Smart Vest and Airline travel

Posted by mdf @mdf, Jul 20, 2023

Has anyone traveled with the Smart Vest (or any of the vests) on an airline? Have you encountered any problems with it being considered medical equipment and not subject to charges as a carry on? I am getting ready to travel with mine and am trying to head off any problems. Any information or experiences would be helpful to know. Thank you.

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Profile picture for hoopsnest17897 @hoopsnest17897

Several years ago I ditched my 17lb vest/CPU unit for travel and purchased a chargeable hand-held massager/percusser from Brookstone. Cost was approx $200. The handle grip enables me to easily reach my entire back area. This has served me well for traveling, can be carried in personal carryon bag & has only been questioned once (recently) by TSA. Because of lithium battery, it must be carry-on only.

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Thanks for that tip, and also the note about the lithium batteries- would not want to have to shuffle stuff around at the airport to try to make room in my carry on at the last second!

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I have the Baxter APX vest system and it did come with a "carry-on case." However, the case is larger than the maximum carry-on size allowed by airlines. It is 15" x 19" x 11". The 11" depth is the concern. Major domestic airlines have smaller depth restrictions. This case will not fit in the baggage sizer at airports. The airlines state their standard overhead bins will accommodate up to only 9" (Delta and American) or 10" (Southwest) depths. Depth under seats is less. Has anyone successfully stowed a case like this this that is larger than the maximum allowable carry-on size? Where is it stored if it doesn't fit overhead? Baxter (Hill Rom) recommends against checking in the baggage and I want to avoid doing that.

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Profile picture for peg492001 @peg492001

I have the Baxter APX vest system and it did come with a "carry-on case." However, the case is larger than the maximum carry-on size allowed by airlines. It is 15" x 19" x 11". The 11" depth is the concern. Major domestic airlines have smaller depth restrictions. This case will not fit in the baggage sizer at airports. The airlines state their standard overhead bins will accommodate up to only 9" (Delta and American) or 10" (Southwest) depths. Depth under seats is less. Has anyone successfully stowed a case like this this that is larger than the maximum allowable carry-on size? Where is it stored if it doesn't fit overhead? Baxter (Hill Rom) recommends against checking in the baggage and I want to avoid doing that.

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@peg492001
I have the exact same concerns. Were you able to take the vest system as carry on?

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Profile picture for @ling @wangling

Hi Scoop,
You said "When I used afflovest ..." you don't use it any more, why? And when you decide not to use it, can you return it? I am going to give it a try since I constantly have infections.

Thanks!
Ling

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@wangling
Hi Ling,
I am wondering if you can explain the afflovest and if it is the one most companies are using now. I am getting increased infections and harder to clear so my pulmonologist is ordering a vest for me to see if it can help. I am also on Brinsupri but still getting infections. If you can let me know if it is helpful in bringing up sputum then I can ask for that particular vest. Thanks very much for your help.
Patti55

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Profile picture for patti55 @patti55

@wangling
Hi Ling,
I am wondering if you can explain the afflovest and if it is the one most companies are using now. I am getting increased infections and harder to clear so my pulmonologist is ordering a vest for me to see if it can help. I am also on Brinsupri but still getting infections. If you can let me know if it is helpful in bringing up sputum then I can ask for that particular vest. Thanks very much for your help.
Patti55

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@patti55 Using the vest plus Aerobika has helped me clear more, avoid nighttime coughing and gets up more junk. I also use the Pari Star Red Cup because it does not waste as much saline as the Pari Blue Cup.

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Pari Star red cup makes particles smalllest and going deepest into the lungs- that what the chart of Pari cups says. The also have pari LC sprint star - blue with red core. Smaller particles, for advanced lung disease. I just ordered it from Nebology)( you need a prescription) so I don’t know if it helps my concrete type mucus that never could be coughed up.

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I always have a letter from my pulmonologist stating what the medical equipment is and why I need.
I traveled with the afflovest once and was never questioned but always good to have the letter just in case.
Good luck with your vest travels!

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Profile picture for lynkx @lynkx

@peg492001
I have the exact same concerns. Were you able to take the vest system as carry on?

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@lynkx
We flew on Southwest Airlines and had no problems. It fit nicely in the overhead carry-on bin.

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Profile picture for patti55 @patti55

@wangling
Hi Ling,
I am wondering if you can explain the afflovest and if it is the one most companies are using now. I am getting increased infections and harder to clear so my pulmonologist is ordering a vest for me to see if it can help. I am also on Brinsupri but still getting infections. If you can let me know if it is helpful in bringing up sputum then I can ask for that particular vest. Thanks very much for your help.
Patti55

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@patti55 , I am sorry to hear about your infections. I have a smartvest and I used it for about 6 months. I did not feel it helped me to bring up mucus, so I stopped it. Other people do find the vest helpful. I never stopped getting an infection for almost two years. Now I am doing well and only nebulize in the evenings and do autogenic drainage in the mornings. To me it was my eosinophilic asthma that was not controlled, even though my eosinophilic level is just a little elevated.
Do you have other conditions besides BE? To me I would try anything to stop the infection. To me, vests should work similar.
Hope you feel better.
Ling

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Profile picture for peg492001 @peg492001

@lynkx
We flew on Southwest Airlines and had no problems. It fit nicely in the overhead carry-on bin.

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