Airline policies for passengers with obstructive sleep apnoea who require in-flight continuous positive airways pressure.

BACKGROUND AND

OBJECTIVE

The aim of this study was to investigate the current policies of Australian and New Zealand airlines on the use of in-flight CPAP by passengers with OSA.

METHODS

A survey was conducted of 53 commercial airlines servicing international routes. Information was obtained from airline call centres and websites. The policies, approval schemes and costs associated with in-flight use of CPAP were documented for individual airlines.

RESULTS

Of the 53 airlines contacted, 28 (53%) were able to support passengers requiring in-flight CPAP. All these airlines required passengers to bring their own machines, and allowed the use of battery-operated machines. Six airlines (21%) allowed passengers to plug their machines into the aircraft power supply. The majority of airlines (19, 68%) did not charge passengers for the use of CPAP, while 9 (32%) were unsure of their charging policies. Many airlines only permitted certain models of CPAP machine or battery types.

CONCLUSIONS

Many airlines are unaware of CPAP. Those who are, have relatively consistent policies concerning the use of in-flight CPAP.