More than ever, airlines must manage the needs of passengers requiring supplemental medical oxygen inflight, whether using medical oxygen provided by the airline or using their own Portable Oxygen Concentrator (POC). Airlines also must review special needs requests (stretchers, medical equipment, etc.) and assess the medical fit-to-fly status of passengers with terminal illness, post-surgery complications and other ailments.

MedAire’s Passenger Assistance Service (PAS) places such assessments in the hands of medical professionals with 20 years of experience in altitude physiology, assisting the airline with recommendations on passengers’ medical fitness to fly. The PAS team includes R.N. case managers and PAS specialists 
who work together to assess travelers’ needs.

Portable Oxygen Concentrators Onboard
With the approval of Special Federal Aviation Regulation No. 106 in August 2005, airlines are permitted to allow passengers to use authorized models of Portable Oxygen Concentrators onboard aircraft (AirSep Lifestyle and the Inogen One). POCs — devices requiring a medical prescription — are used with a nasal canula to channel oxygen from a concentrator to the patient, who is dependent 
on oxygen.

For 10 years, MedAire’s Passenger Assistance Services have managed the supplemental oxygen needs of passengers during flight. Using this knowledge and experience, the PAS program can assist airlines with the coordination and management of passengers traveling with POCs.

Supplemental Oxygen & Portable Oxygen Concentrator Assistance
For an airline, the process of accepting a passenger requiring oxygen can be complex, expensive and time-consuming, often resulting in more than 10 calls per case. Coordination of oxygen cases, including those involving POCs, is streamlined through the 24/7 medically staffed MedLink Global Response Center, where PAS team members:

• Contact the passenger and explain the procedures.
• Contact and educate a passenger’s physician about the medical issues related to an artificial cabin altitude of up to 8,000 feet, as well as other issues.
• Obtain a written statement from the passenger’s physician stating the passenger’s oxygen requirements.
• Review oxygen settings to be administered for the flight.
• Calculate the total oxygen supply necessary to complete the flight or the number of batteries required to power a Portable Oxygen Concentrator.
• Document and maintain records on all communications and outcomes.
• Coordinate oxygen delivery to the aircraft, or in the case of POC users, remind the passenger of the number of batteries required according to the duration of the flight.

The PAS Advantage to Airlines

• Seamless coordination: MedAire takes care of all the necessary steps required to provide supplemental oxygen — from initial passenger contact through securing oxygen from the airline or its outside oxygen service.
• Portable Oxygen Concentrator Coordination: MedAire makes initial contact with passengers who request to use their POC, obtaining a medical history, corresponding with the passenger’s physician, coordinating FAA-required medical paperwork, and reviewing FAA POC regulations.
• Reporting capabilities: PAS records, stored within a sophisticated database and tracking system, are recorded into the passenger’s PNR (when MedAire is provided direct access), allowing station agents to view the passenger’s status and flight needs in real-time. Statistical reporting is also available, including an airline’s total monthly records, number of oxygen bottles used, medical categories screened and approval/denial rates.
• Customer satisfaction: customers arrange all medical needs up front, resulting in a pleasurable experience for the flyer and repeat business for the airline.
• Decreased medical risk to passengers and risk of diversion: the proactive nature of the procedure has proven successful by preventing potential inflight emergencies and resulting diversions.

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