Oxygen Therapy During Air Travel in Argentina. A Survey Ten Years Later

ABSTRACT

In 2007, we carried out a descriptive study about the use of oxygen therapy during air travel (OAT) in our country (Medicina BA 2008; 68:433-36). In this study we evaluate the current OAT service, both in domestic airlines (D) and international airlines (I). We conducted a telephone survey using the same methodology of the previous study. We communicated with 29 airlines (4 D and 25 I). We consulted them about the necessary requirements, costs and the possibility of obtaining information through their website, and then compared the results with the previous study. 25 airlines were evaluated (4 were discarded for lack of information, 16% of I airlines). Only one of them (4%) didn't allow the use of OAT. Three airlines (12%) have an additional cost. The survey was resolved with only one phone call in most cases (2 calls for I) with an average duration of 5:53 minutes (± 1:31 min) for the D airlines and 8:42 minutes (± 3:45 min) for the I airlines. In order to provide the service, all the airlines request a previous medical report and 19 (79%) need a special form. 32% of the airlines provide the interface. 29% of the companies demand that the oxygen supply model should be part of the list of the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). 80.5% has information available through the website. In conclusion, the information has been more easily provided with the website version. An improvement has been observed in services rendered by I flights, which have more demands in relation to the period of notice, controls and necessary requirements; also, a lower number of airlines imposes an additional cost for the service.