CPAP Carry On

[MBELSANTI]

Hello,

This will be my first time on a plane bringing my CPAP. I know that TSA likes to open up your carry on and go through it touching everything. I don't want my mask handled by anyone. Once I clean it for travel, I plan to put it in a large ziplock to keep it from getting touched...I mean who knows where their hands have been right? I guess I am a bit of a germaphobe. So has anyone carried their machine on a plane and do they go through it touching the parts?

 

[ToddyLu]

You can check your CPAP for free. It is the TSA rule that you remove the CPAP machine for them to physically/manually rub it down with one of those wipe things. So keeping it in a ziplock would not help as they have to use the wipe...from what I was told. DH and I both use a CPAP and we pack them together in a samll suitcase and check them everytime we fly. I put a piece of tape across the suitcase with CPAP/Medical equipment on it and just hand it over. My equipment has never been disturbed in the way.

Once you get to your resort if staying on Disney property they should have distilled water in the gift shop--you will have to ask for it though. Have a great time and check your equipment.

 

[ToddyLu]

Like you once I saw them touching my stuff (he was wearing gloves) and vowed to always check the equipment even if we only had carry-ons for other things.

 

[itradehilton]

We have traveled with CPAP machines for five years and have never had a TSA agent touch the mask or hose. What they have done was take the machine and swipe it with what looks like a moist wipe. We have never had any issues.

 

[Cheshire Figment]

When I get to Security I will remove my CPAP from my backpack, leaving all other medical supplies and equipment, including the hose and mask, in the backpack. The CPAP machine itself has to be placed in a separate container just as a laptop has to be to go through the X-Ray machine.

I have never been questioned about anything else in my backpack, which includes a blood pressure machine and a blood sugar reader, syringes, etc. And I travel by air five or six times a year.

 

[MBELSANTI]

Thanks for all of your replies! The thought of someone touching my mask or wiping it down with anything gives me the willies!

 

[Shagley]

The only part of my CPAP that has ever been looked at by TSA is the main part with the motor. The mask & hose have never been removed from the case or touched by TSA (I have them in zip lock bags as well).

Also, I would never recommend putting your CPAP in checked luggage unless you would be able to go a few nights without it if your luggage got lost. I wouldn't be able to sleep at all without my CPAP, and it would make for a miserable trip for me. I am not willing to risk not having my CPAP for even one night, so I alway carry it on with me.

 

[BearcatsFan]

DH also uses a CPAP. We have traveled for years with it and never has anyone touched the mask parts or the hose. His carry bag has a separate compartment for those items. The TSA sends it through the X-ray scanner, then pulls out the motor and looks it over - that's it.

We also would never check it ... just in case something were to happen with it getting lost. We always use it as an extra carry on and have never had any problems or been questioned.

HTH

 

[MBELSANTI]

Thank you, you guys are great!

I couldn't sleep even one night without it either! It has been a lifesaver for me...I used to fall asleep at my desk all day long..it was terrible!


I am going to carry it on and put the mask and hose in ziplocks as I intended to do.

 

[ToddyLu]

I agree it would probably be easier to carry it on but DH has an issue with waiting in security lines ( has to have Xanax to travel)...so I just wanted the OP to know they would not charge him if he checked it since it is medical equipment. We travel to MCO non-stop also--should have made that clear too I guess.

 

[lost*in*cyberspace]

Hello,

This will be my first time on a plane bringing my CPAP. I know that TSA likes to open up your carry on and go through it touching everything.

This really isn't true. I travel a lot and the only time TSA opens a carry-on is if they see something suspicious and need to look at it. Opening a carry-on and inspecting everything is not a regular occurence. Additionally, as already posted, they wear gloves.

 

[rascalmom]

I've flown 3 times this year with my cpap. I've carry it on when departing and check it on my return (we have a spare machine at home).

I put my mask, hose and power cord in a zip-lock bag. Those items have never been disturbed. I pull the machine only out of the carry case and put it in a separate bin going through security (I travel with a laptop too, so I am a bin hog! lol).

I've never once had a problem and the machine is usually checked with the swap and returned to me in the time it takes me to get through the x-ray machine and get my shoes back on.

I did not know a CPAP could be checked for free - how does this work? Do you cushion the CPAP with clothing or something? I hate lugging the thing....it is heavy and cumbersome, even though I have one of the small units. With my fibro, all that extra weight to carry wears me out.

 

[Cheshire Figment]

I did not know a CPAP could be checked for free - how does this work? Do you cushion the CPAP with clothing or something? I hate lugging the thing....it is heavy and cumbersome, even though I have one of the small units. With my fibro, all that extra weight to carry wears me out.

Not quite.

Any piece of luggage that holds medical supplies and/or equipment exclusively is exempt from both checked and carry-on luggage limitations. Using clothing to pad the equipment takes it out of the "medical exclusive" category.

 

[rascalmom]

So if I used foam padding to protect the CPAP, it could be packed in its own separate bag and not be subject to bag fees for checking or count against my carry on limit?

This would allow me to use a small rolling bag - a lot more comfortable for me when hiking through Detroit or O'Hare or some of the other large airports I travel through.

My CPAP bag is small - just getting the unit, hose, mask & power cord into it is a challenge and it offers no padding.....and of course, no wheels.

 

[bookgirl]

I have always carried on my CPAP. They no longer even take it out of it's case as long as you can open the case and the machine can be seen, my case folds in half, and the mask and the hose goes in a side pouch and they have never even opened that pocket to look at them. (OKC and LAS VEGAS both told me they no longer have to remove the unit for a residue test).

I never check my equiptment, I've never lost a bag completly but I'd still never take the chance. I have more than once carried on my CPAP, a purse and a carry on. They do not count the med equiptment towards your allowable items.

 

[MBELSANTI]

This really isn't true. I travel a lot and the only time TSA opens a carry-on is if they see something suspicious and need to look at it. Opening a carry-on and inspecting everything is not a regular occurence. Additionally, as already posted, they wear gloves.

Even if they are wearing gloves, they don't put on a new pair for each person's things that they inspect. I really don't want their hands, gloved or not touching my cleaned mask.

 

[rascalmom]

I have always carried on my CPAP. They no longer even take it out of it's case as long as you can open the case and the machine can be seen, my case folds in half, and the mask and the hose goes in a side pouch and they have never even opened that pocket to look at them. (OKC and LAS VEGAS both told me they no longer have to remove the unit for a residue test).

I never check my equiptment, I've never lost a bag completly but I'd still never take the chance. I have more than once carried on my CPAP, a purse and a carry on. They do not count the med equiptment towards your allowable items.

I flew out of OKC last week and they had me take my CPAP completely out of its carry case and put in a separate bin. It was run through the x-ray, inspected and swabbed (for that matter - so was I! Got the pat down....darn ankle hardware!) They gave me the CPAP instructions before the x-ray beeped when I passed through, so I don't think it was anything suspicious looking about me that caused them to inspect it.

 

[bookgirl]

I flew out of OKC last week and they had me take my CPAP completely out of its carry case and put in a separate bin. It was run through the x-ray, inspected and swabbed (for that matter - so was I! Got the pat down....darn ankle hardware!) They gave me the CPAP instructions before the x-ray beeped when I passed through, so I don't think it was anything suspicious looking about me that caused them to inspect it.

That's totally weird. They haven't removed mine for about 2 years (this is my home airport so maybe 5-7 flights in that time period) In fact I asked the first time they didn't swab it and was told they weren't required to swab and it was manybe two trips later that they said I could leave it in the bag as long as they could see the whole device. Maybe it's random, and I've just got lucky?

I used to use my backpack quite often and for some reason they ALWAYS felt the need to swab it. Scared the heck out of me once because I used that bag when I taught Flight and I'd been carring around model rockets and their fuel cells just days before.

The only thing I can think of is that maybe it's the type or layout of the bag/machine/equiptment.