Newsstand - Airline tried to charge asthma sufferer an extra £6,000

http://www.pressandjournal.co.uk/Article.aspx/884408?UserKey=

An Aberdeen grandfather has forced an airline into a U-turn after he accused it of discriminating against asthma sufferers. Charles Henderson, who has a chronic asthma condition, made the complaint against Emirates when he was trying to book a flight to Western Australia to visit his son and three grandchildren.

http://www.pressandjournal.co.uk/Article.aspx/884408?UserKey=

An Aberdeen grandfather has forced an airline into a U-turn after he accused it of discriminating against asthma sufferers. Charles Henderson, who has a chronic asthma condition, made the complaint against Emirates when he was trying to book a flight to Western Australia to visit his son and three grandchildren.

Well I'm not sure how much equipment is required for a UK-Australia flight, but airlines aren't exactly flying ambulances (they have those and I'm sure those cost more than 6000 pounds to fly in).

Are we talking about provisions to bring one of these on board:

http://www.theoxygentraveler.com/rental_program.html

At most, it's an extra seat, assuming there's DC power available or he brings several batteries. 6K does seem outrageous, and also seems to have been resolved.

Each bottle of oxygen costs around £150 for the airline to supply, after factoring in all related costs. A single bottle of Hi-Flow oxygen lasts around 3 hours (double for Lo-Flow oxygen). Calculate your flying time and price accordingly. Most airlines will also require that you have an escort (either medical or adult companion) for flights where you will require oxygen administered, for obvious reasons. The costs can add up very quickly.

£6000 is excessive, but airlines are absolutely justified in recovering any costs incurred to provide such additional services to a passenger that requires them.

Unfortunately, the air carriers are now charging for the oxygen you breathe:D
Seriously, if he required 02 during the flight, there is an additional charge.

Each bottle of oxygen costs around £150 for the airline to supply, after factoring in all related costs. A single bottle of Hi-Flow oxygen lasts around 3 hours (double for Lo-Flow oxygen). Calculate your flying time and price accordingly. Most airlines will also require that you have an escort (either medical or adult companion) for flights where you will require oxygen administered, for obvious reasons. The costs can add up very quickly.

£6000 is excessive, but airlines are absolutely justified in recovering any costs incurred to provide such additional services to a passenger that requires them.

Most people on oxygen are on 1-15 lpm (90% are on less then 5 lpm). On board the ambulance we carry 2L (14 ft3) and at 2 liters per minute (average dose for someone on supplemental oxygen) that tank would last a patient close to 4 hours. if they bumped that up to a 40 ft3/ 5.7L tank that would last the 11 hours.

150 pounds for a tank i find extremely high, i dont even pay that equivalent for a T-size bottle (about 1.5meters, 4.5 feet tall), now 6K is way beyond reasonable, because the portable oxygen concentrators cost 1/12 of that.

good for this granddad standing up to the airline and making them see reality and pardon the pun pull there head out of the clouds