Personal Bag-CPAP

[Christine9125]

I have a CPAP machine for sleeping, is this counted as a personal item on Airtran or not, if anyone has had experience? I have read it both ways.

 

[Singledad]

it is considered medical supplies and is NOT counted.

i've flown with my daughter and I and brought: laptop (personal item), backpack with snacks and books for me, smaller backpack with activites for my daughter, her diaper bag (personal item), and the cpap on board.

Just know on screening they want you to take the cpap out of the bag for it to be scanned through, and they will bring you aside for extra test on the cpap. was very quick.

 

[Christine9125]

it is considered medical supplies and is NOT counted.

i've flown with my daughter and I and brought: laptop (personal item), backpack with snacks and books for me, smaller backpack with activites for my daughter, her diaper bag (personal item), and the cpap on board.

Just know on screening they want you to take the cpap out of the bag for it to be scanned through, and they will bring you aside for extra test on the cpap. was very quick.

Thank you, do you have to take the whole machine out (tubes and all) or just the mechanical part?

 

[Patricia721]

We've flown twice on JetBlue with my husband's cpap. Flying out of Syracuse, the TSA wanted the machine taken out of the bag (not the hoses or mask) & they tested it separately after it went through the scanner. Very quick - only took a few seconds. Flying out of Orlando, we told the TSA we were carrying a cpap. They said it was not a problem - as I recall they only wanted the case to be opened & they didn't test it. It was our experience that the cpap did not count towards our carry on allowance.

 

[CPT Tripss]

Thank you, do you have to take the whole machine out (tubes and all) or just the mechanical part?

If you are required to take the cpap out, it is just the mechanical part. Recent post on the TSA blog is addresses this. http://blog.tsa.gov/2011/02/traveling-with-cpap-machine.html As an aside, my experience is that about 1/3 of the time the cpap goes through unmolested.

A couple of things to keep in mind. The bins are filthy from shoes etc. Put your cpap in a plactic bag. Do the same for all the tubing.

TSA searchers, handle all kinds of stuff without changing their gloves, so they are also apt to be filthy. Have the TSAer change gloves BEFORE handling your medical equipment. Also have them clean the table where they put your medical equipment to search it (yeap . . . filthy).

The TSA searcher will probably want to swab your cpap for explosive residue. Have them use a new swab. Nope, not just because a used one may be filthy (they do swab shoes) but more importantly, the swab may already have traces of explosive and could alarm even though your cpap is "safe."

 

[Singledad]

I also varify that it is only the machine they want separate, tubing and mask can stay in the case to x-ray.

in fact, with my type of case all I have to do is unzip and flip open and they have no issues. but my carrying case is thin, and it leaves just the machine on one half. (the other half is a pocket with the hose and mask.)