will be away for a week-Joy (Aus)

[Guest guest]

hi all,

I will be away from 22-28th Feb - hope any newbies wishing to join can wait that long!I am flying to south Qld for a retreat, taking my neb and SmartVest - my what a palava sorting the vest to take with me on the flight!  All day just to verify ... including dr to sign forms etc etc...  And hope the facilities when i get there are going to be ok too....  First time I've been away more than one night in many many years...  And certainly not with the logistics of all this physio equipt and having to fit it into daily schedule somehow in an unknown environment!I'm sure it will all work out fine!so if I don't answer any queries directed to me, just give me til first week of March to catch up,hugs all, Joy (from Oz)"We only need to breathe gently for the miracle to be revealed: birds singing, flowers blooming, the blue sky, the white cloud floating, .....  "      Thich Nhat Hanh

[Guest guest]

Well, have a marvelous time Joy!! I'm so happy for you. Maybe this will be the first of many jaunts for you ?

Kay will be away for a week-Joy (Aus)

hi all, I will be away from 22-28th Feb - hope any newbies wishing to join can wait that long!

I am flying to south Qld for a retreat, taking my neb and SmartVest - my what a palava sorting the vest to take with me on the flight! All day just to verify ... including dr to sign forms etc etc... And hope the facilities when i get there are going to be ok too.... First time I've been away more than one night in many many years... And certainly not with the logistics of all this physio equipt and having to fit it into daily schedule somehow in an unknown environment!

I'm sure it will all work out fine!

so if I don't answer any queries directed to me, just give me til first week of March to catch up,

hugs all,

Joy (from Oz)

"We only need to breathe gently for the miracle to be revealed: birds singing, flowers blooming, the blue sky, the white cloud floating, ..... " Thich Nhat Hanh

[Guest guest]

Joy, have you talked to the airline about traveling with your Vest? I am flying to NYC in late March on USAirways, here in the US. After multiple discussions with them and with Hill-Rom (manufacturer of the Vest), I have decided that even though costly, I will most likely just rent a Vest when I get to my son's house in CT. It's $35 @ day plus $40 each way for shipping (ouch!), but at least I don't risk my Vest being ruined by baggage handlers. It will not fit in the overhead compartment of the small planes that fly out of here, nor will it fit under the seat, so I would have to gate-check it and warn the baggage handler of its delicacy. I would also have to go to the USAirways ticket counter on arrival at my departure city and ask them to warn the gate agent to get it off the plane first and into my hands at the gate, handling it very carefully. Unfortunately, the airlines are NOT responsible for the replacement value of this VERY costly item, and as far as Medicare is concerned, it's "one per customer". I just can't take the risk. Fortunately, I don't fly all that often!Suzanne

[Guest guest]

Suzanne: Please take a look at the message I just sent to Joy, as a flight attendant for American Airlines for 21 years now, I can attest to the FACT that U.S. carriers will go out fo their way to accomodate the Vest,,We travel w/ it ALL the time, on American and other carriers as well. The TSA backs away from bothering you as soon as you tell them ; "It's my breathing machine" You cannot check this machine. Seriously, I don't know why the airlines scare you like this. Please believe me, we have flown several times and never had any issue. Your best bet would be to remove the Vest from the duffle bag carrying case and just place the whole white motor machine thingy into the Over Head Bin. It fits better than most people's 'carry on' luggage. It's no problem.

We use that duffle bag w/ wheels on it all the way to the gate, have to remove the motor to pass it thru security they often run a special bomb detector wipe over it, WHATEVER!! I have never been told I'd have to ck it and I have never had an issue getting it into the Over head bin once we get it into the plane. The duffle bag doesn't usually fit into the bin, so I often have that 'gate checked' just like they do w/ wheel chairs and strollers. They take it from you at the aircraft

and then they return it to the jetbridge upon arrival. U may have to wait a few mins on the jetbridge but they have a lot of things that are gate ck'd. I just leave the vest itself and the

in the duffle bag and let them put in underneath; Just NOT the motor part. Good luck Kris

Subject: Re: will be away for a week-Joy (Aus)To: bronchiectasis Date: Sunday, February 20, 2011, 7:27 AM

Joy, have you talked to the airline about traveling with your Vest? I am flying to NYC in late March on USAirways, here in the US. After multiple discussions with them and with Hill-Rom (manufacturer of the Vest), I have decided that even though costly, I will most likely just rent a Vest when I get to my son's house in CT. It's $35 @ day plus $40 each way for shipping (ouch!), but at least I don't risk my Vest being ruined by baggage handlers. It will not fit in the overhead compartment of the small planes that fly out of here, nor will it fit under the seat, so I would have to gate-check it and warn the baggage handler of its delicacy. I would also have to go to the USAirways ticket counter on arrival at my departure city and ask them to warn the gate agent to get it off the plane first and into my hands at the gate, handling it very carefully.

Unfortunately, the airlines are NOT responsible for the replacement value of this VERY costly item, and as far as Medicare is concerned, it's "one per customer". I just can't take the risk. Fortunately, I don't fly all that often!

Suzanne

[Guest guest]

Okay - so you just wheel it onto the plane, unpack the machine and put it in the

overhead, then take the wheeled case back to the flight attendant and have her

gate-check it.

I can tell you that USAirways was NOT very nice when I called the first time -

only suggestion they had was to refund my non-refundable ticket (couldn't seem

to understand that I wanted to make this trip!). A supervisor did call me a few

days later and she was the one who had the suggestion to gate-check it with the

receiving gate agent knowing it was coming. I hadn't thought of taking it out of

its bag.

It all sounds a bit of a hassle and I was forewarned by my pulmonologist (who is

a CF specialist) that many of his patients have found that they need to allow an

extra hour to get it through airport security etc as the TSA people in our town

think it's an atomic bomb and require people to go to a private room and show

them how it works (unpacking the entire mess). I don't live in a major city -

we're not a hub for any airline - so the " unusual " scares the bejesus out of

them.

I need to weigh the cost of renting vs the hassle at the airport AND getting it,

another wheeled carry-on, and a rolling suitcase through Grand Central Station

in NYC in order to get the train to Darien. And of course, finding someone

there to unlock the elevator so I can get all this stuff down to the parking lot

(I have to go UP one long flight of stairs, and down another to get to the

proper side). I sure wish my son where not working from home that day - must be

there when the children get home from school as his wife is going on a " girls "

weekend to FL.

A service car is clearly the way to go, but I'm so danged cheap!. I need to see

which will cost less - service car or rental of the Vest. I'm in pretty good

shape for being 67 due to my 4-times a week pulmonary rehab, but the poor

pulmonary function and age do rear their ugly little heads in situations such as

these!

Suzanne

[Guest guest]

Yes we have always carried the whole kit and kaboodle all the way to the gate and then separated the motor from the vest and hoses. We often fly into/ out of Rockford, IL and they have never given us any trouble. They have maybe 8 flights a day there, so I was afraid that the TSA agents would be bored and want to pick on us, but alas they let us get thru w/ no harrassment. We live in Orlando, FL and they show no interest here in bothering us either. Of course here, they get ALOT of Make-A-Wish kids and all their medical equip, so they have probably been schooled on their behavior..Go to TSA.GOV and look at their policy on this type of carry-on. I'd print a copy of said policy and carry it w/you. If you get anyone saying something other than what you read, pull out the print-out and there you go! Off to your gate!

Also go to the American with Disabilities Act (ADA) website and print out what that says about traveling by air w/ any type of med equip. We are warned on reg basis at American that we have to allow for these types of things. According to this ADA you have rights and go ahead and print that out too! Don't let them bully you. You ahve plenty of rights to move w/your machine anywhere you choose! Best wishes, Kris

Subject: Re: will be away for a week-Joy (Aus)To: bronchiectasis Date: Sunday, February 20, 2011, 5:59 PM

Okay - so you just wheel it onto the plane, unpack the machine and put it in the overhead, then take the wheeled case back to the flight attendant and have her gate-check it. I can tell you that USAirways was NOT very nice when I called the first time - only suggestion they had was to refund my non-refundable ticket (couldn't seem to understand that I wanted to make this trip!). A supervisor did call me a few days later and she was the one who had the suggestion to gate-check it with the receiving gate agent knowing it was coming. I hadn't thought of taking it out of its bag. It all sounds a bit of a hassle and I was forewarned by my pulmonologist (who is a CF specialist) that many of his patients have found that they need to allow an extra hour to get it through airport security etc as the TSA people in our town think it's an atomic bomb and require people to go to a private room and show them how it works (unpacking the entire

mess). I don't live in a major city - we're not a hub for any airline - so the "unusual" scares the bejesus out of them. I need to weigh the cost of renting vs the hassle at the airport AND getting it, another wheeled carry-on, and a rolling suitcase through Grand Central Station in NYC in order to get the train to Darien. And of course, finding someone there to unlock the elevator so I can get all this stuff down to the parking lot (I have to go UP one long flight of stairs, and down another to get to the proper side). I sure wish my son where not working from home that day - must be there when the children get home from school as his wife is going on a "girls" weekend to FL. A service car is clearly the way to go, but I'm so danged cheap!. I need to see which will cost less - service car or rental of the Vest. I'm in pretty good shape for being 67 due to my 4-times a week pulmonary rehab, but the poor pulmonary function and age do rear

their ugly little heads in situations such as these!Suzanne

[Guest guest]

Kris, I don't bully too easily, but the Customer Service rep explained that they

are required to accommodate health devices subject to the limitations of the

equipment in use for the flight, ie this small plane does not have ANY storage

facility other than that overhead, and it is quite small. I do think the

machine might fit without the bag. Neither of us had thought of that option and

I truly thank-you for that suggestion!

Suzanne

[Guest guest]

Suzanne--

Sometimes I fly on a very very small plane out of Miami and there's not even a cockpit door! -Not my favorite aircraft, btw. It's a Continental Express flight that sometimes allows me to get home a few hours earlier than my American 757 (188 seats). I am trying to think if my son's Vest would fit under those seats and I do think it MIGHT. This airplane does have Over Head Bins too. They hold a pretty big amount as well. They gate ck things right there as you climb the stairs to board the little plane also. I have them ck my flt attendant suit case as I board the little plane, as it would not be able to be accomodated onboard.

I wonder how large the plane is that you'll be flying on? The flt that I sometimes take has about 18 seats on, no flt attendant. The flts under 25 saets do not require a flt attendant. Anyway, the smaller the plane, the more likely that it will need to be ck'd. If you can find out the exact airplane you will be on, I can find out a lot of info about it, as I have a neighbor that flies for Continental Express and she can probably tell me about the type of plane you re going to be on. I fly on large airplanes , over 200 seats usually, so I am not very versed in smaller planes. My neighbor is a pilot, she's actually a captain for Continental Exp. then I can find out whether it can be taken on, or not. The machine is really not very heavy, so you can easily carry on board and lift it up into the Over head bin

I fly a 3day trip leaving tomorrow, so give me the info when you get it and I will ck it out as much I can anyway!! Where do you live? Are you flying out of Des Moines? Kris.

Sun, 2/20/11, Suzanne R Brown wrote:

Subject: Re: will be away for a week-Joy (Aus)To: bronchiectasis Date: Sunday, February 20, 2011, 6:52 PM

Kris, I don't bully too easily, but the Customer Service rep explained that they are required to accommodate health devices subject to the limitations of the equipment in use for the flight, ie this small plane does not have ANY storage facility other than that overhead, and it is quite small. I do think the machine might fit without the bag. Neither of us had thought of that option and I truly thank-you for that suggestion! Suzanne