Traveling while unwell is always stressful. Traveling with a chronic condition that requires the use of medical oxygen can be more so. This sometimes means that people would rather forgo travel than risk not being able to take proper care of themselves while abroad. It is understandable that it can seem daunting, but traveling with medical oxygen is – or can be – more manageable than you might think. The key to having a seamless and trouble-free voyage lies in understanding the airline’s rules, making sure your equipment is compliant before you go, and knowing exactly what to expect during the journey. OxygenWorldwide can smooth out your path to your chosen destination, by helping you to source oxygen and refills as and when – and often where – you need them. 

Over the last several years, first terror threats and the tightened security that resulted from these and the Covid pandemic, OxygenWorldwide’s offer has been somewhat reduced (we can no longer provide oxygen to you on the plane or even at the airport, for example). However, we can absolutely ensure that the oxygen you need is waiting for you when you’ve landed. Let’s have a quick look at what airlines typically require, what they don’t always express clearly and how OxygenWorldwide can work within these limitations to ensure that your travel is as stress-free as possible.

What Airlines Typically Require

Most airlines have similar regulations these days, so you should prepare as a minimum to give them advance notice of your traveling with your portable oxygen device (more on which coming up). Usually they require around 48 to 72 hours notice to be prepared to accept you and your oxygen device on the plane. What you can do, if you are a nervous flier, is to let them know your needs as soon as you book your ticket, and also confirm your arrangements within that 48 – 72 hour window before your flight.

You will often require a ‘fit to fly’ letter from your doctor or medical team. This usually involves a face-to-face meeting with your doctor (sometimes a nurse or midwife is permitted to complete the form if they have more history with the patient) to ascertain that your illness is under control and that traveling will not cause you any problems. (In the case of pregnancies, as well as ensuring that the traveler is in good shape healthwise, there is sometimes the need to assert that the baby will not be born abroad, especially if this causes citizenship issues.)

You may not be able to use your own oxygen equipment – in fact, accept that you will not be able to from the start, and if your equipment does happen to fall within the rather narrow range of allowed models it will come as a pleasant surprise to you! You can find the list of FAA-approved portable oxygen concentrators (POCs) – you cannot travel with cylinders of compressed oxygen for obvious safety reasons – online or directly from your airline, and OxygenWorldwide can also help you to source the right kind of equipment to rent for the duration of your holiday, if necessary.

Your POC must have good levels of battery power, plus spare batteries. Aim to be able to power your device for the entire flight’s duration plus half again as long. (So if your flight is two hours long, ensure your batteries will last a minimum of three hours.)

What Airlines Don’t Always Make Clear

You might assume that because you’ve informed the airline about your need and usage of medical oxygen, they will be ready and willing to assist you with the equipment and ensuring that your oxygen supply is adequate for the flight. This is not the case at all. Often, flight attendants have no training with medical oxygen and not all airports are equipped to assist you with your oxygen supply in the time between check-in and boarding. This is why it is important that you have accounted for extra time when calculating how long your battery will last. You are entirely responsible for your POC while you are flying and must know how to charge the battery, carry the device and you should also understand what alarms and alerts might sound on the device and how to resolve them. This also applies if your POC becomes damaged or stops working for some reason – the crew will not be able to help you with it. To this end, make sure you have read the instruction manual thoroughly, and – if you can – take it with you on your trip. At worst, take photos of the relevant troubleshooting pages, so you can perform basic maintenance, resolve alarms and basically make sure that you can get through the flight.

What (Else) You’ll Need to Bring With You

  • The first thing is obviously the POC itself. A portable oxygen concentrator works by filtering the nitrogen (usually 80% concentration) from the air so that the oxygen concentration (usually 20% or so) rises to the 80s or 90s, percentage wise. As mentioned above, only a narrow range of these devices has been deemed acceptable for flights, so you will most likely be traveling with a device that is different to the one you usually use.
  • Spare batteries to give you peace of mind and extra running time. These should be fully charged just before you travel so they don’t have time to lose any of their power.
  • Manufacturer’s documentation refers to the little booklet often found in the packaging with any new appliance or electronic device, and can be part of the user manual. It will also clearly state the make and model of the POC and will be needed at the check-in desk to clear you to take the POC onboard.
  • A ‘fit to fly’ letter starting your condition, the flow-rate of oxygen you require, and the dates of your travel along with an affirmation that your condition is not so serious that it prevents you from traveling and that you should be able to tolerate the stresses of getting to your destination well.
  • You can also bring along a pulse oximeter so you can keep an eye on your oxygen levels, especially if you are traveling for the first time and aren’t sure how your body will react. This is optional, but can be useful.

What OxygenWorldwide Can Help With

When you are thinking about traveling, get in touch with us as soon as you can, and discuss your plans and needs with our experts. There is a lot about your holiday that we can help with from an oxygen supply point of view, including sourcing oxygen at your destination accommodation, by coordinating with local suppliers – we have connections in most countries around the world – and we can help you to plan a complex multi-destination itinerary for a touring holiday, if that’s what you have in mind. As long as you have taken care of your oxygen needs on the plane and at the airport, we can ensure that oxygen is ready for you once you have landed.

What OxygenWorldwide Cannot Help With 

We can no longer provide oxygen for use in-flight. Nor can we provide oxygen assistance at airports, during boarding and disembarkation, for example. This is mainly due to the increased security at airports these last few years, and also means that we can no longer provide airport oxygen handovers or escort services.

Tips for a Smooth Journey

Traveling with medical needs does not have to be a huge hassle, but it does require some forethought and planning, and you should also factor in extra time throughout the journey, to allow for pitfalls and snags to arise and (hopefully) be resolved. Book direct flights whenever you can to avoid the extra hassle caused by layovers and connections, and arrive very early for your flight, so you allow the airline personnel time to process your medical equipment in good time to make your flight. Even if you have the paperwork and have ticked all the boxes, it is worthwhile letting the airline know that you’re using (or will be using) a POC. Ensure that you know how to look after your POC by yourself, without needing assistance from cabin crew who are simply not trained in the provision of medical oxygen. Keep all your documentation in a safe place where it is easily accessible at almost any moment in your trip as you might need to access it for a number of reasons during the journey.

Plan Ahead, Fly with Confidence

So you can see, flying with medical oxygen is not only possible, but it can be seamless and trouble-free – as long as you take some steps during the planning process to ensure that this is the case. These steps include ensures you plan carefully, have patience with bureaucracy and that you source and know how to use the right equipment.

OxygenWorldwide is ready, willing and able to support you when you arrive in your destination country, helping you have the peace of mind that comes with knowing that your medical needs are catered for.

Contact  OxygenWorldwide now to arrange oxygen at your destination – it can be ready and waiting before you even take off!