AARC Scores Victory for Oxygen Patients Who Want to Travel by Air
July 16, 2004
The AARC joined with fellow organizations this week in celebrating a proposed rule from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) that will make it a lot easier for people on supplemental oxygen to travel by air.
The new rule will allow oxygen patients to use the AirSep LifeStyle Portable Oxygen Concentrator during flights.
The change in policy was championed by Idaho Sen. Mike Crapo, founder of the Congressional COPD Caucus, a group spearheaded by the AARC and other organizations involved in the U.S. COPD Coalition to increase awareness among our members of Congress of the nation's fourth largest cause of death.
“This rule change is welcome news for the thousands of Americans who require supplemental oxygen,” says Sen. Crapo. “The FAA has wisely examined the options available and has come up with a safe solution that will allow patients to bring concentrators on board.”
AARC Executive Director Sam Giordano, MBA, RRT, FAARC, echoes those sentiments and notes the Association's key role in promoting the ruling. “AARC has worked for years to help oxygen dependent travelers. The proposed rule will allow the portable concentrator to replace oxygen tanks, and the enormous expense many people experienced. I want to encourage all members and patients to submit supportive comments for rule adoption. This is just the beginning, we'll continue to make every effort to get additional concentrators included. Please get the word out to help us get this proposed rule finalized.”
The FAA ruling only applies to the AirSep concentrator right now, but the government agency is looking at other devices as well, including the Inogen One POC. The AirSep was selected because it does not contain hazardous materials and operates by separating oxygen from nitrogen and other gases comprising ambient air, dispensing it in concentrated form to the user at a purity level of approximately 90 percent.
The federal rule is now open for a 30-day public comment period. A final rule will follow after the comment period closes.
