Travel safely and well-prepared – the new EFA toolkit „Travel with Oxygen“
For many people with alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency, especially those with advanced lung disease or requiring long-term oxygen therapy, travel planning often involves significantly more effort than for others. Those traveling with oxygen must take care of medical certificates, arrangements for supplies at their destination, airline and train company regulations, and insurance matters well in advance. Differing regulations across European countries further complicate the planning process.
This is precisely where the new „Travel with Oxygen toolkit the European Federation of Allergy and Airways Diseases Patients' Associations (EFA) Although the project was originally developed for COPD patients, much of the information is also of great benefit to people with alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency who require oxygen therapy.
This free online service brings together a wealth of practical information in one place and helps with travel preparation. This includes, among other things:
- a detailed checklist for travel planning,
- Email templates that can be used to contact airlines, oxygen suppliers, or hotels,
- Frequently asked questions about traveling with oxygen,
- Information on portable oxygen concentrators (POCs),
- Information on insurance, medical documents and the European Health Insurance Card (EHIC),
- as well as a network of national contact points in several European countries who can provide support with country-specific questions.
A particularly helpful tip from the EFA team: Start planning your trip four to eight weeks before departure. This leaves sufficient time to obtain medical certificates, coordinate oxygen requirements with the treating pulmonologist, check the airline's requirements, and organize supplies at the destination. Airlines, in particular, differ considerably in which portable oxygen concentrators are permitted and what documentation or battery reserves are required.
You can find the EFA toolkit here. here:
