MPs back campaign against charging air passengers for oxygen
08 June 2009
A campaign to stop airlines penalising passengers with breathing difficulties backed by two charities is being supported by 165 MPs from across the political spectrum.
Oxygen tank (photograph: iStockPhoto/njgphoto)
In the UK 90,000 people need some form of supplemental oxygen because of low oxygen levels in their blood because of conditions such as pulmonary hypertension and COPD.
People with such conditions are dependent on supplemental oxygen to improve delivery of oxygen and blood to the muscles and prolong life, according to the campaign by the Pulmonary Hypertension Association UK (PHA-UK) and the British Lung Foundation.
Research by PHA-UK with 22 of the world’s major airlines unearthed charges of up to £1,100 levied on otherwise fit to fly passengers who require supplementary oxygen in flight.
An Early Day Motion tabled by Nick Ainger (Labour, Carmarthen West and South Pembrokeshire) said: ‘All airlines should allow people dependent on supplemental oxygen to travel with it free of charge, if they have medical clearance to do so.’
neil.durham@haymarket.com
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