Mr. FlyingAway and I went through TSA security three times in the past week- once at SFO, twice at IAD this weekend (the latter with a 36 hour delay and 3 failed flights before we finally got home. But that's for the UAL forum).

Mr. FA uses a CPAP machine* and has it in his carry-on bag. It's important: we'd check our laptops or cameras before we'd check his CPAP.

Evidently, new rules require inspections of CPAP machines, along with VCRs, large video games, and other electronics**.

In all three cases the TSA people refused--yes, outright refused--to wear gloves and/or put on fresh gloves when holding the CPAP and then doing the swab test on it. They also put it down on the table as if it were a suitcase, and did not place it on a paper mat or any other protective surface. i.e. They treated this medical device as if it were a pair of shoes. Quite possibly they were just handling a pair of shoes. See below for the details of the 3 encounters.

If the TSA has explicitly declared CPAPs to not be medical in nature and thus not requiring the medical-supplies handling rules, I'd like to see that. Otherwise, shouldn't they change gloves at our request?

Before now, in 95% of our travels, I or Mr FA needed only to say "it's a CPAP machine" when the inspectors were (obviously) starting at it's xray picture within the rollaboard and they'd have no problems. I recall a swab test when we flew late September 01: otherwise they've not handled it.

If you don't have a CPAP machine, imagine they were inspecting your dentures, mouthguard, or sleeping eyemask with the same hands they'd just moved bins and shoes with. Ick.

Kathryn Flying Away

The long story / details of the 3 times:
1. The first time it happened so quickly that the TSA agent was already pulling the CPAP machine out of the bag (he'd said he'd be looking inside) as I said to Mr. FA "He's got your CPAP." Mr FA quickly said "Could you put on fresh gloves...", but the TSA agent went straight to the swab machine. As Mr. FA repacked he said to the guy "a CPAP is a medical device," and that was it.

2. At IAD when the same thing started Mr. FA immediately said "Please put on fresh gloves" to the 1st agent, but agent 1 just handed the machine to a 2nd agent for the swab test. Mr FA repeated his request: agent 1 said nothing to agent 2. I believe Mr. FA also repeated his request directly to agent 2.

As Mr. FA repacked and reshoed I asked a third agent who the supervisor was. He called her over... it was agent 2. I politely told her--as if I didn't know she was the person who ignored Mr. FA already-- that because the CPAP machine is a medical device and we keep it clean we had requested fresh gloves. She gave a non-committal "ok" along with a stare that made me not wish to press the issue. Mr. FA and I left.

3. At IAD the next day Mr. FA asked the TSA agent "to put on fresh gloves: the CPAP is a medical device" the moment that agent told Mr. FA his bag was getting inspected. The agent took off his gloves, but did not put on new ones. Mr. FA repeated his request, but the agent finished the swab test with his bare hands. Maybe this agent didn't understand the first request (why he took the gloves off) but Mr. FA's 2nd request was clear.

As before, I asked a different agent who the supervisor was. I was told the sup would be a few minutes but he could take a message for him. I repeated what I'd said to agent 2 the day before. He said he'd pass the message along. We left.


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* a medical device that gives the user additional air pressure when sleeping, which helps with the dangerous condition of sleep apnea. It is basically a weak air blower. It does not contain oxygen. We carry a doctors note: MR. FA needs the CPAP to sleep on the plane (if not, no one nearby could sleep!).

** I'd point out that the CPAP is not a scary metal box filled with electronics like a vcr.