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o2 Cylinder on a plane?

2K views 3 replies 4 participants last post by  Captain Calamity 
#1 ·
Not entirely diving related but I thought you guys may be able to help. I need to send a team of guys to a town in Mexico that is situated at approximately 10000ft. A couple of my colleagues have visited the plant and complained about alititude sickness. We have been advised, rightly or wrongly, that compressed oxygen might be advisable to have around incase of emergency. My understanding is that compressed air cylinders should be empty and with the valve removed for transport by air, but this obviously is not an option in this case. Anyone with experience of this?
 
#2 ·
I think you can arrange to carry medical oxygen on flights. Look through the airlines blurb, or contact them. I just flew an empty CCR O2 cylinder domestically in Indonesia, and had a few questions as it got passed up the chain of command at the airport, but the boos man asked if it was empty I( I turned the valve all the way on and off to prove it) then said well, I was the one flying on the plane, not him, so he it's OK!
 
#3 ·
I have spoken to BA about this one, to take live O2 tanks you need to have a medical prescription for the person transporting them along with them conforming to local test standards and requirements.....
It's possible but I suspect your situation would be best addressed by a local purchase in MX or an oxygen concentrator rather than tanks...

P
 
#4 ·
O2 is first aid for mountain sickness, and is not a cure or prevention. Changes in respiration at altitude can cause pulmonary and cerebral oedema which kill really fast if not recognised and treated. The treatment is to get to lower altitude pronto. There is a sort of portable hyperbaric chamber operated by hand or foot pump which can buy time when getting down the mountain is delayed (e.g. half way up everest at night) and there used to be some debate whether a tablet called acetozolamide could help prevent the condition - I don't know enough mountain medicine to comment further, but this is YD and I am sure someone will be along shortly.

I would advise that everyone in the party learns what to be alert for and what to do if mountain sickness is suspected - back in 1992 a British crash investigator died of mountain sickness which came on abruptly at a crash site in Nepal just 11,500ft above sea level - he didn't even make it as far as base camp IIRC.
 
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