Flying Safely:
Supplemental Oxygen Resources
If you depend on supplemental oxygen day to day, there's little doubt that you'll also need it during an airplane flight. But even if you don't ordinarily use supplemental oxygen on land, there's still a chance you could require it during a flight. In either case, as you start making your travel arrangements, you'll want to (a) check with your doctor to determine your need for oxygen and (b) do advance planning to make sure any oxygen you require is available when you're ready to depart. Here’s our advice.
Notify the airline. You will need to inform the airline before your scheduled flight that you will be using supplemental oxygen. Notification policies vary from airline to airline. Most require advance notification of at least 72 hours, but some require as much as several weeks.
Obtain required documents. To use supplemental oxygen in flight, you will need a prescription and a doctor's authorization form. Some airlines have their own form. Others require authorization on your doctor's letterhead. It should contain:
your doctor's name and contact information
the lung condition that makes oxygen necessary
approval for air travel
verification of the need for oxygen in flight
the required oxygen flow rate in liters per minute
Make extra copies of the forms. You will need to provide one at check-in and at the gate for each flight you will be on.
Make arrangements for supplemental oxygen. People who need supplemental oxygen in flight have two options for their oxygen supply.
Rent or buy a portable oxygen concentrator (POC). This battery-powered device collects oxygen from the air and concentrates it. POCs are lightweight, can be carried through security checkpoints and don't count as carry-on luggage.
Purchase compressed oxygen from the airline. If you want to use an oxygen canister, some airlines make them available for passengers. Bringing and using your own canister is not an option -- the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) prohibits passengers from taking their own compressed or liquid oxygen aboard a plane.
Resources to help you plan. Because each airline sets its own policies regarding the use of in-flight supplemental oxygen, you'll need to spend time researching what works best for your circumstances. Here are two online resources that offer help:
The Airline Oxygen Council of America (www.airlineoxygencouncil.org). The AOCA site contains summaries of airline policies as well as links to airline medical policy pages for detailed information. It also provides a list of approved POCs, links for reporting problems and a sample physician statement.
The National Home Oxygen Patients Association (www.homeoxygen.org/airline-travel-withoxygen). This page offers tips and advice on traveling with oxygen as well as links to companies that sell approved POCs.
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Thank you John this a lot of useful information. I generally use Air-Tran, now part of Southwest Airlines and both use different forms, of course. so i will fill out both of the forms just case. the hardest part has been getting the doctors to put the forms on their letterheads. i see a pulmonary doctor tomorrow and hopefully he'll be more prepared then my family doctor. i didn't know carrying the prescription until i read your post. i am more then a little nervous this being my first flight and all.
