Sleep Apnea breathing equiment in-flight/Question

[foxcharliep2]

Question :

A friend of mine suffering from Sleep Apnea disorder

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sleep_apnea (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sleep_apnea)

contacted Air Canada in Japan and received permission to use the medical equipment required to breath normally in sleep during the flight from Japan to the Caribbean.

However the cabin crew on the second leg refused to allow use of that system, he was rejected and had to fly back to Tokyo.

Question : Anyone familiar with the Sleep Apnea disorder and the equipment needed can pls advise on any requirements needed for its use on board or what the airline needs to authorize it or any particular details relating to this equipment.

Thank you !

[HXdave]

was it the same airline all the way through, or was it a codeshare agreement / split airline ticket?

only asking, because Air Canada would only be able to quote regulations where the flights were on their own aircraft. interesting how he was refused carriage on the second leg, however they then put him on an aircraft back to his original point of origin.

[spInY nORmAn]

I was just researching this earlier this week as I also require a CPAP and will be travelling trans-Atlantic with Air Canada in a few weeks.

Air Canada's website suggests that the use of a CPAP on-board is allowed along with POCs (Personal Oxygen Concentrators) although it specifically states that POCs cannot be plugged in to the on-board power outlets therefore necessitating the use of a battery powered device. I thought that I also saw the same statement made about CPAP machines but I just checked and could not find the specific reference. As for battery-powered medical devices, they also have additional information on restrictions/safety precautions regarding their stowage/use.

I'll be calling them in the next few days to confirm that the use of CPAP in-flight is OK and whether or not I can use the on-board power. If not, I'll go without but my snoring may disturb others on the overnight leg of my trip!

The following link provides some info from Air Canada on the use of medical equipment in-flight:

aircanada.com - Travel Info - Advance notice and medical approval for travel (http://www.aircanada.com/en/travelinfo/before/specialneeds/medic_approval.html)

[just an observer]

This is from the BA website
CPAP machine

Medical clearance is not required for the carriage or use of CPAP machines (used in the treatment of sleep apnoea) as fitness to travel will not be in doubt.
CPAP machines can be plugged into a laptop power-point, where available, with a suitable adaptor.
Maximum power output from the laptop points is 75 Watts and, if your equipment draws more than this, the outlet will be automatically deactivated.
We cannot guarantee that any of the laptop points will be serviceable. If you intend to use one in flight, we recommend that you use a dry-cell battery-operated device.There is a department to contact, passenger medical clearance unit, that would presumably clarify whether laptop points are available in all cabins.

My husband uses a CPAP machine but has never bothered on night flights, even though we are generally in Club, and he carries the machine in his hand luggage.

[Alsacienne]

I depend on my CPAP every night and have done so for the past 10 or so years. Every airline seems to have different rules, so it is a good idea to contact them well before you fly. Certain airlines have a list of CPAPs that are approved for on board use. Some require a doctor's letter. It's really a case of being prepared.

When I fly, I rely on an external battery, no bigger than a small paperback book which would normally power a laptop. At 13 mB pressure, that gives me 5.5 hours of use, and that's usually enough to get me enough sleep for a 'short night'. I am therefore independent of the plane's electrics and the plethora of plugs that are required!

I also tell the CC in my section what I am doing so that someone who hasn't seen a CPAP before doesn't panic seeing my hose and mask, and also to my fellow row companions.

So far so good ... but do check with your airlines first. And having the battery means that you aren't guilty of using 'their' power!

An OSA sufferer must use their CPAP for their own continued wellbeing, and so it your friend should make every effort to use it during their flight. Personally I find it drowns out extraneous noise, and often helps get me off to sleep!

[foxcharliep2]

was it the same airline all the way through, or was it a codeshare agreement / split airline ticket?

only asking, because Air Canada would only be able to quote regulations where the flights were on their own aircraft. interesting how he was refused carriage on the second leg, however they then put him on an aircraft back to his original point of origin.

HXDave :

Yes, AC all the way from NRT to the Caribbean - that is what makes the whole thing so frustating.

[foxcharliep2]

To all :

Thank you very much for information and links provided - I greatly appreciate it on behalf of my friend !

[NSEU]

I'm quite astonished to hear about this incident on Air Canada. Our airline has a list of approved CPAPs and as long as yours is on that list and you tell us you wish to use one when you make the booking, there should be no problems. We provide an adaptor so that you can plug your device into the aircraft wall outlet (you will be seated next to it). In First Class, it may be necessary for us to run an extension cable to your seat, due to a lack of outlets in that zone.

At the gate, notify the staff you will be using the CPAP. They should let you go to the front of the queue, so that an aircraft engineer can check that your CPAP is the right type and that it operates normally (before the rest of the customers start streaming on board en-mass).

Cheers.
NSEU

[dossmk]

NSEU, I just spoke to the medical desk at Air Canada (here in Canada) and they told me that they do not permit CPAPs to be used on aircraft power, ever; and that the only way I can use a CPAP on board is if I had a battery pack.

I am flying YYZ-LHR (AC 858), Executive class BTW (I am not sure if that has any bearing or not though). The aircraft (at least as of now) is a 333. My CPAP is a ResMed S9 (will be used without the heated humidifier BTW).

Their response contradicts your post. Could it be that there are different policies by country?

In case the medical desk is giving me incorrect information, can you point me to credible and official information that I can use to convince them?

Thank you and cheers

[spInY nORmAn]

dossnk

I recently flew with Air Canada from YYC to LHR in Business on a 333 and used my CPAP plugged into the aircraft's power outlet (Respironics - no humidifier). I had no problems from the cabin crew but it may have been that the power outlet is hard to see and either they didn't notice or let it slide. I won't need it on the return leg as it's a daytime flight.

I'd check with the cabin crew first but it wasn't a problem for me.

[dossmk]

Thank you SpinyNorman. Your response is encouraging. I shall try talking to the cabin crew upon boarding.

My response to NSEU was more to determine the actual policy of AC (since the tone of his reply indicates that he works for AC), and see of the particular person I spoke with just happened to interpret it incorrectly.

Cheers