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Use of portable oxygen concentrators on airlines United Airlines continues to prohibit the use of Portable Oxygen Concentrators on their Flights. This results in depriving passengers who need supplemental oxygen from using this airline unless they are willing to pay the airline $100.00 per leg for the privilege of flying. We must all write to the airline to protest their refusal to obey the FAA regulations on this matter. UAL is the only major airline that prohibits the use of portable oxygen concentrators. (See letter below) Please send a similar letter to the President of United Airlines |
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Martin F. DeWan 553 W. Bittersweet Place, #3 Chicago IL 60613 September 12, 2007
Glenn F. Tilton Chairman, Chief Executive Officer UAL Corp. 77 W. Wacker Drive Chicago, IL. 80801 Dear Mr. Tilton: I have been a member of United Airlines’ Mileage Plus frequent flyer program tar many years, account number fend have a Visa credit card, through .J.P. Morgan Chase Card Services affiliated with Mileage Plus. Although I will never attain elite status, I have referred to fly with United, my hometown airline, for both domestic and international flights, and have used my Chase Visa with the goal accruing miles as to use on flights. After all these years, however, I doubt I will ever fly with United again. This spring I was diagnosed with a lung disease that requires that 1 be on supplemental medical oxygen 24 hours a day, seven days a week my home, I use a portable oxygen concentrator (POC) manufactured by Inogen One. This POC has given me mobility and security so I can continue to travel and conduct my business and life outside my home.
Last month, my wife and I had made plans to fly to Baltimore. Maryland, in mid-October for several days on the Eastern Shore. My wife, also a Mileage Plus member acct. # ------------ with a Mileage Plus-affiliated credit card, reserved the round trip flights on-line. originally with United. Before she completed the reservations, however, she contacted United’s customer service office to inquire about my ability to use the Inogen One POC during the flight. The agent informed her that I would not be able to use POC in flight and must use airline-supplied compressed oxygen tanks at a cost of $I00USD per flight. According to the airlines website I can use the POC only before take-off and after landing and must use and pay for airline-supplied oxygen tanks during the flight. Because I can not use my Inogen One POC on United my wife canceled our reservations on United and made reservations to fly to Baltimore with American Airlines.
The skies are decidedly less friendly with United than with oilier carriers. United is the only major US airline that refuses to permit passengers to use POCs, including Inogen One, that have been approved by the FAA for use during flights. Other domestic airlines, including American, Continental, Southwest, and even US Air, permit in-flight use of the approved POCs. UAL's policy to refuse to permit passengers who require supplemental medical oxygen to use POCs approved for in-flight use by the FAA is extremely short-sighted, technologically out-dated, and costly to the airline and its passengers. As a result of UAL’s policy, we disabled passengers either must pay to use your oxygen tanks or we can not - and will not - travel on United.
UAL must be more accommodating to the needs of passengers who require supplemental oxygen and use FAA approved POCs. The airline must revisit and reverse its policy of banning the in-flight use of approved POCs. Once it does, former loyal passengers such as I will return to the otherwise friendly skies of United. Until then, I’ve made my decision to fly with other airlines that are friendlier to oxygen users.
Very truly yours, Martin F. DeWan Enc. Correspondence with Ed Khurana, UAL Customer Relations, Re: Customer Relations Ref#: 6543795A cc: Inogen One Pulmonary Fibrosis Foundation
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