I just took a 11 hour flight yesterday. My GP said I was find to fly beforehand without oxygen.
However, at certain brief times during the flight my oxygen level dropped to 92/93 and would get mildly SOB and would start PLB. This would last for 5 minutes at a time and probably happened 3 times. Oxygen never dropped below 90. The rest of the flight my sats around 98 and had no issues.
Anyone have any ideas why it would happen briefly on the flight and was fine for the majority of it? My sats never go below 95 on land, even when exercising.
Thanks
Sinclair
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sinclair61
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By what I wanted to know will a drop to 93 happen to most people on a long haul flight as they change cabin pressure or only those with respiratory diseases?
Does that mild drop mean that I most likely need oxygen when flying?
You might like to consider ambulatory o2 if you are to fly long distance frequently and could mention your observations to your gp/respiratory consultant.Stone has given you the medical facts with regard altitude and flying but at the moment your observations and reactions do not appear to be to alarming something to consider for the future,My own resting stats are 90% and drop to the low 80's after 15 mins of cabin pressure on air,though i am stage 4 emphysema with an fev of 22%.............good luck in the future,,skis and scruffy
I have been told not to fly as even if I have a test to go out I might not be well enough to return. I could not even get up Mount Vesuvius when I was fitter than now and could fly.
Well I dont know if you have any specific condition which means sats dropping as you have is dangerous, but I would be thrilled if my sats only dropped that far. If mine were like that I wouldn't consider having supplementary oxygen for a flight. But if you are worried speak to your GP.
No surprise your sinus infection got worse on an 11 hour flight.,
Like O2 trees said, even people with normal healthy lungs drop their sats when flying. When I was on a four hour flight in the summer my seat mate who is very healthy, tried my oxymeter and their levels were at 93. They felt no different.
My sats dropped to 85 and I upped my oxygen then. On land I am usually between 96 and 98 if I'm not walking.
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fit-to-fly' test which simulates flying conditions
Flying with oxygen
Annual fit to breath 6 minute walk test completed this morning on and off oxygen. Proof of how oxygen really does help with breathlessness.
Long haul flights
Flying with oxygen 
