Making Your Flight With A Portable Oxygen Concentrator As Easy As Possible
If you need a steady supply of oxygen to breathe, you'll undoubtedly need to bring a supply with you when you travel. However, with strict guidelines being placed on what passengers can carry through airport security as well as what's allowed on planes themselves, knowing whether your oxygen supply can be brought with you may be nerve-wracking. This guide will help you to choose an oxygen concentrator that'll meet the FAA's guidelines, as well as getting you through security as quickly and easily as possible.
FAA Approved
While airport security may have some concerns regarding your oxygen supply, the Federal Aviation Administration ultimately decides whether you can bring your oxygen concentrator with you or not. They determine what's safe to be used on planes and what's not, like radios, cell phones, and oxygen tanks.
The only way to be certain that your oxygen concentrator will be allowed to come on the plane with you is to purchase one that's been approved by the FAA. You can ask the dealer or store you're buying one from whether it's been approved, or you can check the FAA's website to see if the model you're interested in is acceptable.
Medical Proof
Once you have the oxygen concentrator that meets the demands of the FAA, you should talk to your doctor to get any and all documentation regarding your need for oxygen. While the FAA doesn't need this information, it may be helpful to show to the Transportation Security Administration if they question your device.
While the TSA does make allowances for things that they ordinarily don't allow with healthy passengers, like letting passengers with a medical need bring liquid medications with them, they won't allow you to bring your oxygen just because you say you need it. If you don't have the time for your medical records to be printed up, ask your doctor to write and sign a letter explaining who you are, why you need the equipment, and that your doctor has directed you to carry your oxygen with you everywhere.
Your Health & The Security Screening
Finally, the TSA will need to screen you for any kind of hazardous materials or weapons, just like with any other passenger. If you can go without your oxygen for a brief period of time, you may be able to simply be scanned by a metal detector or a full body scanner. If you need your oxygen constantly, it generally can't be brought into these machines. Instead, the TSA will need to thoroughly pat you down, so be prepared for it. If you're concerned about modesty, you can ask the TSA to escort you to a private room for your pat-down.
For more information about oxygen concentrators, contact Corner Home Medical or a similar location.
