK!

 

Is a hotel discriminating against us if it does not have electrical sockets close to the beds - or is it complying with health and safety regs?

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