We are in the most awaited time of the year again – the holiday season! After two years of COVID-19 restrictions, traveling is a high priority for many people. Although there are minimal pandemic restrictions enforced, COVID-19 still exists and remains a concern, especially for those with respiratory conditions. That does not mean you shouldn’t travel if you have a respiratory illness, even if you need to carry your portable oxygen concentrator.
Learning from the last two years when the covid cases rose high from mid-December to mid-January, one should be careful traveling. You’re still able to travel. Here’s what you need to know:
Follow FAA and Airlines Guidelines
Before you even consider traveling, make sure the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) allows your portable oxygen machine on commercial flights. The FAA prohibits personal oxygen units (tanks and canisters) since they contain liquid oxygen or compressed gas which is highly inflammable. However, many portable oxygen machines, such as the CAIRE FreeStyle Comfort, Inogen One G4, and the Respironics SimplyGo, are allowed to be operated in flight. Acceptance of these devices used to be considered on a case-by-case basis, but the FAA now offers a list of acceptance criteria. Ensure you follow their guidelines and take care of any requirements in advance, so you’re good to go. One of the requirements is to ensure that you have enough battery power to last at least one and a half times the flight duration.
The best way to go about it is to call your airlines and inform them about using a portable oxygen concentrator (POC) onboard. Airlines might have some paperwork that you need to complete prior to boarding. Also, note that a POC is a medical device and does not count toward your luggage limitations.
Follow CDC Guidelines
The CDC recommends that you be fully vaccinated and boosted before you travel (especially if you are traveling internationally), but that’s not always possible. If you can’t get vaccinated or need to travel before you can get your shots, you can still practice safety measures. CDC also recommends getting tested before and after your travel. Ensure to check your destination’s local travel restrictions.
Wear a Well-Fitted Mask
Your mask needs to fit well and cover your mouth and your nose. Nasal cannulas sometimes make this difficult. Try a mask that ties on your head, not worn behind your ears. Masks with a wire nose piece help you to adjust your mask snugly to your nose. Also, make sure your mask fits nicely on your face and around your cannula. Though the mask mandate is no longer enforced, it is highly recommended to wear a mask during holiday travels.
Get tested for COVID-19 and monitor yourself for symptoms.
The CDC recommends getting tested 1-3 days before your trip if you’re not vaccinated. Assuming your test is negative, closely monitor yourself for symptoms during and after your travels. It’s also recommended you get another viral test 3-5 days post-travel and quarantine for five days if test positive, whether you’re showing symptoms or not.
Cleaning Your Portable Oxygen Concentrator During Travel
If you’re traveling with a portable oxygen concentrator, concerns may arise about your machine becoming contaminated. Keep in mind that COVID-19 is a live virus and needs living cells to reproduce, which won’t happen inside your concentrator. However, the virus can stay active for several days, so if you think your machine is contaminated, you’ll need to disinfect it. Since not all portable oxygen concentrators are the same, you’ll need to follow the manufacturer’s instructions to clean and disinfect your machine correctly.
A general cleaning guideline recommended for Oxygen machines is to wipe the outside with a mild detergent and a damp cloth. Do not submerge your machine in water. You can also wipe the machine with disinfecting wipes.
Travel Tips
Let these tips make your travels easier:
- Carry a package of disinfectant wipes with you. You can buy these virtually anywhere now. If you don’t want to carry a large pack of them, they sell them in individually wrapped packages that can fit in small purses and wallets. While traveling, use these wipes to disinfect your machine and the outside of your cannula. Do this often. Also, use the wipes on your seat, armrests, tray table, etc.
- Bring an extra nasal cannula or two. If you carry disinfecting wipes, you’ll be able to clean your cannula when needed. Another good time to switch to a new cannula is arriving at your destination after traveling through crowded airports and sitting on a plane. It’s also a good time to disinfect your machine (again).
- Carry along an extra, well-fitted mask. You should have a spare, clean, well-fitted mask to use. Make sure you keep your clean masks separated from the dirty ones. And again, make sure your mask fits nicely on your face, around your nasal cannula.
- Make sure your concentrator is charged up and ready to go. You’ll need to plan ahead on this. Take into consideration your travel time, including layovers and drive time. Always have extra batteries with you.
- Obtain a physician statement, if needed by your airline. Some airlines may require a “doctor’s note” stating that supplemental oxygen is medically necessary for you. Look into this ahead of time to avoid difficulties with the airline.
- Always keep a copy of your prescription for oxygen on you in case of an emergency.
- Store your concentrator correctly during travel. You want to keep your portable oxygen machine away from others, but also where you can hear the alarms. An excellent place to put it during a flight is under the seat in front of you. Also, ensure nothing is sitting on it or near the vents. If the vents are blocked, you could have a system shutdown.
If you use a portable oxygen concentrator and are ready to get out for holiday travels, you can take precautions to care for your concentrator and protect yourself from COVID-19.
References:
- Federal Aviation Administration: Acceptance Criteria for Portable Oxygen Concentrators
- Center for Disease Control and Prevention: Travelers’ Health – Covid-19
Date Modified: December 16, 2022
Date Published: July 2, 2021
Kristina Diaz, RRT, is a health writer and registered respiratory therapist with over a decade of emergency and critical care experience. She earned respiratory care and journalism degrees in Michigan, where she was born and raised. She now resides in Florida, where she works as a full-time freelance writer and part-time respiratory therapist.
Kristina began her respiratory career in 2011 in Saginaw, Michigan. She now works in Lakeland, Florida, in one of the busiest emergency departments in the nation, treating people with various lung conditions, like COPD, asthma, and sleep apnea, among others. She maintains her Advanced Cardiovascular Life Support (ACLS) certification and is a member of the trauma team at Lakeland Regional Health Medical Center. Her favorite part of being a respiratory therapist is providing relief to people struggling to breathe.
Kristina began freelance health writing in 2014, and her work is published on multiple websites, including Philips Respironics, the American Sleep Association, the Sleep Doctor, and more. She writes about lung health, sleep disorders, nutrition, and other health-related topics. Since she was a child, she’s always wanted to write, and now she gets to combine her passion for writing with the knowledge obtained from her respiratory career.
-
Kristina Diaz, RRThttps://www.oxygenconcentratorstore.com/blog/author/kristina-diaz/
-
Kristina Diaz, RRThttps://www.oxygenconcentratorstore.com/blog/author/kristina-diaz/
-
Kristina Diaz, RRThttps://www.oxygenconcentratorstore.com/blog/author/kristina-diaz/
-
Kristina Diaz, RRThttps://www.oxygenconcentratorstore.com/blog/author/kristina-diaz/
I had a scary situation when suddenly my power cord for my POC stopped working. Despite it being an emergency for me, it took 5 days to get a replacement through the mail! It made me nervous about again traveling with a POC.
Buy an extra one or two and pack them in in your luggage.
I’m concerned that the air my concentrator draws in from the surroundings may be contaminated with covid. I don’t think the machines filters are small enough to filter it out. Isn’t there a chance of breathing in covid along with your oxygen? Or am I missing something?
No you are not missing anything. You are absolutely correct that the mesh filter will NOT provide protection from Covid and you cannot “put a mask” on your concentrator. Since air is supplied through the machine which is open to outside air, wearing a mask does not protect us as much as others.
What I do is limit interactions, ensure physically distancing from others, sanitize my hands (soap and water for 20 seconds and/or alcohol based hand sanitizer) often as well as cleaning my machine per manufacturer’s directions with Covid killing sanitizers (like Lysol wipes). I also wear nitrile gloves when out so if I touch something (like a door handle) I remember not to touch anything else. Plus I will use alcohol sanitizer on the gloves (may weaken the gloves over time but they are single use) while I am wearing the gloves. I also clasp my hands together to remind myself not to touch ANYTHING.
I also pretty much stay at home, got vaccinated and boosted, take some vitamin supplements with doctor’s approval such as Vitamin C, D (be careful of dosage), Zinc, Quecertin (?spelling) as well as Black Elderberry.
Since January 2020, I have not even gotten a cold let alone Covid. Yes, I may be hyper vigilant but my life is worth it! My husband also still wears masks and takes other precautions for my protection.
I am (now retired) a registered nurse so I understand and research the latest information and stay on top of things. Knowing how germs spread is a must to protect yourself. When the CDC said masks are useless I knew it was BS. So educate yourself as needed.
I have had your same question and never got a clear answer such as what do the columns do in the machine to see if any further filtration occurs but even if there is, I highly doubt the filtration is adequate enough to filter out such a small virus particle.
I hope this helps. Also, even though it is now October 2023, if I go to the Doctor’s and they still have a mask wearing policy, if I see someone not wearing it properly, I will politely inform them that “having your nose hang out is defeating the purpose of protecting self and others” and that I am completely vulnerable because of my oxygen and I show them the intake situation. I have not YET had anyone be nasty back but I am waiting for it as there is a stigma that you need O2 because you smoked, you are overweight, or caused this yourself. I myself have NEVER smoked and just got the short straw on this one.
Stay healthy!
Thank you. I find it reassuring that someone else is in much the same situation as me. The exception is that I only go out for a doctors visit. I find it appalling that there are doctors offices that don’t require staff to be vaccinated & masked.
I am 100% with you on everything you stated. I also remain concerned about concentrators that I rent from big O2 companies. They consistently replace concentrators and portables when the machines have an issue of some sort …. there’s no way for me to know whether covid and any other dangerous contaminents were properly destroyed within those machines. Are such companies required by law to disenfect thoroughly? Are they diligent? Who knows.
I understand your concerns regarding the disinfection and safety protocols followed by rental companies for oxygen concentrators. While I can’t speak for every specific company, it is generally expected that medical equipment rental companies, especially those in the healthcare industry, have strict guidelines and protocols in place for cleaning, disinfecting, and maintaining their equipment.
My wife and I were to leave out of Fort Lauderdale on 7 Mar on a 11 day cruise for our 64th wedding anniversary. When we arrived at the Okla airport the agent
{United Airlines flying 1st class} would not let me board the air craft as my portable oxygen concentrator (Inogen one G5) on board was not on their approved list
You guessed it no cruise and no refund (1st class). still fighting insurance. what can we do?
Hello Larry, so sorry to hear that.
Inogen One G5 is FAA approved. And on the United Airlines website they mention that “You can carry and use POCs approved by the FAA on board certain United flights worldwide at no charge and according to FAA regulations.”. But they do require a prior notification that one will be using a POC on board.
Cunard will not allow people using a concentrator on any of their ships….what do people like my husband and myself do that only need supplemental oxygen for airline travel? The Cunard group also refuses to store a small 5-pound concentrator for those that need oxygen for air travel only.
Thanks for the Heads up. I’ve cruised Cunard many times , and the question of Concentrators ob board never came up . I wonder if it was a problem of ignorant boarding staff, rather than a Corporate policy. BTW – whenever I book a trip (usually with AAA) , I always buy the “Refund for any reason” Policies . More expensive , but I saved $12,000 once when the Tour Company abruptly ceased ops and the President of the Company (Beyond Band of Brothers) ran off to Rumania with the Company’s cash. And – yeah – it’s a good idea to notify every travel operation about the need for a Concentrator when booking .
Thanks for sharing that.
Is there any problem with under seat storage for Oxlife Independence? Some under seat storage appears too small. I have noticed First Class seating appears to have more room, but with Southwest there is no First Class seating.
Dimensions of Oxlife Independence are 10.85 x 20.29 x 9.45 in. Please contact your airline and check with them. They can tell if your aircraft can accommodate that dimension. Generally, there are no issues.
Please refer to Southwest Airlines website that states the Oxlife Independence is an approved POC. Check ‘FAA-accepted portable oxygen concentrators’.