🩺 Can you bring Medical device / CPAP / wheelchair on a plane?
Carry it on (does not count toward your allowance)
As of 2026-08-24
The rule in detail
CPAP machines, nebulisers and insulin pumps are meant to travel in the cabin, and most airlines do not count them against your baggage allowance. If one contains a lithium battery it follows the power-bank rule — 100Wh or less, cabin only. Using it in flight needs airline approval in advance. Wheelchairs can be used up to the gate and are then checked free of charge; powered ones require the battery type to be declared beforehand.
Why the rule is written this way
It is classified as Carry-on only because if it travels in the hold, no one can react when something goes wrong down there. In the cabin, crew can see the first sign of trouble and act on it.
Do not put it in your suitcase — move it into your cabin bag. The safest moment to do that is before you hand the suitcase over at the check-in desk.
The rules this verdict comes from
The verdict above follows from 1 Korean rule listed below, named in the original Korean because that is how they are indexed at the national law database. These are the rules themselves, not an airline summary — when screening staff disagree, this is the text that decides. Rules are amended; anything changed after the review date above follows the original.
What actually happens at the airport
- Check-in desk — this is the point of no return for your suitcase. Anything that may only travel in the cabin cannot be retrieved after this step.
- Security screening — if the X-ray flags a shape, the bag is opened. Most problem items are caught here.
- Extra check at the gate — on some routes there is one more inspection.
Confiscated items are rarely returned. If you are unsure, confirm the specification before you leave home.
One English copy of the prescription shortens both screening and customs
Other items in the same class
The items below are also classified as Carry-on only. Quantity and volume limits differ per item, so check each rule separately.
| Item | Rule |
|---|---|
| 🔋 Power bank / lithium-ion battery | Cabin only (never checked) |
| 🔥 Lighter / matches | One in the cabin, on your person (not checked) |
| 🚬 E-cigarette (vape / heated tobacco) | Cabin only (not checked) |
| 💻 Laptop / tablet / camera | Cabin by default (conditions if checked) |
| 🛸 Drone / gimbal | Cabin only (batteries must come out) |
Frequently asked questions
- Medical device / CPAP / wheelchair — can I take it in the cabin?
- Carry it on (does not count toward your allowance). CPAP machines, nebulisers and insulin pumps are meant to travel in the cabin, and most airlines do not count them against your baggage allowance. If one contains a lithium battery it follows the power-bank rule — 100Wh or less, cabin only. Using it in flight needs airline approval in advance. Wheelchairs can be used up to the gate and are then checked free of charge; powered ones require the battery type to be declared beforehand.
- Medical device / CPAP / wheelchair — can I put it in checked baggage?
- No. It is banned from the hold, so having it in a suitcase breaks the rule even if the bag is never opened. Move it into your cabin bag and carry it on yourself.
- Is there anything else to watch out for with Medical device / CPAP / wheelchair?
- One English copy of the prescription shortens both screening and customs