Taking my C-Pap on the plane

[teller80]

Just how strict are airlines with the bag that my c-pap goes in? It came with a special one, but can I put it in a different bag? Can I then use the additional space in that bag for packing more stuff?

 

[gap2368]

Medical things fly free so the bag the C-pap is in will be free. if you put anything else in the bag that is not medical then it is no longer a medical bag.

 

[osxgirl]

Just how strict are airlines with the bag that my c-pap goes in? It came with a special one, but can I put it in a different bag? Can I then use the additional space in that bag for packing more stuff?

According to the TSA website, you have to take the CPAP out of the bag for it to go through the X-ray. The tubing and mask can stay in the bag.

To me, this says that you can put it in whatever bag you want. However, there's a caveat to that. Medical equipment does not count as a carryon. So if it is in its own case, it won't count as a carryon, and you can still bring whatever other carryon you are allowed to bring. If you put it in another bag and put other stuff in it, my guess is that it will likely be considered as just a normal carryon and you may not get away with using that as a way to get an extra carryon. (I use my CPAP bag to stuff extra stuff in all the time, though haven't done it on an airline - but my bag has lots of extra room when I travel because I don't bother to take the humidifier with me when I travel to save space.) So I would just leave it in the normal case, take your normal carryon, and take a strap to attach the CPAP to your other carryon to make it easier to handle things.

A couple of other hints: most places recommend taking a letter of medical necessity or your prescription with you when you fly with a CPAP. I've only flown with mine once, didn't take one, and had no problem, but others say they have had issues before. It comes down to whether or not the TSA agent knows the rules or wants to play by them or what. But the recommendation is to have the letter from your doctor just in case.

Put the CPAP in a plastic bag inside the case, so when you take it out and put it through the X-ray, it isn't exposed to the germs, handled uncovered by the TSA agents, etc. TSA actually recommends that on their site even.

Put a tag on the case that it is medical equipment. Some of the CPAP supply places have them that you can buy, but I just made my own. Do a search of "CPAP medical supply travel tag" and you'll get hits for some to buy, which will let you either buy one, or give you good examples if you want to just print up your own.

 

[bushdianee]

I think it depends on the airport and TSA agent you get. I always ask if they want the CPap out of the bag when going thru security. Sometimes they do sometimes they don't. I used to take it out every time until one TSA agent told me I didn't need to. I travel with it about once a year on planes. I use the bag that it came with it. I don't have a special tag for it.

 

[Pooh2]

I have had the person who scans the ticket at the gate request to see inside my cpap bag to verify that it was indeed medical equipment on occasions when they are enforcing carryon rules.

Twice I've had the hose crack while traveling so now carry some medical tape to fix it up until we get a replacement.

 

[Dis703]

For the few flights I've taken my CPAP with me, I haven't had to take it out of the bag, but that was a couple years ago. Flying with it again next month, so we'll see. There isn't much room in the bag for anything else, but I did put some papers and small items in mine (like my Minnie ears). It wasn't anything that added significant weight or caused the bag to bulge. I would think you'd likely get away with something along those lines but if you were packing it with stuff that made it heavier or larger I wouldn't expect them to allow it.

 

[bumbershoot]

Just how strict are airlines with the bag that my c-pap goes in? It came with a special one, but can I put it in a different bag? Can I then use the additional space in that bag for packing more stuff?

Sounds like your concern is at the gate, right? (Tsa doesn’t care about what it’s being carried in.)

Will you end up having the cpap bag, a personal item, and a carry on bag? If so, the cpap has to be in its own bag and with nothing non medical.

But if you’re putting the machine into your personal item or carryon and putting other things in, and only having the personal item and/or the carryon, then go for it. Dh does this because he doesn’t need or like having three bags. So he puts his cpap bag into the rolling carryon and he has his backpack and he’s carryon-legal.

You only need to be careful with what goes in with the cpap if you’re ending up with three items brought onboard.