off topic: oxygen on flight from memphis to chicago?

[dj2]

the caregiver for my FIL passed away. we're going to bring my FIL here ASAP.

the problem is transporting him. the 600 mile drive is too much for him to take. as i've been told, direct flights on AA and UAL are 50 passenger planes which won't allow oxygen in flight. NW is another option, but i've been told that you can only use their oxygen onboard, and it's (i've been told) not sufficient for his needs. (i don't know off hand the amount of O2 he's on.)

we're looking into chartering some sort of air ambulance. we were quoted $5000 (yikes!) from one company.

does anyone have any experience with this type of thing? any advice?

thanks
dj

 

[SueM in MN]

There are probably people with more knowledge about this, but here's my educated guesses to get you started.
Contact his local oxygen suppliers to find out what he is using, what he's going to need on the plane and what he'll need when he gets there. You'll need orders later on from the doctor to actually get what he needs, but the oxygen supplier can help you a lot. They have probably been thru arranging air travel before.
Contact the airlines you are interested in and ask for someone that deals with Special Needs or Disability Assistance. Different airlines call it different things, but they all have an office/someone that is dealing with special needs. Some airlines don't allow oxgen at all (I know from TV and from their website that Southwest is one that doesn't), and some airlines have restrictions. Making you use oxygen that they supply is a common restrriction. It's also safer for the airline - they know what they are dealing with and can verify the condition of everything. You may find that their oxygen is appropriate for his needs once you know from his current suppliers what he is on and from the airline, what they can provide.

Good luck. Let us know how it turns out.

 

[dj2]

thanks Sue, i appreciate your answering.

latest update is that his health is in such poor shape that it looks like we're going to have to go the private "air ambulance" route. we've got a couple of names of companies we can use, and we're resigned to the fact that it will be hugely expensive.

i was wondering if anyone has any advice about about using this kind of a service.

thanks,
dj

 

[Tinkerbelle'sMOM]

Air ambulance can be very expensive and not covered by insurance. When my dad was ill and O2 dependent, he would have to find out from his O2 company how much he used in a day and then he would relay that to the airline and they supplied the tanks. They are very strict on that aspect of not using your own tanks.

I hope you get him home safely!

 

[dj2]

thanks!

i am VERY happy to report that FIL and my DH made it safely here 2 days ago!!!!

the air ambulance cost around $4000, but it was what we had to do, both for his abilities and for our peace of mind, knowing that there was skilled care and rescue equipment traveling with him should anything happen. my own mother nearly died on a "regular" flight from her home to texas. she was headed toward md andersen hospital, where she passed away a few months later, and she probably would have died on the plane if there hadn't been an angel of a passenger who was a doctor who stepped up to help her. on the air ambulance, my FIL was able to sleep on a stretcher for most of the trip. the biggest problem was the few steps onto and off of the plane, but apparently they managed somehow.

FIL seems to be doing as well as can be expected in his new home. i am so grateful that he made it here without any further complications!

-dj

 

[SueM in MN]

Thanks for the report. I'm glad to hear he made it safely.