CPAP Unit considered Carry-on luggage?

Haven't travelled by air in ages. Our daughter was diagnosed with sleep apnea and must use a CPAP unit when sleeping We are flying from Ottawa to Miami with a stop in Philadelphia and will need to carry the equipment with us. Would this equipment be considered carry-on luggage since it cannot go in the luggage compartment. Also, this machine uses distilled water. We were planning on purchasing distilled water in Miami to bring on board the ship, will Carnival allow us to do that or would they need to provide it for us. :confused:

Most carriers allow an additional carry-on if it is medical equipment (the glaring exception is flights on any airline departing the U.K.). In fact, my wife has never had any trouble at all carrying her CPAP machine on as additional hand luggage.

Most security check points in the U.S. will hand search (and check for explosive residue) when the they see the CPAP machine go through X-Ray. My wife saves a little time by taking teh CPAP out and placing it by itself in a bin for X-raying.

No idea about Carnival. The curise lines we have used have provided distilled water gratis.

Paul

Haven't travelled by air in ages. Our daughter was diagnosed with sleep apnea and must use a CPAP unit when sleeping We are flying from Ottawa to Miami with a stop in Philadelphia and will need to carry the equipment with us. Would this equipment be considered carry-on luggage since it cannot go in the luggage compartment. Also, this machine uses distilled water. We were planning on purchasing distilled water in Miami to bring on board the ship, will Carnival allow us to do that or would they need to provide it for us. :confused:

A CPAP unit is considered medical equipment and generally is not counted in the carry-on allowance. However, we have encountered airline personnel who do not recognize that. Particularly international where the carrry on rules seem to be more stringent. I would check with the airline to insure that they do not count it in the basic carry-on allowance. I have mine marked with several tags which identify it as "MEDICAL EQUIPMENT".

You are right to not check it as baggage. We manage to fit my BIPAP with the humidifier and hoses in a small rolling carry-on bag. You will also need an extension cord since the outlets on the ship will be on the wall opposite the bed. If you are planning to stay in Europe, be sure to have adapters for the EU outlets and make sure that the unit will work on EU current. My unit works on either current but the humidifier does not. A couple of small bungee cords may be useful depending on how the hoses need to be placed.

As far as distilled water is concerned, we found it difficult to get aboard ship. When we did the cost was prohibitive. We have used the ship's water for several years with no problem and use purified water at home.

Since the ship's water is basically distilled sea water (according to a ship's officer) it should work fine. I have travelled with my unit on 15 or 20 cruises with no problems so I don't think you will have anything to worry about.

Most carriers allow an additional carry-on if it is medical equipment (the glaring exception is flights on any airline departing the U.K.). In fact, my wife has never had any trouble at all carrying her CPAP machine on as additional hand luggage.

 

Most security check points in the U.S. will hand search (and check for explosive residue) when the they see the CPAP machine go through X-Ray. My wife saves a little time by taking teh CPAP out and placing it by itself in a bin for X-raying.Paul

We had the same problem at Gatwick and were only allowed two carry on items including the BIPAP and DW's handbag. Oddly enough, we have only had the case opened once by security since 2001 which surprised me. Apparently, a lot of screeners recognize it for what it is. I have been amazed at how many people are using this equipment.

We had the same problem at Gatwick and were only allowed two carry on items including the BIPAP and DW's handbag. Oddly enough, we have only had the case opened once by security since 2001 which surprised me. Apparently, a lot of screeners recognize it for what it is. I have been amazed at how many people are using this equipment.

We have never had a CPAP machine hand checked overseas. In the U.S. it seems to vary by airport. Our home airport is MSP and it is ALWAYS checked here. At some airportss it is random (or semmingly so) and at others it is always or "never" checked.

It's TSA...it does not ahve to make sense.

Paul

A fellow CPAP user! Welcome! :)

Check out this link for information on traveling with a CPAP:

http://www.cpaptalk.com/cpaptalk-articles/39/Travel-With-CPAP.html

You may also want to consult with TSA and its Canadian equivalent to see what they have to say. From what I understand, a CPAP not only may but must be carried onboard. It also does not count towards your carry-on limit. (I'll be flying next week and putting it to the test.) It will probably be opened and swabbed for explosives before she's allowed to proceed.

Continental Airlines is the only airline I know of that will count a CPAP towards your carry-on limit, and from what I've heard, if overhead storage space is limited, they may force you to check it. (And now you know why I'll never fly Continental.)

BTW - Amtrak also counts medical equipment towards your carry-on limit. (The bums. No wonder they're always having financial trouble.)

I hope you are not going to use it on the plane.

This machine is so noisy that no one on the plane will get any sleep, apart from the user himself/herself.

I have no intention of using it on the plane. "Carter" (the name I gave my CPAP :cool: ) has no battery backup pack, and I'm also told that I don't really snore or have apnea episodes when sitting up. The reason why I'm carrying it on is because it's an expensive piece of equipment, and if the airline loses it, I'll have to kill somebody. :eek:

I know that Air Canada does NOT give you a special allowance for it. I often fly between LAX and Vancouver and have to use my carryon space for it. I was told they feel that its not really their issue and that really, isn't the bag that holds it as big as a carryon would be? Therefore, that's what you get. The woman I talked to was actually quiet put out by me even asking if I would get the extra allowance.

By the way, my CPAP is quiet... half the time I don't know its on.

A fellow CPAP user! Welcome! :)

 

Check out this link for information on traveling with a CPAP:

 

http://www.cpaptalk.com/cpaptalk-articles/39/Travel-With-CPAP.html

 

You may also want to consult with TSA and its Canadian equivalent to see what they have to say. From what I understand, a CPAP not only may but must be carried onboard. It also does not count towards your carry-on limit. (I'll be flying next week and putting it to the test.) It will probably be opened and swabbed for explosives before she's allowed to proceed.

 

 

Thanks for the information. I wasn't aware of the site for CPAP users. I'll take a look at it. I'm sure if it's like this site, it's a wealth of information. I could probably find other parents that have similar issues like mine. i.e. daughter waits until I go to bed and removes her mask and turns machine off!!!

 

PP

CPAP is specifically mentioned in the newest TSA electronics inspection regulations.

See this post for details and a URL link to the TSA website.

CPAP is specifically mentioned in the newest TSA electronics inspection regulations.

 

See this post for details and a URL link to the TSA website.

Thanks for the information. DH uses a CPAP

Haven't travelled by air in ages. Our daughter was diagnosed with sleep apnea and must use a CPAP unit when sleeping We are flying from Ottawa to Miami with a stop in Philadelphia and will need to carry the equipment with us. Would this equipment be considered carry-on luggage since it cannot go in the luggage compartment. Also, this machine uses distilled water. We were planning on purchasing distilled water in Miami to bring on board the ship, will Carnival allow us to do that or would they need to provide it for us. :confused:

Which airline are you flying? We are flying British Airways out of Phila on Sept 29. I talked to the airline yesterday. On British Airways you are allowed ONE carry on. The CPAP my husband uses is it unless it is inside his other carry-on. Ditto with handbag. It must be in your carry-on. This is specific to British Airways. US carries have allowed the CPAP without counting it as a carry on bag.

Rich intends to carry one carry-on with the CPAP and his laptop. I get the medications...lol!

On British Airways you are allowed ONE carry on. The CPAP my husband uses is it unless it is inside his other carry-on. Ditto with handbag. It must be in your carry-on. This is specific to British Airways. US carries have allowed the CPAP without counting it as a carry on bag.

At the moment, anyone connecting in London (or any other UK airport) is generally subject to the one bag (means one bag) rule. As you must clear security in the UK, you have to comply with this rule when you connect.

There is a trial going on at the moment to allow connecting passengers to take two bags through security. But it's of a limited duration. It is hoped that the one bag limit may be lifted by about November, but this is still only rumoured.

My problem wasn't with the TSA regulations. They couldn't have cared less if I had one, didn't even open my carryon with it. Other airlines allow me the extra one but Air Canada does not. That IS my one carryon as far as they are concerned.

We have flown with dh's cpap, and TSA did pull it out of the bag and check it out. There was some moisture in the water resevoir and so they checked it. So, I would suggest that you might want to dry it extremely well. It did not count as a carry-on for him with American Airlines.

I read on CC that if you request distilled water from your room steward, they can get it for you (no charge). We just used the ship water and he got along fine.

The new rules on traveling with CPAP have been put in effect by the TSA. See my article in sleepandhealth.com may 2007 on traveling with cpap or go to http://www.ihatecpap.com to learn about alternatives to cpap that fit in your shirt pocket or purse and can make traveling by air or cruises better for most apnea sufferers

Haven't travelled by air in ages. Our daughter was diagnosed with sleep apnea and must use a CPAP unit when sleeping We are flying from Ottawa to Miami with a stop in Philadelphia and will need to carry the equipment with us. Would this equipment be considered carry-on luggage since it cannot go in the luggage compartment. Also, this machine uses distilled water. We were planning on purchasing distilled water in Miami to bring on board the ship, will Carnival allow us to do that or would they need to provide it for us. :confused:

I flew and took a cruise in Alaska this summer. I carried my CPAP machine in a rolling carry on bag, and I put my distilled water in my check in luggage. ( I bought the distilled water at the pharmacy that I always use and had the pharmacist give me some smaller clean bottles to put the water in. I put some in my husbands suitcase and some in mine. I had to make sure our suitcases were not more then 50lbs.)

I hope you are not going to use it on the plane.

 

This machine is so noisy that no one on the plane will get any sleep, apart from the user himself/herself.

That seems like a silly comment.!! I gather you have no idea about cpac Where the heck would they plug it in? I also use a cpac and you are misinformed about the noise. My machine is so quiet, if I didnt feel the air you would not no that it is on.

I have traveled all over the world with mine and have never had a problem with airport security or with carrying it on with me.

We travel with a BiPap. Inside the BiPap carry case we place items in individual zip loc bags (e.g. mask in one, tubes in one, humidifier canister in one, etc.). We also ask the TSA agent to change their gloves before handling the equipment. Our experience has been that in the U.S. the BiPap is considered medical equipment and is not counted as one of your carry ons. However, outside of the U.S. it has been counted as the one carry on allowed.

So, you call yours Carter ~~ as for mine it's SCUBA ~~ Snore Controlling Uncomfortable Breathing Apparatus...

I would not be too worried if you do not get distilled water on board ship. The ship's tap water is from a desalination process that getsvirtually all the minerals out plus you will only be using it for a few days.

Well from reading the above link and knowing Air Canada's stand and Heathrow's stand, it looks like if you are flying in the US, no problem. The ADA act guarantees that you can take it and it doesn't count as your carry on, but if you go to other countries, since they don't have to abide by our laws (the ADA laws) then that's where you might have the issue and should check foreign carriers for their rules.