Thu, Jan 07, 2010
Medical Devices Used By Passengers Approved For All Phases Of
Flight
The FAA announced Wednesday that passengers needing medical
oxygen now have the option of using four additional portable oxygen
concentrators while traveling, bringing the total number of
approved units to 11. The newly authorized devices are
DeVilbiss Healthcare's iGo, International Biophysics Corporation's
LifeChoice, Inogen's Inogen One G2 and Oxlife's Independence Oxygen
Concentrator.
"This is our latest step toward making air travel more
accessible for people who need medical oxygen," said FAA
Administrator Randy Babbitt. "We want these passengers to have as
many options as possible while ensuring all of our safety
guidelines are being met."
Portable oxygen concentrators are small, portable devices that
separate oxygen from nitrogen and other gases in the air and
provide oxygen to users at greater than 90 percent concentration.
They do not use compressed or liquid oxygen, which the government
classifies as hazardous material. The Department of Transportation
requires that U.S. carriers allow passengers to use portable oxygen
concentrators approved by the FAA during all phases of a flight -
including taxiing, takeoff and landing - if the unit displays a
manufacturer's label that indicates it meets FAA requirements for
portable medical electronic devices, is properly stowed, and meets
certain other applicable safety-related conditions.
For example, passengers must ensure the unit is in good working
order and must be able to respond to the unit's warning alarms.
They must protect extra batteries in carry-on baggage from short
circuits and physical damage. Carriers also must let passengers
operate these FAA-approved concentrators while moving about the
cabin whenever the captain turns off the "Fasten Seat Belt"
sign.
Carriers can legally refuse to allow inflight use of an
FAA-approved portable oxygen concentrator that does not have a
manufacturer's label indicating that the device complies with FAA
requirements. However, the Department encourages airlines to
voluntarily allow the inflight use of such devices. Inflight use of
an FAA-approved portable oxygen concentrator, whether labeled or
not, poses no safety danger so long as carriage of the device is in
accordance with instructions provided by the FAA.
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