Electrical outlets on flights to Europe.

[jrowland]

We are looking to take our first trip to Europe in 2014 but concerned with the flight over and back as wife requires the use of a portable concentrator and we are apprehensive about having enough batteries for the 7-8 the 7-8 hr flights and considering layovers etc. Wanted to ask if any airlines use planes for overseas flights that have electrical connections we could plug the concentrator in directly and safe using the batteries?

[xxoocruiser]

Generally speaking airlines do not provide electrical outlets for onboard oxygen due to it being a potential fire hazard. It has to be an approved battery operated concentrator or arrange for oxygen to be provided through the airlines.

 

Each airline has its own policy for on-board oxygen transport and in-flight oxygen usage. You will need to contact the individual airline for their current policies regarding oxygen. Here's a link with some general information that you might find helpful.

 

http://www.homeoxygen.org/airline-travel-with-oxygen

[jrowland]

Thanks for the info and the link. I was hopingto hear from any travelers if they have ever been on a plane that has electrical outlets where we might be able to plug in our portable air concentrator and which airline they were one. This would help us to narrow down which airlines to look more closely at.

[Linda&Vern]

Thanks for the info and the link. I was hopingto hear from any travelers if they have ever been on a plane that has electrical outlets where we might be able to plug in our portable air concentrator and which airline they were one. This would help us to narrow down which airlines to look more closely at.

I think most airlines state you must bring batteries in the amount of twice what you will need for the flight. And, don't forget your letter from the Doctor. As someone else mentioned - check the airline web sites for specific restrictions on traveling with oxygen.

[selma]

XXOO is very very right. Power outlet at this stage is the least of your worries. First one is to fit within airlines requirement regarding onboard oxygen transport and in flight oxygen usage. That will be a much more tight box to get yourself fit into and there is NO room for wiggling, yeah but, or whatever. They (rightfully) take this subject very very serious.

 

First is checking out requirements from different airlines you are looking into and narrowing it down to what can be worked into a safe situation for DW, airline and other passengers (which as stated can include demands of her having x-amount of extra back up on hand). Also never just blindly go on websites (some can be incomplete or outdated) but follow up with airlines special needs desk.

 

Than outlet comes into the picture. If at all, that is. Might very well be that requirements are such that some switches might have to be made in order for her to flight that could result in overruling the need for a outlet. Heck, I'ld consider it basic level to have no less of a requirement. No airline should even want to potentially run into a situation where on paper things might be peachy and on departure an outlet is working, but halfway across the Atlantic passenger needs to switch onto outlet or was already plugged in and oops; outlet stops functioning properly enough. And oops, no other outlet to be found that functions reliable enough. Before you know it you could have a potentially very bad situation on hand as airline.

 

I'm one of those taking both my health and my responsibility to my fellow passengers so seriously that I demand no less of myself than already applying "self relying without need of onboard extras that could malfunction god forbid, and if needed to stay alive or prevent high risk case, have enough back up myself for at least twice the flight time plus some extra" (if first were to malfunction right after take off, 2 would safe my day but could leave a problem when running into serious delay later in the flight, so therefor extra than twice flighttime). I don't use oyxgen, but do have other things that require me quite some hoops to fit that safety meassure. Hopefully it is never needed, but would never want to be in the situation needing it and relying on airline products to keep me alive or safe when a malfunction in any of my stuff happens. And yes, that narrows the options. So be it. I love travelling, but I also love life to much.

 

 

If we haven't been convincing enough; power outlets are hardly first criteria of airline choice. Not only do most, if not all, that go TA have aircrafts that have outlet options in one or multiple classes but it is something that is rather quickly becoming norm instead of exception to have some outlet points onboard, including in eco. Our ever digital addicted world can't go without toys and thus market for outlet usage is rising.

 

Airline choice based on it would still be kinda silly, as one type of aircraft might have the option in desired class there the other type that airline operates doesn't. With that it would be easier to compare specific scheduled type of aircraft for routes looked into. With always a chance of swapping later on which could change things.

 

I've been on more flights with an outlet in my seat (or between mine and neighbours) than not. Whether back when I could still fly eco or since needing to fly business. Yet plenty of times there can be a problem with an outlet not working and one never knows until it happens. Have had it happen many times where things would not charge properly or be beyond sensitive and charge, not charge, charge, not charge or not know what it wants. Nice additional option for charging toys like ipads or whatever, but not something for in flight needed care IMHO.

 

Anyhow, being in contact with special needs anyway to find out policy with regards to the oxygen usage inflight and transportation to begin with, after narrowing options down to still remaining options, if still needed one can easily take this up with same department to work out which flight and which classes or seats. Sometimes within some airlines they are already in the know of possible changes in aircrafts, routes etc which could be an additional help.

 

But really, the big hoop here is the usage and transportation itself. Sort that out first. It's a hoop, but not an impossible one. From there on proceed. Outlets really isn't that a huge worrying problem.

[selma]

As far as narrowing down airlines; first just look into possible airports you might want to fly into and out from. That will narrow down options already for you. And don't just go by the name they are selling you, but look into who is actually performing the flight.

 

For instance, you could book with UA a flight MCO-FRA (frankfurt, Germany) with a UA flight number. However this is a codeshare and will be performed by Lufthansa (LH). So in the end you will be dealing with LH at MCO and at FRA and you will want to make sure you are OK with them.

 

Being aware of who carries out code shares can really makes things loads easier for you. You'll soon learn that there are not like dozens of totally different airlines for flights from your home airport(s) to the more narrowed down region in EU you want to fly into. That will narrow things down already. Then the code shares, possibly narrows it down even more as for instance some airlines might drop from the list as they do not perform any of the flight options but rather an airline you already have on your list.

 

Have a basic idea of what you need and want. For instance a need for flying business class can greatly influence options and narrow things down depending on routes. Price differences can be huge and when quality isn't (or is even better), you now end up with one or 2 airlines on your shortlist. So now only 2 that you'ld first look into and discuss their policy regarding the oxygen. The answers and feeling you get from that might already have made you decide.

 

It looks much more scary than it is. Your options will narrow themselves automatically somewhat already and your oxygen will do the rest for you leaving a handfull of options (if that, one some routes). From there on it will be your sentiment, budget etc. It only has reduced actual performing airline options with all the mergers lately of US airlines like UA and CO etc. Leaves only a handfull of US-based carriers. Same with our side of the pond, allthough some more options with so many countries. Here does your code sharing really kick in and you will soon see you'll be ending up with a few of the big programs like Sky Team, UA and then a few smaller ones like for instance Aer Lingus (allthough now also beginning some more codesharing).

 

To give you an idea; for my AMS-MCO I end up with KLM (carried out by Delta or Air France across the Atlantic depending the route), UA (either UA or LH carrying out, depending on route), British Airways (just them or combined with Virgin), Aer Lingus, a Dutch charterairline called Arkefly and well....... that's more or less it. Yet when searching flights, you can get hundreds of options and dozens of different routes. Those hundreds of flights look terrifying; where to start selecting!? The routes make it better but still so much. But the airlines left; no biggie to even contact 'm all.

 

These airports aren't very narrowing options of airlines by themselves and see how little actual airlines I'm left with. Other routes you can very well run into the same thing. Just start playing on sites like kayak to see which airlines pop up as those carrying out the flights. Your list of airlines might stay very very limited, giving you a much better feeling of it not being that difficult.

 

Class you want to fly might influence even more so, esp. when looking for business but still having no unlimited budget. How things go from there with contacting the special needs desk of those optional airlines very likely will make the decision for you or make you know your decision.

 

You will be A-OK, but with regards to wifes needs the policy of airlines with regards to oxygen transport and inflight usage will be so much more important to you and a possible deciding factor than an outlet will. Compare it to using a powerchair and not looking into if an itinerary happens to have many tender ports but no tender lift and worrying about outlet and voltage as you will be planning on making long distances in each port. The outlet will sort it out, is much less deciding than being able to get ashore is.

[PennyAgain]

I've been on many flights where the outlet for my seat didn't work at all as well as on flights where the outlets at many seats and rows didn't work.

 

One many airlines the outlets are shared. What would you do if the person in the other seat(s) didn't want to give up the outlet to you for the entire flight?

 

No airline guarantees that the outlets on board will work 100% of the time.

[Annecj]

I have flown on Qantas and on Air New Zealand on long flights and in both cases I was allowed to plug my concentrator into the aircrafts electrical outlets. In both cases I was never asked about the number of batteries.