Depends on your situation-- if you have a mild case, the oral appliance can be perfectly effective for keeping your airway open without the need for CPAP. It's a potential option, and of course I'm not a doctor, but to say that an oral appliance can't be enough to treat sleep apnea is misleading.

FAA & CPAP
 

Does anyone have any links to online FAA documents allowing passengers to use CPAP machines on board flights and particularly, use them with the aircraft's AC power supply?

Also, does anyone have any experience on using CPAP machines on JAL (in Business Class)? I used mine several times without incident, but on my last JL flights (NRT-SAN), the FA threw a fit when she saw me plugged in.

I believe cpap usage stateside is associated with disability act and not FAA per se. I don't believe CX has to abide with either the DA or the FAA as not a US carrier.

I used on JAL flight several years ago and had to call ahead to register the model of my device.

IIRC

You are allow to use a FAA approved CPAP by the DA. This include all US flagged carriers. I carried a copy of my Resmed 9's FAA certificate and bring my own power. The airline is not obligated to provide power.

JAL and CX are not covered by FAA nor DA unless the origin and destination are US airports.

Have you ever gone 24hrs without sleep? While sleep apnea may not be life threatening all the time it would certainly be a quick way to ruin the first few days of a vacation.

Sleep Apnea is actually life threatening. The patient can go without breathing (for anytime to 15s - 60s) when asleep and then subsequently brain damage (due to insufficient Oxygen to brain) or RIP eternally.

Which is why I'm shock some airlines actually bans CPAP use. I think USA it's mandatory airlines have to provide means for people with Sleep Apnea ability to use CPAP, and carrying a CPAP case up to the airplane is NOT consider extra baggage.

People do not realize the severity of Sleep Apnea and the damages that it causes to the person's brain, and in some cases, death. It is said most historical peoples that "died in their sleep" (not at really old age, but relatively younger age) were probably people with Sleep Apnea.

Sleep Apnea is not just the fact that you can't get quality sleep, but the fact that you stop breathing and your body don't get oxygen (hence lack of quality sleep), and especially causes brain damage and heart damage (lack of oxygen also damages the heart)

A reminder - their are two types of sleep apnea - obstructive and central.

A CPAP machine does work for obstructive apnea. Its effectiveness against central apnea is less clear, though additional oxygen through higher air flow is always a plus.

IANAD, but the arguments I have had with my GP have been instructional for both positions.

Happy wandering

Fred

Warning...
 

I was shaken out of a sound sleep and ordered to stop using my CPAP machine onboard a flight today. I was surprised to say the least as I've been using this same machine on my 15+ annual flights for many years without incident. I was told several years ago that I no longer needed to do pre-registration as CX had noted CPAP use in my profile.

However, I was curtly informed by the flight purser that CX once again requires pre-registration 48 hours before flying to use a CPAP machine onboard.

Back on land, it took me four calls and more than an hour on the phone with clueless people at CX to conclude that the only way around the requirement to pre-register is to see a doctor, complete a MEDA form and then obtain a FREMEC card.

I don't know what's more frustrating: 1. Cathay's ever-changing policies on CPAP use; 2. The universal ignorance of CX staff in regards to the ever changing policies and the resulting haphazard application; 3. The ridiculous level of medical clearance required to get a FREMEC for sleep apnea.

If you use CPAP and fly CX, forewarned is forearmed. Or, you can also move to airlines with less idiotic policies towards CPAP machines (i.e. any other carrier). It will be the latter move for me.

However in general most countries aviation bodies recognize FAA/EASA certification for purposes of allowing equipment to be used. For example most seat belts are simply certified to meet FAA standard, regardless of the country/airline. However it's still legal to use them since the countries recognize the FAA standard.

Then don't take a 24hrs flight with it? Problem solved.

I have flown hundreds of long (10-16 hour) flights without using my cpap machine.

Most of my US-Asia trips have me awake from 30-38 hours depending on routing and layovers. I've only used my CPAP on two flights. Not really comfortable using it, even in F. I don't think I slept more than 3-4 hours on a flight with it.

Yes, and if flying to Asia means you're at constant risk of death should a machine not work or the battery runs out I would argue that doing so may be a bad idea.

On board WiFi
 

deleted

Good news, CPAP users. I complained to CX and asked them to revise their CPAP policies. I was shocked to receive a call from the airline agreeing with me. Lo and behold, the policies have, in fact, been changed!

First, you no longer need to call 48 hours in advance to clear CPAP use if you have a FREMEC card.

"If you are a regular traveller onboard Cathay Pacific or Cathay Dragon, you can apply for a Frequent Travellers Medical Card (FREMEC). If you hold a FREMEC card, you no longer have to submit the details of your device each time you fly with us, provided there has been no change in your condition or the assistance required."

Second, they now clearly state CPAP users do not require medical clearance.

" Passengers who only require the use of a CPAP or BIPAP machine inflight do not need medical clearance."

Third, and this is really good, you can use in-seat power for your device:

"For non-critical medical portable electronic devices (e.g. CPAP or BIPAP machines, nebulisers, neurostimulators, HR/BP monitors, syringe/feeding pumps, suction devices and aspirators, external or transcutaneous nerve stimulators e.g. TENS machine), please note the following:
All non-critical medical portable electronic devices can either be connected to the inflight laptop power 110VAC outlets (where available) or be self-powered using approved dry-cell or gel-type battery packs in accordance with all applicable regulations."

On this last point, your device may draw more power than the laptop outlet can manage, but it's worth a try. I used to make use of the seat power back in the days before it was outlawed.

Happy days.