Local MP calls for an end to airlines' tax on breathing

10.48.16am BST (GMT +0100) Fri 3rd Jul 2009

Lembit Öpik, Liberal Democrat MP for Montgomeryshire , has lent his support to the campaign to end the restrictions and charges that airlines place on people with a lung condition by the British Lung Foundation and the Pulmonary Hypertension Association UK.

People with respiratory diseases such as Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) and Pulmonary Hypertension often require additional supplementary oxygen due to the low levels of oxygen in their blood.

However, due to the policies set by airline companies, it is both expensive and difficult for people with this disability to plan and use air travel. A recent survey of twenty-two major airlines, conducted by the Pulmonary Hypertension UK, found that just five companies allow people to bring their own oxygen cylinder on to their planes and that only seven companies allow people to bring their own oxygen concentrator on board. Other airlines only allow passengers to use the oxygen that they provide at an additional cost.

Lembit Öpik showed his support by signing Early Day Motion 1444: Supplementary Charges for Oxygen. This motion has been signed by over 200 MPs from all political parties. It calls on all airlines to allow passengers who need it to carry their own oxygen cylinder or concentrator on board.

Commenting, Lembit Öpik said:

"As the holiday season approaches, more people will be travelling by plane. I believe that people with lung conditions should have the same opportunities to travel, free from discriminatory charges, as the rest of us. I therefore urge all the airlines that have not already done so, to drop these charges and restrictions.

"I believe the charging of those with lung conditions for supplementary oxygen is a grossly unfair tax. Disability rights are not about having different rights but equal rights."

Ends/diwedd

Media Contacts: Paul Pennington/Bernadette Moore/Kate Spencer PHA-UK Press Office 020 7272 3915 media@phassociation.uk.com or to contact the BLF press office, call David Buckle on 0207 688 5563 david.buckle@blf-uk.org or Charles Smith on 0207 688 5565 charles.smith@blf-uk.org

Out of hours: 07976 227 076

Notes:

The British Lung Foundation is the only UK charity working for everyone affected by lung disease. The charity focuses its resources on providing support for people affected by lung disease today; and works in a variety of ways (including funding world-class research) to bring about positive change, to improve treatment, care and support for people affected by lung disease in the future. The BLF provides information via the website www.lunguk.org and telephone helpline 08458 50 50 20.

The Pulmonary Hypertension Association UK (PHA-UK) provides support, understanding, and information for everyone whose life is touched by Pulmonary Hypertension (PH). By bringing people together, and providing a focus for everyone throughout the UK and around the world, PHA-UK aims to make the lives of patients, relatives and carers easier and more able to cope with the challenges that the disease imposes. To find out more about PHA-UK please visit www.phassociation.uk.com

Early Day Motion 1444: Supplementary Charges for Oxygen by Airlines

Nick Ainger MP

That this House recognises that patients with pulmonary hypertension, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, muscular dystrophy and other conditions require supplemental oxygen when travelling by air; is dismayed that the vast majority of airlines operating in the UK currently charge passengers requiring supplemental oxygen on flights; applauds the work of the Pulmonary Hypertension Association, the British Lung Foundation and the Muscular Dystrophy Campaign to end the unfair financial impact of what is effectively a tax on the disabled; calls on all airlines flying from or through UK airports to allow passengers requiring in-flight supplemental oxygen to either bring personal oxygen equipment on board and use it, subject to necessary security checks, or to have supplemental oxygen provided for them by the airline, in both cases, without charge; welcomes the recent decision by British Airways, Emirates and Cathay Pacific to drop all charges; notes that as of 1 May 2009 airlines in the United States of America will have to allow passengers requiring supplemental oxygen to be able to use their own portable oxygen concentrator free of charge; and urges all airlines operating in the UK to follow suit.

Members of PHA-UK conducted the 'secret shopper' research exercise with a random sample of 22 airlines in May 2008. Each airline was subsequently supplied with a written list of responses received from their customer service representatives to check the information provided, within the correspondence we stated that if we did not hear back from the airline we would take that mean that the information gained by PHA-UK members was correct. Only Monarch, Virgin, British Airways, Lufthansa, and SAA responded.

The Equality and Human Rights Commission believe that these charges may be contrary to the law and they are seeking to have the regulations interpreted so that airlines do not charge people who are on oxygen.