This article covers OxygenWorldwide’s services and details who might benefit from them. It notes which countries OxygenWorldwide has the best relationships with, and offers a host of practical advice on how to get in touch, organise a stay away from home, and provides some caveats and restrictions. The article invites prospective clients to get in touch with the company to learn more about the services on offer and to discover what help may be available to them.

Travelling With Oxygen Shouldn’t Be Complicated – Here’s Why

If you rely on oxygen for your health, the thought of travelling abroad can be daunting – what if something goes wrong with your supply? There are so many factors to consider that it can seem safer just to stay at home. Forever. But it doesn’t have to be that way. You can be a medical oxygen user and still explore the world safely. All you need is the right support: and OxygenWorldwide is on hand, waiting for become the trusted partner who can make sure your travels are as fun and enjoyable as you would like them to be. Read more about OxygenWorldwide and their oxygen travel services here.

Challenges of Travelling with Medical Oxygen

Travelling with medical oxygen introduces a lot of bureaucracy into your journey: from the various regulations about oxygen access, use and transportation which can differ from country to country, to the stringent airline rules, prescription requirements and – of course – being able to tap into local supplier networks – where on earth do you start?

Start with OxygenWorldwide, of course! OxygenWorldwide has been in the business of oxygen delivery worldwide, connecting travellers with their necessary oxygen, for decades and has a good grasp on many regulations and a great network of local suppliers in a host of countries. (Disclaimer: while OxygenWorldwide is well-versed in the rules and regulations of many countries and airlines, it is always up to the client to do some research and make sure that their specific oxygen setup will be compliant and appropriate.) Check out these travel tips for more information.

What OxygenWorldwide Actually Does for You

1 Global Coordination

  • OxygenWorldwide works with the abovementioned international network of suppliers to deliver oxygen in the destination country as and when it will be needed.
  • Travellers can access everything from cylinders (varying sizes) to LOX to portable oxygen concentrators (POCs) as long as they have an appropriate prescription and the requirements don’t contravene local regulations.

2 Communication is Key

  • OxygenWorldwide has multilingual assistants waiting to chat in English, Spanish, French, German and Dutch, so nothing is lost in translation between the traveller and the oxygen supplier.

3 Logistics and Documentation

  • OxygenWorldwide can help guide travellers through airline forms, medical documentation requirements and assist in liaising with hotels and hospitals.
  • Fill in this form if you have any questions: contact and enquiries.

Emergency Assistance and Peace of Mind

OxygenWorldwide has multilingual employees, as mentioned above, but it also operates a 24-hour helpline from which travellers can seek guidance while on their holiday. Travellers to Spain, Portugal and certain regions in France can especially benefit from this helpline, but do be aware that it is only for existing customers: travellers cannot make their own arrangements and then access OxygenWorldwide’s support without a previously established relationship.

Travellers who use or will need to use medical oxygen abroad should go ahead and set up that relationship though: here’s why OxygenWorldwide is a great partner to choose.

Beyond the Holiday: Support for Hospital Discharges and Long-Term Stays

It is not only holidaymakers who can take advantage of OxygenWorldwide’s services. Sometimes people who have been ill in hospital abroad and who are being released with an instruction to use medical oxygen at home for a period of convalescence will need to contact OxygenWorldwide to help them manage their new needs. OxygenWorldwide also coordinates temporary and permanent medical oxygen support for travellers as well as for expats or pensioners who have moved to a new – warmer, cheaper – country for their golden years if they need to establish or maintain medical oxygen supply lines.

Your Oxygen, Your Way

Oxygen arrangements can be tailored to meet travellers’ specific needs. For example, people might receive oxygen in various formats, all designed to work best over a set period of time:

Short stays benefit from the use of portable concentrators (light, portable, excellent for day trips and excursions) and cylinders (varying sizes for use in accommodation and overnight, with variable flowrates from low to high)

Longer stays – a week or two, for example – can again use POCs for the daytime travels and excursions, with larger cylinders or LOX tanks for home and overnight use. LOX or liquid oxygen is a bright blue fluid that ‘boils off’ into oxygen gas. It is highly compressed and is a great way to have a good quantity of oxygen on hand in a relative small (but heavy) space. However, it is also explosive if mishandled, and will not be permitted on a plane, and can be tightly regulated depending on the destination country.

Cruises and tours can use most types of oxygen equipment, but you will need to coordinate refills and deliveries to coincide with port calls. OxygenWorldwide can help with various Mediterranean and European river cruises. Click here for more information: cruises and multi-Country Tours.

How Real Travellers Explored Without Worry

Anne* suffers from emphysema and asthmatic conditions and has a diagnosis of COPD. While she is relatively mobile during the day, using preventive and relieving inhalers, she relies on an oxygen cylinder at night to keep her sleeping easily. Lying down without medical oxygen leaves her dangerously short of breath and she constantly wakes up, struggling to catch her breath – all of which leaves her exhausted and out of sorts. OxygenWorldwide helped Anne source a POC to take on her flight – she wasn’t sure if the low oxygen levels on board the plane would exacerbate her symptoms and (understandably) wasn’t prepared to risk falling ill – and helped establish contact with a local supplier to keep her night cylinders topped up until the end of her holiday.

OxygenWorldwide delivered the POC to the airport in time for Anne’s flight, and arranged to have oxygen cylinders ready and waiting in her hotel room – they did this by coordinating with the hotel management and the oxygen supplier, ensuring that all parties knew what was expected of them and by when.

Anne said: ‘OxygenWorldwide gave me the confidence to go on a foreign holiday for the first time since my diagnosis. I loved every minute of my time in Spain – Barcelona is beautiful and the countryside even more so! I am already planning my next holiday, and OxygenWorldwide was the first call I made.’

*Not her real name

How to Arrange Your Own Oxygen Supply with OxygenWorldwide

Once you’ve chosen your destination and tentatively picked out a hotel or accommodation, you should get in touch with OxygenWorldwide sooner rather than later. Here’s the step-by-step process:

  • Fill in the enquiry form, completing your travel dates and any prescription details (you will need to ensure that your prescription is in-date for all your destination country’s requirements.
  • OxygenWorldwide contacts local suppliers in the area, and gives you a quotation.
  • You will confirm the quotation, and future delivery will be set into action.
  • Once you are about to head off on holiday, you will be given access to the 24-hour emergency phone, for use should anything go astray during your travels. This could be anything from needing to switch hotels due to emergencies, needing to increase or decrease your supply and anything in between.

Why Should YOU Trust OxygenWorldwide?

OxygenWorldwide has over thirty years of global experience, and has, in that time, established excellent industry connections with oxygen and equipment suppliers, medical and travel insurers and even with hospitals and medical treatment centres all over the world. Their staff are invested in their clients’ wellbeing and take steps to ensure that everything arranged so that oxygen and users end up in the right place at the right time for trouble-free travelling. The multilingual staff literally speak your language, and care deeply about ensuring that travelling with medical oxygen is as easy possible for their customers.

If all of that isn’t enough, here are some more reasons why OxygenWorldwide is your best travel companion.

To conclude, needing to use medical oxygen shouldn’t be a life-limiting experience. You should be able to travel to just about anywhere, and enjoy holidays and sightseeing if you want to. And you can, with the right planning and partnerships in place: if you’re ready to plan your next trip? Contact OxygenWorldwide and let us take care of the rest!

FAQs

Q: What happens if the oxygen I ordered doesn’t arrive?

A: This is extremely rare, but should something go awry with the arrangements OxygenWorldwide has put in place, our 24-hour helpline is in place and can help make emergency arrangements to ensure you are not without your necessary oxygen for long. (Do note there are some countries where OxygenWorldwide has more limited contacts and that backup plans for these countries should be discussed in advance.)

Q: My hotel has flooded and I’m being moved to a sister hotel one town away. What happens to my arrangements?

A: Contact us as soon as possible when you learn of circumstances like these: our staff will immediately leap into action to divert your existing oxygen supply plan, or put into place a temporary one so you do not experience too much disruption.

Q: I’m not signed up with OxygenWorldwide, but I am on holiday already. Can I call your emergency line if my plans don’t work out?

A: Unfortunately, you can’t. The OxygenWorldwide helpline is purely for existing customers for whom we will have all the details of their medical condition and needs. We cannot take on a new customer in a foreign country at short notice – the logistics simply will not allow for a satisfactory experience.

Q: What paperwork do I need to travel with medical oxygen?

A: Most countries require an up-to-date prescription. Some may require a ‘fitness to travel’ letter, confirming that you are chronically ill, but capable of travelling without too much issue. You may also need a medical letter to confirm your diagnosis and the recommended treatment, as well as operating instructions for your medical equipment.