Travelling with your portable oxygen concentrator

TRAVELLING WITH YOUR CONCENTRATOR

The FAA permits this device on board most US and European aircraft.

IMPORTANT: It is the patient’s responsibility to check with the specific airline when travelling domestically and internationally.

When travelling with the device, you must bring the mains power supply and the external battery charger (if you have one). It is advisable to use an external power supply (i.e. plugged into a wall socket) whenever available to keep the battery fully charged.

Bring enough charged batteries to power your concentrator for no less than 150% of the expected duration of your flight, the time spent on the ground before and after the flight, security checks, connections and a conservative estimate for unexpected delays. Please note that, in accordance with FAA regulations, all spare batteries must be individually wrapped and protected to prevent short circuits and may only be carried in your hand luggage on board the aircraft.

The AC power supply cannot be used to charge the device’s battery on board the aircraft.

If you are travelling by coach, train or boat, please contact your transport operator to enquire about the availability of power sockets.

Important documents:

Standard Medical Information Form for Air Travel (available on the airline’s website)

FIT To Fly document completed by a doctor

Please note that many airlines require a ‘Fit to Fly’ certificate to have been issued shortly before departure (often within 24 to 72 hours) and to be written in English. You should therefore always check the specific requirements of the airline and the country of destination.

If you wish to fly whilst using oxygen, a standard ‘Fit to Fly’ certificate is often not sufficient. Many airlines require a more detailed medical form (such as a MEDIF) stating how much oxygen you will need during the flight.

Additional medical luggage

Airlines regard your portable oxygen concentrator as ‘additional medical luggage’. This means you may take it with you free of charge, in addition to your other luggage. To arrange this, it is important that you inform us no later than 48 hours before departure that you will be bringing a portable concentrator. You can do this in the following ways:

Online during booking (under ‘Do you require medical services?’);

After booking on the airline’s website (click on ‘Request medical services’), or

By calling the airline’s service centre