Airline carry on Medical Bag - can't have multiple machines?

[miztressuz]

I know the carry on medical bag for airplanes has been discussed here a few times but i didn't see anything about this bizarre 'horror' story my MIL dentist told her. I have no idea when this occurred, if it was recent or not, but it's freaking her out.

My MIL has to bring her BiPap, a Nebulizer, and one of those portable oxygen concentrators on the plane. So we planned for a "medical" bag with all the devices, their hoses, etc and any other medical supplies needed. They are all small so it would all fit into 1 carry-on sized bag. (although actually seeing the oxygen concentrator now i think that won't fit into a bag) She was talking with her dentist and he tells her that he tried to do similar and at the airport they made him take all the equipment out of the bag because they couldn't all be in the bag together, they had to be in separate bags and so he had to carry all the crap outside the bag. So now she's worried cuz there is no way they can carry everything separately in addition to the carry-on luggage. (oh, she'll also be in a wheelchair so limited amount of hands for carrying - although my suggestion is they get the cart/trolley for the luggage and he pushes her and she pushes the cart that'd be an interesting train through the terminal)

Is this true? They won't allow one bag to carry multiple machines? I can see needing to take stuff out for screening, but then not letting it all go back into that bag is asinine, IMO. Can someone let me know the proper way to do this when you have multiple devices?

Also, again I don't think it's a problem, but she wondered if they would raise a fuss if the medical bag had bed pads and incontinence products in it? My thought is if it is a medical supply (like the bed pads) I can't see how it wouldn't count. Its not like that's something you pick up randomly, it's generally only used for a medical reason. But I figured I'd ask the experts

 

[jmartinez1895]

We have always taken multiple machines and never had any trouble. We even go with two nebulizers ( two kids that may need one at the same time) and we always put them all in the same bag. We do have to take all of the machines out of the bag for screening, but once we are done we pack them back up in the same bag. I am very interested to find out if there has been a change because we are flying again in Nov
Her pads will be fine to put in the medical bag. They are considered medical related.

 

[Cheshire Figment]

My carry-on medical bag has a CPAP and two other pieces of equipment, as well as pills, liquid medicines in Frio cold packs, and syringes and needles. I do have to take some of the stuff out for separate screening, but it all goes into one bag and TSA has never, at any airport, had any problems.

 

[miztressuz]

awesome, that's what i figured. but with all the stories that pop up on the news about goofy TSA agents giving people with medical problems a hard time (that poor guy with the ostemy bag) she and my FIL are a little anxious about all this stuff. so when her dentist told her that it was like the last straw on the camels back.

so thanks for the quick responses. hopefully this will calm everyone down again they haven't been on an airplane for about 30 or 40 years and now that they are they have all this extra stuff they have to be taken into account (wheelchair, oxygen device, the stuff in the medical bag, implanted devices, shoe issues, etc) so it's a bit of a whirlwind. but it'll all be worth the little inconvenience, WDW with a Disney cruise after... i just keep telling them that

 

[bidnow5]

We have taken a cpap machine and a nebulizer in one carry-on at least 20 times with out any trouble

 

[dclfun]

I've never had a problem either. I travel with a spare ventilator and it's charger, and a w/c charger plus extra circuits, a power strip, and disposable supplies. What I've done recently is get a large clear snap-top Rubbermaid-type container, tape it up, label it "medical supplies/FRAGILE!!" and then send it through with the luggage or gate-check. Either way I've had no problems and I think it helps that they can see inside the container but boy is that thing heavy!!.---Kathy

 

[jdb in AZ]

We have always taken multiple machines and never had any trouble. We even go with two nebulizers ( two kids that may need one at the same time) and we always put them all in the same bag. We do have to take all of the machines out of the bag for screening, but once we are done we pack them back up in the same bag. I am very interested to find out if there has been a change because we are flying again in Nov
Her pads will be fine to put in the medical bag. They are considered medical related.

After the screening, why on earth would the equipment need to be in separate bags? I just don't see any rhyme or reason for it. Did the dentist not understand that he could put all the equipment back into the same bag after he went through security?

 

[miztressuz]

After the screening, why on earth would the equipment need to be in separate bags? I just don't see any rhyme or reason for it. Did the dentist not understand that he could put all the equipment back into the same bag after he went through security?

honestly, beats the crap out of me. my MIL said, that he said, "they" (I am assuming tsa/security could be the airline) told him it could not be all in one bag. i couldn't find the logic behind it either and i suspect (but have no real idea) that he had it as an addition to the carry on but had other non medical stuff in it so they were saying it had to be separate from that but without another bag he had to carry everything by itself. or maybe he was forced to check something and had to take it out so he had to carry it all separate? even that doesn't really make all that much sense... but what does with this story? i hate the 3 times removed stories.

but on the off chance there was a specific circumstance that caused this I thought I'd ask. so far as everyone knows they should be able to carry on the following : 1 piece of carry on luggage each, 1 personal item each, and the 1 medical bag full of the equipment and supplies. It's a potential for 5 items (although I think we'll have it pared down to 4 in reality; 2 carry ons, 1 medical, and 1 personal - otherwise that's a lot of bags.) for 2 travelers? seem ok?

 

[Cheshire Figment]

Possibly it could be the interpretation that certain items have to be in a separate bin going through the X-Ray. When I travel I have to take my laptop computer out of its case and put in in a plastic bin by itself. I also have to take my CPAP out of the luggage in put it in a separate plastic bin by itself. But before and after the X-Ray screening all can be in the same piece of luggage.

 

[CPT Tripss]

The oxygen concentrator MAY be a problem with the airline. Check with the specific airline and check it out.