Oxygen Whilst abroad

Lucylocket01

Hi Wondering if anyone can help.
My father suffers from COPD. He has a holiday to Spain booked from last year before he was diagnosed.
He is on Oxygen daily via a concentrator machine at home.
Does anyone know of any companies that he could hire a machine from whilst he's in Spain. He has tried a couple but they are very expensive 364 euros for 5 days.
Can anyone recommend any companies they have used or heard of please?

trolleyrun

I don't know anything about hiring such a machine, sorry. Just wanted to ask if your father has got medical clearance to fly? Has he informed the airline? Some airlines will provide oxygen on the flight as long as they're notified in advance (I know BA does this). The airline might want to see proof from a doctor that he's fit to fly. I've seen people travelling with a small concentrator machine, I'm not sure if this would be suitable for your father or even where to get one.

That's me assuming your father is flying to Spain. Apologies if he's getting there using a different mode of transport.

Lucylocket01

Yes he's flying. Haven't spoken to the airline no. He has acquired travel insurance though.

richardw

Search the airline's website for their oxygen policies, some are much more oxygen friendly than others. The charges vary.

trolleyrun

If you father requires oxygen at home, he will definitely need oxygen on the flight, as most cabins are pressurised to approx 8000ft altitude (sometimes less). People with lung issues will struggle. If you don't speak to the airline before the flight, your father could be refused boarding on medical grounds, as not all airlines carry therapeutic oxygen bottles, especially if not pre-booked. Please make sure he also takes a letter from his doctor with him that declares him fit to fly. I was onboard a flight recently where a passenger got offloaded because he needed medical clearance from a doctor before he could fly. Not a nice situation to be in.

antenna

Portable oxygen concentrator machines are available on ebay from around £150.....are they not available to hire in the uk?.....and would a portable one be allowed on the flight?....if so....simples
Just google "oxygen concentrator hire"......

shockingmoment

If you contact your NHS supplier in the UK and tell them you are going on holiday they should know have a list of suppliers in Spain.
BOC?

I sorted this for my mum about a year or so ago.

Do the NHS provide it? If you are getting it free on the NHS you may get it free in Spain.

Couple of emails / faxes with a letter from the GP and it was sorted.

Dunroamin

As above.

Your oxygen supplier should be able to arrange for an oxygen supply to be available where he's staying. Arranging for it on the plane may be more of a problem so don't leave it too late.

Make sure he has his EHIC with him.

mustmakealist

The NHS is not responsible for providing treatment abroad.

The best place to start is probably your oxygen supplier. They may well have links with other companies abroad and be able to help organise things.

The airline might be able to help as well.

Trying to hire concentrators might sound like a good idea, but I'm not sure that you'd be allowed to take them abroad unless it was specifically stated that you could. You will also need to consider what would happen if it went wrong so a reputable supplier is a must.

Lucylocket01

No I have found places to hire machines. I just wondered if anyone had used any previously that were reasonably priced.
The ones we have looked at are 400 euros.
I have spoken to the airline and they will supply oxygen at a cost of £100 there and £100 back.
As for ebay. The concentrator machines aren't small and you wouldn't be allowed take your own machine on board.

Dunroamin

Lucylocket01 wrote: »

No I have found places to hire machines. I just wondered if anyone had used any previously that were reasonably priced.
The ones we have looked at are 400 euros.
I have spoken to the airline and they will supply oxygen at a cost of £100 there and £100 back.
As for ebay. The concentrator machines aren't small and you wouldn't be allowed take your own machine on board.

If money is available and your father travels regularly, has he considered buying his own portable concentrator? (Not one of the cheapy models from China). They're not cheap but they do give people on LTOT greater independence, particularly as they become more reliant on oxygen.

Does your father use ambulatory oxygen at home or does he just have the concentrator? If he doesn't have it yet, do you know what will be available to him? Finding out this sort of thing may be helpful to him in making the decision whether or not to buy his own equipment.

We bought my husband a portable concentrator 5 years ago and he's got a lot of use out of it for both holidays, days out and just generally being out and about.