Travelling from uk with cpap

[verytired]

Hi Fellow Cpap 'ers,

Aint been on for a while but now i need advice i come a begging!

As anyone ever had any issues in airports with their cpap i am going to Tenerife at the end of the month and i am reluctant to put my machine in with my luggage because if it goes missing or gets damaged i am up the special creek! can I take it on as hand luggage and what is the protocol regarding customs?

Many Thanks all

I sure you will all be very helpful.

Verytired! (although not as much thanks to cpap)

[Fredxx]

Simple answers:

Carry your CPAP in your hand luggage, it has a lot less chance to be lost

If you are really worried about it, ask your clinic for a letter saying what the CPAP machine is, but from experience I wouldn't bother; I have been through many flights over the last 11 years, and only got asked to open my bag to show it once, even then they didn't do any more than look at it and ask what it was.

I have even used it on a flight, but that was a 13 hour overnight one.

Oh, and one final thing, make suer you take a travel plug and extension lead, hotels rarely have a plug socket near the bed. 5 metres is a good length, and get one with two sockets so you can harge your phone or whatever as well

[sheffgall]

WOW i love this forum.

This is a question i wanted to kind of ask, but what i know via my sleep clinic they told me i had to take the machine on has hand luggage in its original bag with a letter from the clinic saying what this machine is for,also take with me the instructions to the machine so if stopped they can check it out.

The question i had that Fredxx already answered about using the machine on a flight.I never knew this at all,my sleep clinic never told me to at the time.Im due to fly to Australia next year to see family,i was more worried in falling asleep and keeping everyone awake (has i do snore very loud) then not using the machine.This is a very long flight i know i will need sleep.I like to ask Fred (sorry verytired for pinching your thread here) has you did use your machine on a long flight also.Did you have to have permission from the airline to use your machine and to do so did you have to upgrade because you need to use your machine.

[Fredxx]

It took a little research before the flight...

First thing was checking if the flight was in a plane that had power to the seats - the "seat guru" website can tell you that. You can always just ask the airline, and they will probably tell you that there are power sockets to most seats, but they don't guarantee there will be power to the socket.

The next problem is what type of power... some supply 12v, some 110v or 240v. make sure you are set up to run from any of those, but you may still have to buy an adapter.

If the seat power is 110v or 240v, make sure you have disabled the humidifier on the machine before you go, as using it will overload the socket and cause it to cut out; it will probably just reset after a few seconds, but it is a pain trying to get the humidifier turned off when you are working in 3 second bursts (I know that from experience!)

Another option is to go with a battery solution, but be aware they may not let you use the super CPAP battery pack is technically too big a capacity for airline regulations.

One final point is to tell the flight attendants and anyone you are sat by what the machine is...best not to panic them!

Personally, if i were travelling to Australia (and I have 3 times, but before I had CPAP) having a day or two wherever you are transiting makes the flight much nicer.

[sheffgall]

Thank you again for taking time to explain to me it was very useful .Now i know i can use this on a plane i will ask wile we book about using it, also now i know i can i will also have a look and research more about it.Good to hear you also used one wile flying to Australia gives me peace of mind TBH that i can use it and stop me worry about falling asleep and waking people up.

[Fredxx]

Couple of extra things to add to that...

If you talk to the airline and they tell you there is no problem using it, get it from them in writing and be prepared to wave it around annoyed on the plane.

If you talk to them and they say there is a problem, do a bit more research, come back and ask us here again and then go back to the airline...but if they still say no don't believe them and just try on the plane anyway.

I have to admit I didn't talk to the airline about mine, but I did find the bit on the BA website that said you could use them, checked on seatguru about the seat power and took copies of those two bits to wave...and never had to even get them out of my bag. I did tell the flight attendants what the mask was though and then had to convince them I didn't need the oxygen they have available...

I have been amazed how you can ask airlines, banks and other organisations the same question 3 times, and get 3 different answers!

[Tigers Fan]

Try standing in an Indian bus station and ask the locals which bus is the one to where-ever-you-are-going!

[jackieb]

This may be a silly question but I am going to France this weekend and being the first time I will be travelling with my cpap apart from an extension lead will I need anything else or will my machine be compatible with the electric supply.

[Fredxx]

Almost all CPAPs will work on 110 or 240V, just the same as phone chargers, hairdriers etc.

[Sleep2Snore]

I have never had any problems, carry it as hand luggage and always have a letter from hospital explaining what the machine is, I always carry the manual I got with it. The manual appears to work along with the letter
A quick glance at the manual and they pop the machine through x-ray and I am on my way

[verytired]

Thankyou fred very helpful.


(sorry verytired for pinching your thread here)
Its fine and dandy sheffgall hope it helped you aswell

While im here though my wife informed me this morning that have have reverted back to snoring and i am waking in the nite gasping for breath even with the cpap on!

Please tell me this is normal and just a glitch in the matrix!!!!

[Fredxx]

Sounds like something could have changed or your machine isn't running to pressure. Get in touch with your clinic - they will check the machine and if needed, increase the pressure

[verytired]

hi Fred (you are turning out to be quite the helper)

Thanks for that i was hoping i could get away with not going to the clinic but feared this might be the case.
Although i am thinking ENT may be the best bet as my throat seems tight most of the time now and im guessing that may be the cause of the recent snoring and apnea's.

Thanks for the advice

Vtired