On January 30, 2014, the Federal Aviation Administration(FAA) issued a Dangerous Goods Advisory Bulletin clarifying past regulationssurrounding the use of personal oxygen containers. Also known as “canned oxygen” or“recreational oxygen,” these small canisters of oxygen are marketed for use byairline passengers following a flight and are often available for purchase inairport shops or vending machines. However, personal oxygen containers are hazardous materials and are notallowed to be carried onto commercial aircraft by passengers or crew.
The FAA stressed that although the canned recreational oxygenis sold in some airports, in some cases after the Transportation SecurityAdministration (TSA) checkpoint, these canisters cannot be carried onto aflight or placed in checked baggage, as they violate the US Department ofTransportation’s Hazardous Materials Regulations (HMR).
Passengers may use medical oxygen during a flight, but theoxygen must be provided by the airline. In the alternative, passengers may carry an FAA-approved portable oxygenconcentrator.
The FAA’s bulletin can be found here.
For more information on the FAA and The Department ofTransportation’s Hazardous Materials Regulations, please contact Glenn Wicks or Ronce Almond at (202) 457-7790.