Personal Oxygen Concentrators (POC)

Portable oxygen concentrators (POC) approved by the FAA may be carried and used on board Copa Airlines flights worldwide at no charge, if they are in accordance with specific FAA guidelines.

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) prohibits the use of personal oxygen units during flight because they contain compressed gas or liquid oxygen that are considered hazardous material. However, the FAA has recently issued guidelines permitting the onboard use of certain portable oxygen concentrators.

Customers wanting to use a POC onboard must provide Copa Airlines a minimum 48-hour advance notification. The Call Center or Copa Airlines offices will confirm that the device you are planning to use is on the list of current approved devices. You can check flight time for determination of the number of batteries you will need for your flight.

Currently, specific POCs approved by the FAA are:
  • The Airsep "Lifestyle," manufactured by the Airsep Corporation.
  • The Inogen One, manufactured by the Inogen Corporation.
  • The Airsep "Freestyle", manufactured by the Airsep Corporation.
  • SeQual Eclipse, or SeQual Eclipse 2, manufactured by SeQual Technologies Inc.
  • Respironics Evergo, manufactured by Respironics Inc.
  • Delphi Central Air, manufactured by Delphi Medical Systems.
  • Invacare XPO2, manufactured by Invacare Corporation.

Note:

  • Other POC brands and models may be carried in the cabin with the batteries removed, if they meet Copa Airlines’ carry-on size and weight requirements. Otherwise, they must be transported as checked baggage. Copa Airlines may accept other models for use on board in the future as they become approved by the FAA.
  • Aircraft in-seat electrical power is not available for portable oxygen concentrators. Therefore, customers must have an ample supply of fully charged batteries plus 3 hours of extra battery time for the flight.
  • Some seating restrictions may be necessary to comply with certain FAA safety rules.
  • Portable oxygen concentrators are considered assistive devices. They do not count toward carry-on limits, whether or not they are used on board. They must be able to fit underneath the seat or in an overhead compartment.
Customers who wish to use a POC on board must comply with the following requirements prior to boarding the aircraft:
  • The customer must ensure that the POC:
  • Has ample batteries to power the POC for the duration of the flight.
  • Battery time includes any ground connection time where the POC is planned to be used.
  • Battery time included 3.0 additional hours in case of unanticipated delays.
  • The customer must ensure that all extra batteries are properly protected from short circuiting:
  • With recessed battery terminals.
  • By packaging the batteries so they do not contact metal objects, including the terminals of other batteries.

Note:

Passengers connecting to a flight of any airline other than Copa or Aero Republica are responsible for making those arrangements directly with the other airline and for confirming with the other airline that it will accept oxygen equipment on board.


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