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Trouble with getting my machine through airport screening
#11
RE: Trouble with getting my machine through airport screening
(07-05-2018, 10:09 PM)dozydave Wrote: I don't travel a lot by air and when I do I take my CPAP in an additional carry on bag. The last 2 times through security I have been held for secondary exam and finally got out of the security people that my machine is setting off alarms for RDX (a high explosive). Obviously I have not knowingly come into contact with this product and was told to give my machine a good wipe down with rubbing alcohol. Any one else have this issue?

Maybe it's the carrying case.  Do you keep it at home in a closet, or your car trunk, next to the same bag you take to the shooting range?
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#12
RE: Trouble with getting my machine through airport screening
If it has been near any fertilizer/plant food or you used the case to hide a firearm at home, it could have piked up traces of Ammonium Nitrate or comp B.
Crimson Nape
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#13
RE: Trouble with getting my machine through airport screening
I've taken mine with me a couple of times now (I'm about 1.5-2 months into my therapy). I've traveled with it twice now and didn't have any problems. TSA told me to remove it like any other large electronics and when I finally got TSA Pre access, they don't require me to take it out of the carrying case. Either way, I've not been accosted in any of form by TSA about my BiPAP machine. As other's have stated, you could be picking something up on the case or something else that is triggering their machines.
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#14
RE: Trouble with getting my machine through airport screening
(07-19-2018, 12:47 PM)snoopj123 Wrote: I've taken mine with me a couple of times now (I'm about 1.5-2 months into my therapy).  I've traveled with it twice now and didn't have any problems.  TSA told me to remove it like any other large electronics and when I finally got TSA Pre access, they don't require me to take it out of the carrying case.  Either way, I've not been accosted in any of form by TSA about my BiPAP machine.  As other's have stated, you could be picking something up on the case or something else that is triggering their machines.

I fly to Perth on a regular basis to visit my brother and while I'm there I take part in sports pistol events. It's got the stage that when I get through the security screening section for the flight home from Perth that I walk directly towards the person with the wand. It just saves them time (and me as well). Despite the fact that they deny it, (why?) the scanner does a good job of detecting gunshot residue. I have no problems with being scanned if this process is going to make flying a safer process.
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#15
RE: Trouble with getting my machine through airport screening
They have put a sniffer in lately, but not even taken it out of the bag.
They appear to be getting used to seeing these machines.
Sniffer was shoved into the bag to sniff for explosives, but as it didn't set off an alarm they shoved it through the x-ray machine and let me on my way.
I am NOT a doctor.  I try to help, but do not take what I say as medical advice.


Every journey, however large or small starts with the first step.

Sleep-well
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#16
RE: Trouble with getting my machine through airport screening
Been to Europe, Russia and China and no one has ever given our cpaps a second glance. I have a friend who fertilized his lawn before going to catch a flight. The Amonium Nitrate on his shoes nearly got him strip searched.
"Sometimes the magic works . . . and sometimes it doesn't" -- Chief Dan George in the movie Little Big Man
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#17
RE: Trouble with getting my machine through airport screening
(07-19-2018, 09:30 AM)KSMatthew Wrote:
(07-05-2018, 10:09 PM)dozydave Wrote: I don't travel a lot by air and when I do I take my CPAP in an additional carry on bag. The last 2 times through security I have been held for secondary exam and finally got out of the security people that my machine is setting off alarms for RDX (a high explosive). Obviously I have not knowingly come into contact with this product and was told to give my machine a good wipe down with rubbing alcohol. Any one else have this issue?

Maybe it's the carrying case.  Do you keep it at home in a closet, or your car trunk, next to the same bag you take to the shooting range?

Good point.  Modern propellants are related to RDX.
My wife had no issues flying with her case and the case sits on the floor right next to where I clean our guns, but we've not taken the CPAP cases to the range or had them in the same container.
-- Rich
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INFORMATION ON FORUMS OR ON APNEABOARD.COM SHOULD NOT BE CONSIDERED AS MEDICAL ADVICE. ALWAYS SEEK THE ADVICE OF A PHYSICIAN BEFORE SEEKING TREATMENT FOR MEDICAL CONDITIONS, INCLUDING SLEEP APNEA. INFORMATION POSTED ON THE WEB SITE AND FORUMS ARE PERSONAL OPINION ONLY AND NOT NECESSARILY A STATEMENT OF FACT.

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#18
RE: Trouble with getting my machine through airport screening
My wife just came back from a trip to Austin and she had to essentially take her machine apart. She had to remove the humidifier, pull out the tank, remove the cover off her hose. The TSA agent was a real PITA. She was in a wheelchair with an airline escort and they made her remove her sandals and walk through the machine. Got P*ssed when she hit the side of the machine when she lost her balance. Agent never let her finish her sentences and kept saying we don't do it that way here. After going through she asked for a supervisor and the airline escort also talked to him. The agent disappeared right after he finished with my wife. Oh, and my wife was travelling on a pre-check. This was the only time she or I have had any issues with TSA.

Homer
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#19
RE: Trouble with getting my machine through airport screening
Travelled to a bunch of European destinations from the UK, no problems here, it just goes on the conveyor, and carrying it in my backpack I class it as my medical carry-on.
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#20
RE: Trouble with getting my machine through airport screening
(07-06-2018, 06:17 AM)Sleep2Snore Wrote: Never had any trouble, but sometimes someone new will take the machine out and look at it.
First time anyone saw a CPAP I had to take it out and they read the letter I had, then went away to make a phone call, they placed a sniffer inside the bag before asking me to unpack it ( all a bit frustrating in front of everyone), then they wiped it and went away to do a drugs test.  They then put it through the x-ray machine, which I was not sure about the first time, but it worked fine afterwards, so it survived, phew!  However, after a phone call and negative test for drugs they read the letter again and asked how I used it, satisfied they let me go through.  The airline never bat an eyelid, and when I was struggling to get it into the overhead rack one of the staff took it into the back with them, returning it when the aircraft landed.  Can't say I have had any real problems, security are just doing their job and as long as you are patient with them, it smooths the way a lot.

What letter ?
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