Heading to Italy next month, and will be taking a CPAP. Have an adapter for plug & voltage, so hoping it should be fine.
Anyone who has traveled with one - anything I should be aware of? If you did a ‘one bag’ trip, what did u use for luggage? Thinking I may need to take a small extra bag for the machine.
A CPAP is a medical device and at least in our experience, the airlines allow you to bring an extra carry on bag to hold the CPAP. But I would confirm that with whatever airline you fly. By the way, we are carry on only folks. The travel CPAP is held in its travel CPAP bag.
Agree with previous comment that medical devices receive special allowance for carry on and checked bag allowance, but check your airline requirements. Have made many international trips with a cpap. Always carried it on in case of lost luggage. I think the biggest game changer was upgrading to a air mini for international travel. Got away from worrying abt water, definitely less weight and luggage volume. That said, its easily doable with the equipment you have.
I've flown with a CPAP several times, including in and out of Italy.
I agree that you should confirm CPAP travel rules, and everything I'm about to write, with the airlines and the transportation security of any country you'll be passing through. But in general, in the USA a CPAP is considered a medical device, which means if you have to carry it in its own bag, it does not count against your carry-on limit.
Although I haven't done either of the following and have never had a problem traveling with my CPAP, in case there are any questions at a checkpoint, some choose to attach a baggage tag that clearly marks that bag as carrying an exempt medical device (some CPAP supply stores sell these), or include a prescription or letter from your doctor.
I am normally a two-bag traveler (carry-on and small personal item bag). I only traveled with my full size CPAP once, and I hated having to carry the third bag for it through airports, trains, subways, etc. so I decided to bite the bullet and pay for one of those tiny travel CPAPs (AirMini). That is small enough to be carried in my personal item bag with my other items that must never be checked (medications ,camera gear…). With the right cable (separate purchase) it can be powered from my multi-port USB AC adapter so now I do not need to even carry a separate power adapter for it. It was not cheap, and it's not as quiet as a full size CPAP, but I love being able to stick to two bags.
This probably will not affect you if you're a one-bag carry-on traveler, but a CPAP machine should never be in checked luggage because it could easily be damaged or lost that way.
Have an adapter for plug & voltage
Are you sure you need the voltage transformer? Look at the label on the power supply for the CPAP, and if the voltage rating on it says something like 100-240 volts, then it does not need a voltage adapter because it can work fine with the 230 volts of European AC electricity. If it does not need a voltage transformer, then you only need to bring the plug adapter. It seems like that 100-240 volt capable power supplies have gotten so common that every device I travel with today can do that, so I can't remember the last time I brought a transformer to Europe. But always check the voltage rating on all of the adapters you pack, to make sure.
Of course if you're packing any item where the power supply label doesn’t say it covers 230 volts, then OK, you pack a voltage transformer to avoid frying that device.
CPAPs come under the Americans with Disabilities Act and, as such, are not counted as part of your carry-on luggage, so it is a freebie you are definitely allowed to bring on. Now, this only applies to U.S. law and U.S. airlines, but I have flown a number of European airlines and I've never had one counted as luggage. I think it's a given for most countries all over the world.
Also, just a note about one issue that comes up a lot. You do not need to use distilled water in your CPAP while you are traveling. Don't worry about finding it as it is can be difficult to find in Europe. Using regular tap water or bottled water is fine for the amount of time you will be gone. Just every few days wipe out the reservoir with a clean cloth, and you will be good.
And lastly, if you have a CPAP that is newer than 10 years, you do not need a voltage adapter. Just a regular adapter for the plug is fine. And that's true of just about any electronic or electric device that you travel with in this day and age.
We have traveled all over the world with a CPAP and never have had any issues with it passing through airports. The CPAP is in its own container. No worries!!
My husband had one, and he just brought the half without the water reservoir for our trips. He didn’t bring an extra bag for it. He’d put the machine in his backpack & the hose, etc. in his RS roller carryon suitcase because he didn’t want to deal with a third item to try to carry.
