Medical Baggage
 

Will be flying on American Airlines next month to Hawaii. My adult son has a disability and we need to take his adult diapers with us ... a whole suitcase full. Will I be charged the regular fee for luggage or would this be considered medical luggage and therefore no fee? I can't seem to find any info. on the airline website.

Will you be checking this suitcase? The Air Carrier Access Act prohibits airlines from charging you fees for mobility equipment and necessary medical supplies carried on board, but says nothing about checked bags.

Individual airlines have additional polices (for example, Lufthansa permits you to check up to two wheelchairs at no additional charge).

I didn't see anything specific to this effect on the American Airlines website either - I'd suggest you call AA up and ask to speak to a Special Assistance Coordinator to ask about any charge for checking that bag.

You might also consider ordering supplies and having them shipped to your hotel or wherever you're staying ahead of time.

Even if I have to pay for the checked bag @ $25.00 it is still cheaper than ordering the supplies and having them delivered to Hawaii. I have also checked the local Walgreens on Maui as I am unsure if we have even packed enough of the adult diapers (can't fit any more in) and they have the product we need in case we run out. Although, the price on Maui is about 1/3 more than we would pay here at home.

Before American Airlines changed their website I was able to find the exclusion for medical supplies in checked bags, but once their website got upgraded, I can't find it.

Medical supplies in a bag to be checked are no extra fee on American Airlines but the contents have to be 100% medical.

If you put a sweater in the bag or even a paperback book, the deal is off.

All that is in the bag are adult diapers, bed chucks and diaper wipes.

After we use up all the supplies, we plan on using this bag for souvenirs on the way home and will pay the baggage fee.

...beside Walgreen´s there is Long´s drugs too ....

I also looked into it as I travel often between the states and europe. In my case European right for air travellers help as the EU rule is: 2 bags with medical supplies for free.

Regarding domestic US flights it is more complicated as there are no specific national rules in the States regarding medical supplies that accompany a disabled traveller.

Thanks for the EU info!

There's the Air Carrier Access Act which does have some rules about medical supplies.