Johns Hopkins Health Alerts | Lung Disorders | Traveling Smart with Oxygen

Traveling by air? You’ll need to do some advance planning with your doctor and oxygen supplier.

Air travel offers special challenges for people who use supplemental oxygen. Here’s some helpful advice from the experts at Johns Hopkins … Call your doctor as soon as you know you’re going away. If you have COPD and don’t normally use supplemental oxygen, you may now need it if you’re traveling by air, as low oxygen levels in the airplane cabin may adversely affect your breathing. Your doctor will give you a pre-flight assessment, including measurement of your blood oxygen level and general lung function tests. Based on the assessment, your doctor may recommend the use of in-flight oxygen.

If you already are on supplemental oxygen, your doctor may recommend increasing the oxygen flow rate during the flight. If you do need in-flight oxygen, you will need a letter on your doctor’s letterhead with his or her name and contact information, information about your lung disorder, approval for air travel and verification of need for in-flight oxygen, and information about the oxygen flow rate in liters per minute and duration of use. Bring a copy for each flight you’ll be on. Also, ask your doctor for prescriptions for your medications, which you should carry onboard in case your luggage is lost or delayed. Your doctor may give you a supply of certain medications for emergencies, such as antibiotics to use if you develop a bacterial lung infection. These, too, should be in your carry-on bag, not in checked luggage.

Starting in August 2005 the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) allows passengers who require medical oxygen to take certain portable oxygen concentrators on board. The allowable concentrators are made by AirSep Corporation and Inogen Inc. The FAA permits the devices to be used throughout the flight, including takeoff and landing. Passengers using concentrators during a flight are required to inform the pilot that they are doing so and provide a written statement signed by a licensed physician that verifies the passenger’s ability to use the device.

It’s important to note that the FAA regulation does not require individual airlines to let passengers use oxygen concentrators (it allows each airline to make its own policy). You should therefore make arrangements directly with the airline. Some airlines require at least 72 hours advance notice, particularly for international flights.

It’s a good idea to reconfirm your oxygen arrangements before your trip, to arrive at the airport early, and to ask these questions in advance of your trip:

• What does the airline charge for supplying in-flight oxygen.
• Does your medical insurance cover the costs of in-flight oxygen.
• Can you bring your own empty oxygen equipment. Some airlines will allow you to bring empty personal oxygen equipment onboard or check it with your baggage.
• Can you bring your own cannula or mask; if not, find out whether the airline will provide one or both of these.
• Ask about seat requirements. Some airlines may require you to buy an additional seat if you will need more than a certain number of oxygen cylinders.
• Make arrangements for oxygen at layover stops. Airlines do not make arrangements for oxygen on the ground, so you’ll need to ask your doctor and oxygen supplier to help you make arrangements. If at all possible, try to arrange for direct flights to avoid this problem. Call an oxygen supplier in your destination city ahead of time. Your oxygen supplier can help make sure you have a supply of oxygen waiting for you when you arrive.

For more Alerts and Special Reports, please visit the Lung Disorders Topic page.

Johns Hopkins Health Alerts | Lung Disorders | Traveling Smart with Oxygen