For Release: April 9, 1999
Contact: Kimberly Lynch, ACCP
(847) 498-8341
OXYGEN SUPPORT FOR PATIENTS VARIES FROM AIRLINE TO AIRLINE
Patients with heart or lung diseases who require oxygen support are going to find air travel either easy or impossible and either inexpensive or costly, depending on the policies of the particular air carrier they choose, according to a new study reported today in CHEST, the peer-reviewed journal of the American College of Chest Physicians (ACCP).
More and more of the estimated 800,000 individuals using supplemental oxygen for their medical condition are reportedly flying on commercial airlines, yet 24 percent of 33 carriers surveyed did not offer in-flight oxygen. Six of the carriers that did supplied oxygen free, but 18 carriers charged fees ranging from $64 to $1,500.
James K. Stoller, M.D. and colleagues at the Cleveland Clinic Foundation conducted phone surveys of 11 U.S.-based carriers and 22 international-based carriers. They said that the Federal Aviation Administrations"šs (FAA) lack of oversight and lack of standardization of in-flight oxygen make it likely that prospective air travelers with special health needs such as supplemental oxygen will find such varied policies confusing. They hoped their study would make it easier for future travelers with oxygen needs to decide which carriers to use.
The FAA prohibits passengers from bringing full personal oxygen-containing canisters aboard. And, under the Air Carrier Access Act (ACAA), those carriers which provide oxygen can require that passengers use carrier-supplied canisters. The air carrier can also charge for each leg of the trip. The investigators reported that "the current situation for the air traveler who is trying to arrange in-flight oxygen presents a bewildering array of arbitrary and different rules."
Seven of the international-based carriers did not charge for the oxygen. However, another international-based carrier, Alitalia, charged the most--$1,500. The next most expensive carrier was Singapore Airlines, which charged $1,100. Charges by U.S. carriers ranged from $100 to $200. In addition to the price differential, investigators reported variation in the number of calls required to arrange for the oxygen, the total telephone time spent on making arrangements, the number of airline employees contacted, the length of time for the advance notice required, and the options regarding liter flow of the oxygen. All of the airlines that provided in-flight oxygen uniformly required some notification by the traveler's physician, whether written or verbal. In one instance, an actual written prescription was required, and another carrier specified an airline form that had to be completed and submitted by the physician.
Investigators rated the carriers on a scale of one to five, with one being the best score for the ease in which the service could be obtained, as well as the quality and cost of the service. The Australian airline, Qantas, was the only carrier to receive the score of one. Next, with a score of two, came two U.S.-based airlines--USAirways and Delta--and five internationally-based airlines--Lufthansa, China Airlines, British West Indies Airlines, Saudi Arabian Airlines, and Air Afrique.
"In conclusion," Dr. Stoller said, "our findings show that air carriers"š policies vary greatly about in-flight oxygen in specific regard to the services provided, the ease with which arrangements are made, and the charges for in-flight oxygen for a standard trip."
Noting that the variations among airlines were not related at all to the quality of the product or service received, the investigators indicated that a prompt inquiry into the disparities may be in order.
CHEST is published by the American College of Chest Physicians (ACCP), which represents 15,000 members who provide clinical, respiratory, and cardiothoracic patient care in the U.S. and throughout the world.
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Reporters may wish to contact Kimberly Lynch of the ACCP at (847) 498-8341 for a full copy of the article. She can also be reached by fax at (847) 498-5460. The table of contents and the abstracts of all articles appearing in the April issue of CHEST are available on the ACCP Web site at Dr. Stoller of the Cleveland Clinic can reached by phone at (216) 444-1960.
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