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	TX: 17.08.09 - Oxygen on Planes PRESENTER: JULIAN WORRICKER

	Downloaded from www.bbc.co.uk/radio4 THE ATTACHED TRANSCRIPT WAS TYPED FROM A RECORDING AND NOT COPIED FROM AN ORIGINAL SCRIPT. BECAUSE OF THE RISK OF MISHEARING AND THE DIFFICULTY IN SOME CASES OF IDENTIFYING INDIVIDUAL SPEAKERS, THE 91훑괵 CANNOT VOUCH FOR ITS COMPLETE ACCURACY. WORRICKER Now how much does oxygen cost? I ask because it's free, according to EasyJet, but £150 according to Thomson Airways. And the picture gets even more complicated if the next question is - can I bring my own? Yes, say EasyJet, FlyBe, Lufthansa and Monarch, no say many others. For people with a medical condition involving breathing problems who depend on access to oxygen the inconsistencies are bad enough to seriously disrupt travel plans. The MP Nick Ainger raised the issue in a parliamentary debate last month and described airlines who do charge as imposing a tax on the disabled. The problem at the moment is that there are no clear guidelines. Well earlier I spoke to John Hillier whose travel plans are constantly at the mercy of the various airlines policies and I asked him about his condition. HILLIER Basically I have what's called COPD, which is chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. In layman's terms really I suppose it means my lungs are quite damaged really, so unfortunately - and my oxygen levels are low so I have to have oxygen 15 hours a day to keep me running like a normal person really. WORRICKER And how do you find the airlines cope with your requirements medically? HILLIER Well certain airlines cope admirably. For instance EasyJet, they look after us really well, allow me to take two cylinders of oxygen with me and Monarch allow me to take one cylinder. But other airlines don't allow me to take my own oxygen at all. WORRICKER And when they don't allow you to take your own do they offer an alternative option? HILLIER Some do, some don't. The average do but the price varies so dramatically but the basic average is £100 a trip, so if I'm going to Spain that's £100 for their oxygen there and £100 for their oxygen back. WORRICKER So they might offer you their own flask, their own tank, but only if you're prepared to pay a significant sum of money for it? HILLIER That's correct. And some airlines won't even allow you to travel with theirs or with oxygen at all. The only way they will allow you to travel is if you have a concentrator. A concentrator is an oxygen making machine which runs on batteries and electricity but you can use batteries. WORRICKER In some cases John are we talking about trips that you frankly would like to take but cannot take simply because of some of these extra costs that are involved? HILLIER We're going on a cruise in October, it's with Thomson's - Thomson Cruise - but Thomson's airline don't allow oxygen tanks on their aircraft at all. In fact a few years ago I booked a Thomson's flight only later to find out that I couldn't go because I use oxygen and I couldn't get a refund on my money either. This time my wife is flying with Thomson's and I have booked myself a separate flight with EasyJet so I can take my oxygen with me. WORRICKER They'll be some people listening to this conversation who might wonder whether you're fit enough to fly with your condition, can you give those people who have doubts about that a guarantee that you'll only go if your doctor says you can? HILLIER Oh of course yeah I mean I have to go to the doctor's fairly close before time of travel and he says whether I'm fit or not. I mean my doctor wouldn't let me go if I wasn't fit, in fact if I wasn't fit I wouldn't want to go because I have ended up in hospital in Spain in the past. WORRICKER Well I'm joined on the line by Carl Gissing, who's the director of customer services at Thomson Airways. Why do Thomson charge when others don't Carl? GISSING Well previously we have charged but I'm delighted to announce today that as a result of listening to our customers, indeed listening to some lobby groups and paying particular attention to the discussions that have been going on in the UK parliament, that with immediate effect we're removing the charges for customers who wish to bring their own oxygen or a concentrator or indeed use our own canular system which we've fitted to all of our 65 aircraft in the UK. WORRICKER So you're playing catch up, others have done it and you've decided to follow suit at last? GISSING Well we've been listening to our customers and listening to the views that have been - that have been brought to the table and as a result of our merger and the updating of our fleet to be able to provide oxygen to all of our customers on 65 of our aircraft, the entire fleet, we'll be removing the charges with immediate effect. WORRICKER And can passengers ... GISSING This is really good news for our customers. WORRICKER Can passengers bring their own cylinders on board now as well? GISSING Yes they can indeed and again that'll be free of charge from today. There are certain conditions obviously around security and safety and customers will need to contact us with regard to the carriage of their own oxygen or indeed the concentrator that Mr Hillier referred to but there'll be no charges for any form of oxygen on Thomson Airways. We want to put as many people on - take as many on holiday as we possibly can and we do recognise that in the past we've prevented that and therefore we're delighted with this news today. WORRICKER David Buckle's with me from the British Lung Foundation who also looks rather pleased. BUCKLE I'm delighted. I mean there's a number of airlines already that allow people to access oxygen on board for free, such as British Airways and Virgin, and we really want other airlines, such as Thomson, to follow suit and other airlines that are listening to this debate today. WORRICKER Thomson apparently has but still a lot haven't, haven't they, and part of the problem, it seems to me, having read a little bit about this in advance is that there is no consistency in the law, the guidelines are very misty aren't they. BUCKLE They are indeed. Well I mean there's currently European Union regulations on this issue that state that all airlines should allow people to bring their own mobility equipment on board and medical equipment and have the staff and equipment able to assist people with these needs. However, as you see a number of airlines all vary in their practices in terms of what they allow on board and what they charge. So what we're looking for is for the European Commission to look into this issue and to reassess this as a disability issue and issue stronger guidelines to all airlines. WORRICKER Because the disability issue - clearly the law is very straightforward when it regards people who need a wheelchair on board an aeroplane but it's far less clear when it comes to somebody who might need an oxygen tank just as critically. BUCKLE Well exactly, I mean this is not specified in the regulations. But the issue is that I mean for a lot of people that need supplementary oxygen they need it for about 15 hours a day so having a portable supply creates the same degree of independence as a wheelchair does for people with other disabilities. WORRICKER Okay, well we shall see if other airlines follow suit as regards to what Thomson have told us this afternoon. Thank you very much David and thanks to Carl Gissing from Thomson Airways. Back to the Transcripts homepage Back to the You and Yours homepage The 91훑괵 is not responsible for external websites

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