What Is Required In Order To Bring A Portable Oxygen Concentrator On My Flight?

Requirements for onboard use of Portable Oxygen Concentrators (POC)
» Portable Oxygen Concentrator (POC)
» Transporting a Portable Oxygen Concentrator
» Requirements for Traveling with a Portable Oxygen Concentrator (POC)
» Approved Models for Use on JetBlue
» Instructions for Onboard POC use

  Portable Oxygen Concentrator (POC)

An oxygen concentrator is a machine that takes normal room air and, using a series of sieves, filters, and a compressor, removes nitrogen from the air, increasing the oxygen content of the resulting air to up to 96%.

Portable Oxygen Concentrators (POC) are allowed in checked baggage and should be packed to prevent damage, due to their fragile nature -the requirements below are only if the POC is to be used onboard. 

Note: An oxygen concentrator is not to be confused with compressed oxygen which is prohibited on any JetBlue aircraft.

Specific models of oxygen concentrators are approved for onboard use as long as the customer meets the following requirements:

Link for Portable Oxygen Concentrators (POC) requirements

Transporting a Portable Oxygen Concentrator When a customer is transporting a Portable Oxygen Concentrator (POC) on a flight but will not be using the device, the documentation and notification are NOT required. The POC must be stowed following JetBlue carry-on requirements. In order to prevent damage, the POC should be stowed in the cabin.
Requirements for Traveling with a Portable Oxygen Concentrator (POC) All of the following requirements must be met to travel with a POC on a JetBlue flight:

• The customer must contact JetBlue Reservations and advise of the intended use of the POC and model type.
• Customers must travel with an approved model of POC.
• The POC must have a manufacturer's label attached indicating that it has been approved for use on aircraft (does not need to be a FAA issued label).
• The POC is used in its battery-operated mode during the flight. (JetBlue Airways does not have electrical outlets onboard for commercial product use.)
• The customer must have a sufficient number of fully-charged batteries to cover the duration of the flight and anticipated delays.
• Extra batteries must be packed for carry-on in a manner to prevent a short circuit. (Battery terminals must either be recessed or packaged so as to prevent contact with metal objects, including terminals of other batteries.)
• The customer must have a letter from his/her physician on letterhead with an issue-date of no more than one year prior to flight departure date. The letter from the doctor is a requirement of Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) regulations. The letter must include the following information:
  1. Whether the user is able to operate the device, recognize and respond appropriately to its alarms; and if not, that the user is traveling with a companion who is able to perform these functions.
  2. The phases of the flight (taxi, takeoff, cruise, landing) during which use of the device is medically necessary.
  3. The maximum flow rate corresponding to the pressure in the cabin under normal operating conditions. (Cabins are pressurized to an altitude of 8,000 feet.)
  Please note: Generic forms printed from the FAA website, or elsewhere, will NOT be accepted as valid documentation for bringing a POC. Customers may wish to contact the manufacturer of their POC if their physician is not familiar with the POC and is having problems providing the FAA-required letter.
• The customer must check-in with a JetBlue Airways crewmember at the airport on the day of departure for a boarding pass no later than one hour from departure and must present the POC and paperwork for inspection by a JetBlue crewmember.

Approved Models for Use on JetBlue

• AirSep FreeStyle
• AirSep LifeStyle
• AirSep Focus
• AirSep FreeStyle 5
• DeVilbiss Healthcare iGo
• Inogen One
• Inogen One G2
• Inogen One G3
• Inova Labs LifeChoice
• Inova Labs LifeChoice Activeox
• Invacare XPO2
• Invacare Solo2
• Oxlife Independence Oxygen Concentrator
• Oxus, Inc. RS-00400 (previously named Central Air Delphi RS-00400)  
• Precision Medical EasyPulse
• Respironics EverGo
• Respironics SimplyGo
• SeQual Eclipse Portable Oxygen Concentrator
• SeQual SAROS

Instructions for Onboard POC use

1. In accordance with Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Safety Regulations, the customer using an approved POC must be seated in a seat closest to the window.
2. Approved POCs that will be used during any phase of flight must be stowed completely underneath the seat in front of the customer using the POC. As a result, the customer may not be seated in a bulkhead seat.
3. In accordance to FAA Safety Regulations, a customer using a POC may not occupy an emergency exit seat.

Linked Topics 
Click on one of the categories below to find similar knowledge:

• Individuals with Special Needs
• Medical Devices

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