A CPAP user traveling by air from Duluth, MN to Portland, ME contacted the ASAA to advise us that yesterday (07/14/05) the TSA in Duluth did not allow him to carry on his CPAP machine to the aircraft.

He was advised that a new TSA regulation is in effect that states that if a carry-on item has any opaque parts in it when goes through the x-ray that it cannot be carried on.

Needless to say he checked the item and it was damaged in transit.

We contacted the TSA screening persons with disabilities program today to find when the change in standard operating procedures (SOP) had changed.  We were told that a changed had occurred in April of 2005.  We were also told the TSA is currently reviewing this change in SOP particularly as it relates to CPAP devices, due to the number of a complaints they had received.  

We expect to hear from the TSA next week when a change in SOP would be effective and we will post what we learn.

If you have any problems traveling by air with your CPAP device, please let me know by writing to egrandi@sleepapnea.org



Last edited by sleepapnea_ed on Wed Jan 11, 2006 10:15 am; edited 1 time in total

I traveled last month and indicated to them that it was a respiratory medical device and did not have any problem.  I have a feeling that they probably don't know what a CPAP is, but according to published guidelines, respiratory devices are permitted.  Would like to hear if anyone else has a problem.

When traveling recently, I found the attitude toward cpap carry on varied widely by airport. No problem in some, lots of resistance in others.
  To lighten what I carry on, I pack my accessories (mask, hoses, power cords, humidifier, etc) in my checked luggage....putting only my machine, (1.5 lb 420E) laptop and billfold in my cpap carry bag.
  On my last trip to DC Regan, I picked up my checked bag, to find it very badly damaged, side smashed in.  I went to baggage office to file a damaged bag claim.  When listing what was inside bag, I mentioned cpap "equipment" the clerk immediately replied, we do not reimburse damage to ANY electronic equipment.  Because the accessories inside my bag we first packed in a hard plastic container, and well padded, they survived fine, however, if they had sustained damage, ONLY the non-electrical items could have been claimed for reimbursement!!
  So, it would not seem fair if they forced us to check electronic equipment, when they refuse to cover damage to such equipment!! Perhaps we all need to make and carry our own forms, making them accept financial responsibility of any equipment we are forced to check against our wishes....I will check my cpap only if you agree in writing to pay for any damages!! Here is what it costs to replace!!

I recently flew from the United States to Hungary and back and had no problems whatsoever.  For the trip to Hungary I had the cpap packed securely in my suitcase.  For the trip back the US, I decided to carry it on the plane.  I was never questioned about what it was by anybody.  And it was not damaged at all.


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"Try not, do or do not, there is no try." -- Yoda

and according to them, taking a CPAP machine onboard an aircraft is not a problem. Reason I checked is that I am flying to Virginia next week from Los Angeles.

I will be traveling to Hawaii next June for my honeymoon.  The flight there and back are long and I expect to have to sleep while flying.  Will I be able to use my CPAP machine in flight?  Is the answer airline specific?  Will I even be able to carry on the cpap equipment or will they make me check it?  How do I start reserching this and planning for the trip?

Alternatively we make take an Alaskan cruise?  Similar questions apply there.  I've never been on cruise, do the rooms have 110 outlets, 12volt DC outlets?

THanks
Stephen

SCM,
I can't answer anything else, but the answer about the cruise is that they have standard 110 outlets, or at least the one I was on last month did.  If you have any doubts, you might want to call the cruiseline.

The second week of July I traveled from Boise ID to Atlanta GA on Delta and did not have any trouble at all with the CPAP as a carryon. As a matter of fact the TSA agent in Boise commented on how nice a unit it was. All he did was wipe in down with a explosive detection swab. He did say that they can't allow alot of older models to go through..something about them have some kind of transformer or something. The Atlanta airport didn't check it at all.


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P.W. Pyle
Sleeping again in Idaho

scm wrote:

I will be traveling to Hawaii next June for my honeymoon.  The flight there and back are long and I expect to have to sleep while flying.  Will I be able to use my CPAP machine in flight?  Is the answer airline specific?  Will I even be able to carry on the cpap equipment or will they make me check it?  How do I start reserching this and planning for the trip?

Alternatively we make take an Alaskan cruise?  Similar questions apply there.  I've never been on cruise, do the rooms have 110 outlets, 12volt DC outlets?

THanks
Stephen

To my knowledge all major cruise ships have 110 outlets, 12 volt capability.

I have been flying extensively since getting my first CPAP in 1998. Never any real problems, sometimes a screener will not recognize the machine on Xray and I get a hand search. Sometimes I'm queried, "Is that a breathing machine?" while it's in the Xray. I travel both domestically and internationally.

FYI, I carry the CPAP in a separate small duffel bag rather than burying it in some other luggage.

Since starting to use CPAP three years ago, I've flown numerous places throughout the US and Europe, and nobody has ever even asked what my CPAP carry bag contained!  

Despite not ever having had problems, I still travel prepared to state my case.  The regulations related to treatment of those with disabilities are pretty unambiguous, so I'm always pretty confident I'll succeed, if challenged.  I generally keep, in my CPAP bag, a printout from the TSA website relating to medical devices (along with my doctor note); it's there to provide me some definite documentation should I ever have to argue my case.

On airlines, medical equipment is not counted in your luggage allowance (checked or carry-on).  Therefore, I always ensure my CPAP bag has only medical equipment/prescription drugs in it, so I can prove my Respironics bag is only for medical equipment.  Perhaps the obvious Respironics logo on the side of the bag helps!

If I'm ever challenged, I'll follow the advice my kids received in Driver's Ed: "Yes, sir. No, sir. May I say something, sir?"

If I encountered someone like the Duluth TSA agent, I'd (politely) do everything I could think of to present my point of view.  Showing a recent TSA website printout, offering to show what the machine does, and asking for a supervisor would be among the possibilities.  Remember, this is a discrimination against people with disabilities case.  If I ultimately failed, I'd do my best to get some statement I could use later in a liability case, should damage occur.

I've never bothered to do the paperwork for permission to use CPAP onboard an airplane.  

In hotel and ship cabins, I've always been able to find someplace to plug in my CPAP.  However, sometimes, I've had to unplug the alarm clock or a bedside lamp (perhaps I should travel with an extension cord).  Once, I had to move the mattress six inches to one side.  Remember to keep a set of outlet converters in your CPAP bag to deal with foreign outlets.

Air plane cabins are pressurized but the cabin pressure is not kept at a sea level pressure.  What effective altitude is the cabin air pressure set at?  
The reason I'm asking is if I need to use my Resmed S8 on a plane, I would have to know what the effective altitude of the cabin is so I can set the S8's altitude compensation correctly.

under the medical disabilitys act ...its illeagle for the tsa to refuse you to take your cpap on the plane with you .It is not a oxygen generator. I have had several times the tsa wanted me to check my cpap and i informed them of the disailities act and showed them a copy ..after the basic x-ray check it was cleared. Almost all cpap i know that have been checked with the regular luggage has been damaged or stolen!!!

I checked the following TSA website on 9/1/2005, and it clearly allows respiratory devices to be carried on to the plane:  http://www.tsa.gov/public/interapp/editorial/editorial_1057.xml

Amigo wrote:

I checked the following TSA website on 9/1/2005, and it clearly allows respiratory devices to be carried on to the plane:  http://www.tsa.gov/public/interapp/editorial/editorial_1057.xml

Amigo,

thank you for posting the link to the TSA web site that deals with the persons with disability issue.  My review of that webpage indicates that it was last updated in November of 2004 and so does not reflect the change that was effective in April 2005.

I received an email from a CPAP user on Monday 08/26/05 who was traveling from Long Island NY and was made to check her device.

I am still waiting for some confirmation of a revised standard operating procedure and was told to contact them after Labor Day.  I will ask them if they will be updating that webpage.

I am following this issue and will report back as soon as I have additional information.

Ed Grandi


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Executive Director
American Sleep Apnea Association
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