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Do airlines provide supplemental oxygen?

Contact your airline for instructions on arranging oxygen service. Airlines are not required to provide oxygen service and many do not. Passengers may carry portable oxygen concentrators (POCs).



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The airline may charge you for any oxygen it supplies during the flight. You will likely have to pay for oxygen for each leg of a trip. And airlines usually do not supply oxygen during layovers, so try to book a direct flight. At least two weeks before your flight, notify the airline that you will need oxygen.

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Pressurised aircraft do not maintain a sea level pressure during flight for practical reasons. During commercial flights most cabins are pressurised to an equivalent altitude of 5000–8000 ft, which equates to an inspired oxygen fraction of 0.17–0.15 at sea level [5].

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The only oxygen equipment allowed on an airplane is the portable oxygen concentrator (POC). If you need oxygen in flight, you must take a portable oxygen concentrator with you, and , you must let your airline know ahead of time. They may require a doctor's letter to verify the need for the POC on the plane.

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If oxygen deficiency continues over a long enough period of time, it can cause unconsciousness, permanent brain damage or even death. So, in order to keep everyone maintained with enough oxygen, the masks fall down and provide a personal flow.

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Typically, the airplane pressurizes to counteract the drop in air pressure at high altitudes. However, oxygen masks provide redundancy. If anything happens to the pressurization system, or the plane experiences any difficulties while in flight, oxygen masks will deploy.

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Choose a seat in the middle of the plane. As the air circulates across the rows and not up and down the plane, some experts believe the worst air is in the front or the back of the plane. Stay well hydrated by drinking lots of fluids (water or fruit juice) and avoiding caffeine and alcohol, which will dehydrate you.

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Provided you are asking for the same sort of oxygen supply you already use at home, you call your usual oxygen supplier. They will fill in all the necessary forms and send them to the local oxygen supplier where you are staying. The local supply company will then deliver the oxygen and install any equipment you need.

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If anything happens to the pressurization system, or the plane experiences any difficulties while in flight, oxygen masks will deploy. Oxygen masks supply roughly 10-14 minutes of oxygen, which is more than enough time for a pilot to descend below 10,000 feet, where the atmosphere has enough oxygen.

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Having a lung condition should not stop you from travelling by air. Whether you are going on holiday, a business trip or a visit to family and friends, it should be possible to make the necessary arrangements - as long as you plan ahead.

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