British Snoring & Sleep Apnoea Association

If you are going to get picky about my French, might I draw your attention to the fourth word in your post!

I think you'll find that the English word you should have used was reply and in the singular form. I replied to you ONCE albeit with separate paragraphs specific to the points you raised. The word 'responses' is of course, the French word for the English word 'replies', which is grammatically incorrect in this context as I only made one post previous to this one in answer to your questions:-



I am pleased to learn that you have decided what to do in the future, and hope that you have a stress-free flight. Ryanair are certainly not the most customer-friendly airline I've ever flown with!

Incidentally, if your doc can't produce a letter in English, you might like to write something out for him/her to copy if you can translate it verbally in French for him/her and the doc agrees that what you say is pertinent.

Slightly off topic, do you know of any support groups for CPAP (UPPC) users in your part of France? There is a group in Alsace but it does very little and any articles in their annual magazine and the subject of their proposed annual get-together this year ... is based on improving the life and health of those in retirement. I find that there is little if any admission that OSA could affect those under 60 which is depressing because there are plenty of us around who haven't reached that bench mark ... yet!

My wife will be pleased that I have encountered somebody as pedantic as I am! You have answered a question I was going to ask, namely are you in Alsace? I'm in 81 (Tarn near Albi), and I think there might be a group attached to the Lab du Sommeil here but I haven't enquired. And I have passed the 60!

Hi Godot! Good to hear from you. Like my name, I'm living in Alsace - 68! I'm not quite at the 60 yet but there are days when I feel way past it! I am fortunate enough to have a great généraliste and pneumonologue - great word ... don't think that 'lung doc' really cuts the mustard in English ... can you suggest a better name?! so I had an overnight study with a hanging microphone under my nose that gave all the damning evidence needed for me to be issued 'toot sweet' with a CPAP. I am most fortunate in that I have a good relationship with my CPAP loan company, and a great local rep. There are at least 3 of us in the local anglophone community who have CPAPs - of which I'm the most senior (not sure that's a compliment!!!) - and it does help to share knowledge.

Don't let my being a pedant bother you too much! I need to find some way to exercise what's left of my brain when I spend a lot of time confusing my languages (night school!) and it's great to hear from another British CPAP user in France.

Kindest regards

Alsa x

I had a study when I was in England and I was offered an operation on my throat, which I declined. When I came to France and discovered the Lab du Sommeil in Albi I went to seek a cure for my appalling snoring. I had an overnighter as well and the rest is history.

I'm so glad you didn't have the op. It may work, but eventually the offending tissue grows back! Glad that France sorted the OSA problem so quickly ... perhaps we could do a trade between France and the UK, to get their OSA diagnosed and we could send our folk to their opthalmologists!!

I flown a couple of sectors recently with LAN (Chile) on the Australia to Chile route with their Airbus A340 aircraft, and had no problems with using a Resmed S9 from the at-seat mains power outlet in Business Class.

Cheers,

Bill

I'm going to China next year but will be crammed into "World Traveller" sounds marvellous doesn't it but it's economy really. I won't use my machine as I will probably only doze, a bit like my afternoon siesta - I don't use my machine then either.

Just to say Godot, that although there are no power points in World Traveller, you should take a small external battery, so that you can use your CPAP when you snooze ............ we all should use our CPAPs whenever we doze or snooze as well as go to bed at night to sleep.

I found a battery from Tekkeon (MP3450) did the job well - and if there's a branch of 1001 Piles (Mille et Un Piles) near you, they can get it if they don't have it in stock already.

And for those who don't understand French and think that I'm making a tasteless joke, 'piles' in French means batteries (like what you put in a torch or music player) and 'batterie' usually means a drum kit, as in a pop group.

If what I've read and heard is true, you'll find that most personnel at security checkpoints in airports are familiar with CPAP machines. According to CPAP users and according to the TSA it's advisable to carry along your prescription and/or statement of medical necessity from your physician so that you can demonstrate the need for your CPAP machine, and move the screening process along swiftly. From what I've read, though, it's sounds like getting through security screening with a CPAP machine can actually be hit or miss. It's definitely not guaranteed. Many CPAP users report no problems getting through the X-ray machine and passing the subsequent explosives and chemical tests, while others are forced to check their CPAP machines because they don't pass the X-ray check.

You don't say where you're travelling from or to specifically, and with which airlines you are flying, thought 'World Traveller' is a clue for British Airways.

Check with any other carriers well before you travel as some require you to tell them in advance the make and model of your CPAP.

Otherwise bring your docs and prescription with your machine. Note that you won't be able to use your humidifier even with battery power in flight as there's just not enough juice to make it work.

QANTAS QF7/QF8 SYD-DFW-SYD June 2011

I used my Resmed S9 (without H5i) the QF7 SYD-DFW leg, from the at-seat main power outlet in the main cabin Business Class section on a 747-400RR.

On the return DFW-SYD leg on QF8 the same S9 tripped out the at-seat power in the Upper Deck Business Class cabin on a 747-400RR, so I was unable to use it. My laptop also tripped out the at-seat power, so it seems likely it was a fault with the power supply unit for the particular seat pair.

There was no need to do anything special with my CPAP at the TSA check points in the US. Now it just goes through scanner in the bag.

Cheers,

Bill

im only off to Spain, but I telephoned Monarch who im flying with and they were very helpful about my travelling with Pablo (he's my cpap machine, older brother of Pepe my original machine - its a coping mechanism go with it!) I was quite surprised that they said I could take him AS WELL AS my and luggage. I have got to phone through to Cosmos so they can record it all and be ready for me to arrive with him, but I did think it would be hassle to be fair given all the security measures etc.

Just a quick question though, should I take a letter from my doctor for when I get into Spain in case I have problems "the other end" or are they familiar enough with the machines that I don't need to worry?

Tony The Busman

Just been to Greece with Thompsons. Rang them up and carried mine as medical except onto the plane no problems.

Did pay £26.40 for a letter from doctors

No one asked for it

Mac

Hi kbrab,

I live in Spain and have travelled by air internally twice (return journeys so 4 plane trips) since being diagnosed almost two months ago.

I travelled with the Doctor's letter as the airlines requested it (never had to pay for that here!) but was never actually asked for it at security or by the airline - I had advised the airlines in advance that I would be travelling with the machine and mask. At 3 different airports (Malaga, Barcelona and Valencia) I had no problems with security and they were all familiar with Cpap (I carried it as an extra piece of hand luggage as medical equipment at no extra cost on all 4 flights).

For info "C" in Spain is pronounced as a short "thae" with "th" as in thimble, and the "a" as you would pronounce the letter "a" - Machine is "maquina" pronounced as "makina"

So if asked you are carrying a "maquina de Cpap" ("makina de thaepap").

Hope this helps and enjoy Spain!!

Michael

I have absolutely nothing to add to this lol but its been bugging me the last few weeks seeing the title "Air Security" and the last post being on September the 11th!