Flying in Europe with full size APAP

[SteadyAir]

I fly fortnightly with a full size resmed autoset within europe using Ryanair a bargain basement everything is extra airline and a typical holiday airline, for both carriers I keep it in it's own bag that way it's easily recognised by security and the gate staff as a cpap machine they see lots of them I have not been asked any questions in the two years over 100 flights I have been doing this. I keep the bag over the handle of my roller bag whilst walking through the airport it's no issue. When on the plane it goes by my feet unless I am in an emergency exit seat then it goes in the overhead.

My flights are short like most europe flights so i do not use the cpap on the plane so no need to inform the airline just arrive at the gate with it.


I hope this is help full

Thanks, that's great to know. But specifically my question is, I will already be carrying a regular carry-on case and one personal item (my camera bag). Now I need to carry my APAP machine also. In the US that's not an issue because the FAA says so. 

So, when you are traveling are you carrying 3 bags and they don't fuss about it? Or is it just your Personal Item?  Also, when you say to fly with it "by my feet", are you saying under the seat in front of your, or actually between your feet?

As far as using my APAP, yes, on my first leg it's just from Paris to Munich, so I will not bother. But the next leg is several hours from Munich to LAX and I may want to use it.

Thanks for your information.

[jaswilliams]

I fly fortnightly with a full size resmed autoset within europe using Ryanair a bargain basement everything is extra airline and a typical holiday airline, for both carriers I keep it in it's own bag that way it's easily recognised by security and the gate staff as a cpap machine they see lots of them I have not been asked any questions in the two years over 100 flights I have been doing this. I keep the bag over the handle of my roller bag whilst walking through the airport it's no issue. When on the plane it goes by my feet unless I am in an emergency exit seat then it goes in the overhead.

My flights are short like most europe flights so i do not use the cpap on the plane so no need to inform the airline just arrive at the gate with it.


I hope this is help full

Thanks, that's great to know. But specifically my question is, I will already be carrying a regular carry-on case and one personal item (my camera bag). Now I need to carry my APAP machine also. In the US that's not an issue because the FAA says so. 

So, when you are traveling are you carrying 3 bags and they don't fuss about it? Or is it just your Personal Item?  Also, when you say to fly with it "by my feet", are you saying under the seat in front of your, or actually between your feet?

As far as using my APAP, yes, on my first leg it's just from Paris to Munich, so I will not bother. But the next leg is several hours from Munich to LAX and I may want to use it.

Thanks for your information.

Absolutely no fuss I have a Roller Bag, Backpack with my laptop and personal stuff in it. plus my Resmed Cpap which is extra to my paid for allowance on ryanair (one cabin bag and one personal bag paid for) the cpap is carried as a medical device for free and by choice I place the cpap upright under the seat in front of me rather than in the overhead. The roller and backpack go in the overhead generally. Sometimes there is limited space and you get asked to place some bags in the hold on those occasions the roller case goes in the hold a d I carry the other two bags I am not letting my laptop not cpap out of sight


Also whilst I think of if there is no need to remove the cpap from it's bag for security it goes through the x-ray in it's bag, if you want for extra cleanliness pop the machine and hose in a clear Ziploc bag so if security want to swab the cpap they can do without touching the machine and you are perfectly at liberty to ask them to change their gloves

[NotADr]

jaswilliams, that's good info to know about Ryan Air, but as mentioned earlier, there are no overall, encompassing rules in the EU that make exceptions for a medical device carry-on that doesn't count toward your carry-on allowance. I didn't get the impression that the OP is asking about going through security or cleanliness of his equipment; my impression is that his question concerns the number of carry-on bags permitted aboard flight, although I could be wrong (as I often am).

I would be very happy to learn that a bag containing cpap equipment doesn't count toward your carry-on allowance in Europe, but so far I haven't heard that's the case. And I'd be apprehensive about encountering a gate agent (other perhaps than a Ryan Air agent) that throws me a curve ball when I'm attempting to board a flight with an extra carry-on that doesn't meet the rules of that particular airline. At this point my suggestion is for the OP to contact Lufthansa if possible by email and, if favorable, print out a copy of their reply so that he has something to point to if it turns out to be an issue for the gate agent when it gets time to board.

[SteadyAir]

...  I didn't get the impression that the OP is asking about going through security or cleanliness of his equipment; my impression is that his question concerns the number of carry-on bags permitted aboard flight, although I could be wrong (as I often am).

That's true, that wasn't my original question, but it's still good to know.

... I'd be apprehensive about encountering a gate agent that throws me a curve ball when I'm attempting to board a flight with an extra carry-on that doesn't meet the rules of that particular airline.

Yeah, that's what I am afraid of, seeing that first flight home is just a short flight from Paris to Munich. I assume that there would be more "slack" on the long haul flight back to the States.

... At this point my suggestion is for the OP to contact Lufthansa if possible by email and, if favorable, print out a copy of their reply so that he has something to point to if it turns out to be an issue for the gate agent when it gets time to board.

That's what I will try and do.

[holden4th]

I travel a lot and have had virtually no problems carrying my PAP on board as an extra item. The medical tag that I've attached to it makes it clear that it's medical equipment and the airlines take a positive approach.

Aircraft size may make a difference. Flying from Canberra to Sydney on a Dash 8 turbo prop, I prepared to board the plane carrying my small backpack and PAP bag (well labelled). I had previously asked Qantas if my PAP counted as necessary medical equipment and they said yes. However, the attendant at the gate wanted to put a label on my CPAP and put it in the hold and my response was NO! After discussion with the next person up the food chain where I showed them the airline response he said that it would be OK this time but the limited overhead locker space in a plane of this type was the issue and i do see their point here.

The lesson here is to contact the airline and seek guidance before flying. Showing their response in writing to an someone who can make you put your bag in the hold is a good workaround.

[SteadyAir]

Thanks everyone for their replies.

Here's what I finally found. There's a Lufthansa page for [/url][url=https://www.lufthansa.com/us/en/travellers-with-special-needs]Travelers with Special Needs which includes a phone number and an email address to the Lufthansa Medical Operation Centre. I chose to email so everything would be in writing and they got back to me today.  They confirmed that "You can bring your CPAP device additional to your hand luggage free of charge also here in the EU." 

They also told me "We have registered the transport and usage of your own sleep apnea device (CPAP) into your reservation and confirmed same on your flight from Paris via Munich to Los Angeles on ..."

Now, I just need to contact United's Accessibility Desk to use my CPAP on the flight out. Sounds like a formality, ensuring my machine's model is FAA compliant. United: Customer-provided ventilators, respirators and CPAP machines

Thanks again for everyone who gave me some feedback on this.

SteadyAir

[StevesSp]

I have taken my CPAP on board many different airlines, as additional 'free' hand luggage, without a hitch.

It is always worth checking the importation rules in your destination country however. Usually there is no special process but, (for instance) when flying into Japan, you have to obtain a 'Yakkan Shomei', a type of import certificate which, if I recall correctly, had to be signed by my doctor.

I recently visited South Korea, Spain, the UK and Italy, using four different airlines, and the CPAP machine was only queried once, when I flew with a budget carrier, but nevertheless allowed on board without any problem.

I do enjoy watching the discussion among the baggage X-Ray operators when it goes through, if the operator hasn't seen one before (happens much less often these days becaquse CPAP machines are becoming so commonplace).

I would never allow the machine to be put in the hold.