flyupfront

Hello, curious what is allowed with regard to CPAPs during the mask mandate. I have a small, portable, battery powered designed specifically for plane travel. On an overnight flight in business class, will I be permitted to use it at all? Perhaps with a mask over it?

I looked on AA.com and didn’t see anything specific to this topic. Any personal experience in this regard will be much appreciated.

DFW DL

I regularly use my full-face CPAP mask on several airlines, including AA, without any issue. I suspect YMMV if you use a nose-only mask.

enviroian

I need to google what a cpap is.

gsthome

I flew home from Sydney to LAX and used my nasal pillow CPAP mask without issue.

jayer

Breathing assistance unit. Usually for sleep apnea to keep an airway open. Unfortunately I know all too well. Think of it as ram air for aging baby boomers.

But I can't sleep on an airplane anyway so I just pack mine. This usually leads to TSA hilarity because half the time they want it out and swab it. Then I get a lecture for leaving it in my suitcase and slowing down the Pre-check line while they drag it out. The other half of the time they don't want it out, but I have pulled it out since the last guy lectured me. Then I get a lecture for slowing down the Pre-Check line by having something unnecessary in a bin that can stay in the suitcase.

S80

This made me laugh so hard
So you could save your battery life by just being connected up to the ram air from the aircraft...

rstruthe

I used mine at the beginning of August on AA First, MIA to LHR, and on Air Canada Business Athens to Toronto, both without anyone questioning it.
(nasal pillow mask)

FlyingEgghead

Suggestion: Write to TSA to find out what you should do in your exact situation, and follow that. Carry a printout of their reply to give to someone who says you should have done the opposite.

To be clear, I am not saying to give anyone a hard time because they simply ask/tell you to do something (e.g., to take the CPAP out). Just comply -- that is normal -- some things depend on status of screening equipment at that place/time and on officer discretion.

I am talking about the situation you describe where they "lecture" you on what you should have known or should have done, i.e., they claim that you already did something wrong. At that point you can show them the official TSA reply to your question -- i.e., what should be your going-in posture (CPAP in or out) until any further directions are given. They may ask you to do something different on the spot, but it shouldn't be a lecture if you had the correct going-in posture.

RetiredATLATC

TSA, about an hour ago here in ATL, asked me for the first time ever to take out the modem in my CPAP. After confirming, I took out the modem and when she saw it replied, "that's not what I wanted to see" and told me to pack it all back up again and walked away.

Penguinmoon

Ive used a CPAP for over 10 years and would have looked at her like a deer in headlights, I would have no idea what the modem is in my CPAP?!?!

Spanish

I am curious about this. CPAP is an aerosol-generating device.

Beachfun71

When used as referenced in this thread, CPAP is purely an air movement device. No aerosol at all. If anything, the air that is moved may be humidified, but that is it.

LondonElite

Only so if there is a water canister attached to it, which I do not believe is the case for the battery-operated ones designed for inflight use.

beachfan

don’t think that’s true, there are little vents in the mask. That’s where the aerosol comes from (pressurized air in the nasal cavity gets exhaled). Might also be true if nasal pillows as well

i will need to use one if allowed but will be taking a test prior to flying.

beachfan

not true, it was a big issue in hospitals.