Pat89339

I have been flying with a BiPap for a little more than a year now. Last year 7 international r/t flights on UA, mostly in C with two legs Y. UA has an AeroMedical Desk staffed with terrific agents. They require a minimum of 48 hours notice to set up electrical for the flight. They will tell you if you have an approved machine. On planes without in-seat power UA will bring power to your seat, but you must have an original manufacturer cigarette lighter adapter for your equipment. Mine cost about $30 for my $5000 machine.

When UA came out with their new seats in F & C that had the in-seat power (currently the 747 and 767) initially they still brought power to the seat because their engineering department had not yet approved the in-seat power for medical equipment use. They subsequently approved it, however. This has made travelling overseas very easy for me. I just wish I had a humidifier option on my machine.

The best part, however, is when you are stuck in Y on a 14 hour transpac and are the only one with power! I have an adapter for my laptop and iPhone as well and when I wasn't using my machine I was able to charge my other equipment (and that of my friends who were along on the trip). On UA, mechanics board the plane first and plug a long extension cord into the outlet by the door that the cleaners use for their vacuum cleaners, run an extension cord to an inverter box, which they place under the seat in front of you or under your seat. The cord is taped down with FAA approved airplane tape (kind of a duct tape on steriods). For the return portion of your international flight they fly the box over to your departure airport on the plane that you return on and mechanics at that airport install it for the return flight. They always let you board before the engineers leave to test the equipment. There has been one or two occasions where the inverter box didn't work and required some tinkering.

One of the reasons I did not go on the *A Mega DO was the different airline rules for medical equipment use on board. With all the different carriers involved, it would have been a nightmare to deal with. That is one reason I am very happy to stay with UA on overnight international flights. They have made flying with medical issues very easy.

While CPaps and BiPaps are prescribed for similar illnesses, equipment varies. My BiPap is more like a mini-respirator, which explains the cost. While some may not die from not using their CPaps, I can die from not using my BiPap. So I would not necessary heed the medical advice tossed around in this thread and would instead ask my treating physician how harmful it would be to you if you went without the CPap for a night while flying.