Flying/Medical Equipment

[WantToGoNow]

[GALLERY=][/GALLERY]We are planning a trip in early September. We are planning to drive just because it will be easier but it would be a lot faster to fly. My grandson will be 2 when we go and he's trached. He is in the process of being weaned from the vent and will be off during the day but will still need it at night. How do you fly with two vents (portable and for the stand), vent pole, heater, oxygen concentrator (just in case), water for the heater, pulse ox machine, feed pump (again just in case) and all of his daily/machine supplies? I will have an ecv. It will be me, my daughter and grandson and my two teens.

 

[gap2368]

Medical things fly free just pack things in one bag ( or as many as you need) but do not put anything that is not medical in the bags. I know if you have Oxegin then you have to let the air lines know in advance and the container has to follow some laws ( so not sure if what your GS need fall in to this. you can look it up on the FAA website ( or I think this is the web site)

 

[redberyl]

You will need to call the airlines disability department ahead of time to make arrangements, but medical equipment does fly free. Something to consider, there is less oxygen in the air the higher you go, and your lungs have to work harder. My daughter is 8, has a trach, hasn't needed oxygen in 3 years but does need it on a plane, she just can't keep her Sats up without it. Also, getting through security with all that can be a real hassle; we travel fairly often and it's hit or miss. I always tell the security person at the start of the line that I am traveling with medical equipment and liquids (meds, tube feeds). Sometimes they escort me to the head of the line but sometimes they make us wait in the regular line, which then gets held up as they test all the meds and equipment for explosives, and pat me down, etc. It takes a while, I always add an extra hour for us to get through security. Some airports do have a disabled line, but even that can get really long

 

[SMD]

Every airline handles medical equipment in the cabin differently. Call the airlines you're thinking of using directly to figure out which ones will work. This may be a case where you want to go through a full service travel agent who has experience with special needs travel. You may also want to contact your medical supplier for a local supplier and see about traveling with 1 day worth of supplies and shipping or picking up the rest in FL.

 

[WantToGoNow]

Thanks for you input. As it turns out Pulminary doesn't want him to fly so I guess we are driving. They said the cabin pressure/altitude is hard on their lungs and they would "rather" we drove. He is heart transplant and they were worried about the germs on the plane (but transplant gave the ok to fly).

 

[stitchlovestink]

Every airline handles medical equipment in the cabin differently. Call the airlines you're thinking of using directly to figure out which ones will work. This may be a case where you want to go through a full service travel agent who has experience with special needs travel. You may also want to contact your medical supplier for a local supplier and see about traveling with 1 day worth of supplies and shipping or picking up the rest in FL.

Excellent suggestion, but Just keep in mind that ALL Disney Hotels are charging a $5 fee for each pkg shipped to the hotel. And I would not count on having that fee waved for medical supplies. Wonderful if they do, but I just would expect to pay the fees and consider it pixie dust if they wave the fees.

Thanks for you input. As it turns out Pulminary doesn't want him to fly so I guess we are driving. They said the cabin pressure/altitude is hard on their lungs and they would "rather" we drove. He is heart transplant and they were worried about the germs on the plane (but transplant gave the ok to fly).

That's a bit interesting regarding the germs on a plane as you are going to encounter just as many if not more germs at Disney itself especially considering the fact you will be around way more people than you would be around on a plane.

 

[WantToGoNow]

The difference is most of the time he will be outside or in large spaces (theaters). We will avoid crowded closed in spaces with him. He is non-mobile and will spend much of his time in his adaptive stroller and we will utilize fast pass and the DAS. Airplanes are germy - coughing, sneezing, etc and poor circulation.

My daughter talked to his pulminologists nurse yesterday and did get the ok to fly since he would be off his heater much less time than driving. The person that said he couldn't fly was not his dr/nurse but someone else in the office. However since he will be two he will require a seat that he won't utilize - he's about the size of a 9 month old and will be held so we may drive anyway.

 

[Starwind]

Excellent suggestion, but Just keep in mind that ALL Disney Hotels are charging a $5 fee for each pkg shipped to the hotel. And I would not count on having that fee waved for medical supplies. Wonderful if they do, but I just would expect to pay the fees and consider it pixie dust if they wave the fees.

Apparently package fees are still only applying to convention resorts (where they have for a long time) and the new $5 fee at the value resorts. Other resorts do not appear to have the new fee, at least yet. The "shipping to resorts" thread has posts as late as mid January confirming this, so it is possible it has changed since.

Direct *deliveries* however, such as a medical supply company might make directly to a resort (as opposed to FedEx, UPS, USPS), did not appear to incur the $5 fee at the values (and I don't think they do at the convention resorts). For example, Garden Grocer deliveries do not incur the fee.

OP: your airline will have information on traveling with medical supplies/equipment/medication on their website. They should also have a number you can call for disability assistance to talk with them about your needs and clarify their policies. Medical equipment won't count towards your baggage allowances, the challenge will be how to transport it safely and to meet airline requirements for some of it (eg if there are batteries, or oxygen there are special rules both by the government and the airline).

I encourage you to print a copy of what they have on their website, as well as get as much of the discussion you have with the airline in writing if you can. I recently had a not so great experience traveling with medical items -- three airline employees did NOT follow their policy and I ended up having to airplane-door-check one carry-on (when I should not have had to at all). I complained to the airline during travel (long layovers and a smartphone with facebook are useful tools) and they both confirmed I was correct and apologized, promising to retrain the employees. I don't know if having had a printout of the polocy from the airline website would have helped me or not, but it would have been better than me trying to verbally explain to them their own policy that they insisted was not correct and that "optics" overruled disability accommodation.... :-( I have flown many times and not experienced that before, so am hoping it was an exceptional event. But next time I am coming prepared with printout

If you expect to have items shipped or delivered to your resort, contacting Disney for information will be helpful. Getting an answer in writing is always useful too, especially if they say there will be no fees and you then get charged a fee.

Good luck and enjoy your trip !

SW

 

[Muskrat191]

My daughter talked to his pulminologists nurse yesterday and did get the ok to fly since he would be off his heater much less time than driving. The person that said he couldn't fly was not his dr/nurse but someone else in the office. However since he will be two he will require a seat that he won't utilize - he's about the size of a 9 month old and will be held so we may drive anyway.

You will need to check with the airline to see if you will be able to hold him during takeoff/landing/anytime the seatbelt sign is on, as FAA regulations may prohibit that for children after their 2nd birthday. If you have a car seat that works well for him, you could likely use it on the plane.

 

[mamabunny]

Apparently package fees are still only applying to convention resorts (where they have for a long time) and the new $5 fee at the value resorts. Other resorts do not appear to have the new fee, at least yet. The "shipping to resorts" thread has posts as late as mid January confirming this, so it is possible it has changed since.

Direct *deliveries* however, such as a medical supply company might make directly to a resort (as opposed to FedEx, UPS, USPS), did not appear to incur the $5 fee at the values (and I don't think they do at the convention resorts). For example, Garden Grocer deliveries do not incur the fee.

OP: your airline will have information on traveling with medical supplies/equipment/medication on their website. They should also have a number you can call for disability assistance to talk with them about your needs and clarify their policies. Medical equipment won't count towards your baggage allowances, the challenge will be how to transport it safely and to meet airline requirements for some of it (eg if there are batteries, or oxygen there are special rules both by the government and the airline).

I encourage you to print a copy of what they have on their website, as well as get as much of the discussion you have with the airline in writing if you can. I recently had a not so great experience traveling with medical items -- three airline employees did NOT follow their policy and I ended up having to airplane-door-check one carry-on (when I should not have had to at all). I complained to the airline during travel (long layovers and a smartphone with facebook are useful tools) and they both confirmed I was correct and apologized, promising to retrain the employees. I don't know if having had a printout of the polocy from the airline website would have helped me or not, but it would have been better than me trying to verbally explain to them their own policy that they insisted was not correct and that "optics" overruled disability accommodation.... :-( I have flown many times and not experienced that before, so am hoping it was an exceptional event. But next time I am coming prepared with printout

If you expect to have items shipped or delivered to your resort, contacting Disney for information will be helpful. Getting an answer in writing is always useful too, especially if they say there will be no fees and you then get charged a fee.

Good luck and enjoy your trip !

SW

Andre' at PortOrleans.org has now posted that all Resorts will have this $5 fee for any mail or packages received for Guests.

Story here: Package and Mail Delivery Fee...

My family rarely has anything shipped in, certainly not more than 1 box per trip, but I can see this affecting lots of people. He does say that it won't apply to things like Owner's Locker and Garden Grocers that deliver to Bell Services, so that's good... I guess.

I do feel like there should be an exemption for medical supplies, and Andre' seems to hint that if you ask, the fee might be waved? (Or maybe that's just how I read it?) However, I feel like if WDW said "everything BUT medical supplies, then suddenly everything that arrived would be marked "Medical Supplies"...

 

[gap2368]

I know some one that had an insulin pump break while at Disney and Disney did not charge them for the package but the package did come form a pump company ( Medtronic) witch was clearly on the box, and I think, they had talked to the front desk the night before to see of they could have it shipped and if someone there could sign for it. so the front desk know it was coming what it was and so forth. I do not know if this is something Disney dose with medical packages or if this was something nice for this family ( because trust me they were not having a good time with out the pump) but I would ask if they could wave the fee but I would also be willing to pay the fee too.

 

[SMD]

I'd be willing to pay a small fee for not having the hassle of checking extra items. Plus you can verify that it was delivered the day before you arrive, and if something does go wrong you have a lot more options than finding out your checked item was misplaced when you arrive at MCO.