The most common indication for employing the fibreoptic technique for intubation is when a difficult intubation is anticipated. It may also be used when intubation unexpectedly proves difficult with a rigid laryngoscope in anaesthetized patients. However, failures with orotracheal fibreoptic intubation have been reported in up to 9.5% of cases, although only two possible equipment related causes of intubation difficulties have been identified. The Berman intubating airway and the Ovassapian intubation airway in fibreoptic orotracheal intubation have been compared in 65 patients. The study was randomized and for fibreoptic endoscopy each patient served as his or her own control. The results indicate that both airways can be used for orotracheal fibreoptic intubation in anaesthetized patients. The Berman airway offers easier visualization of the vocal cords than the Ovassapian airway, provided that the Berman airway is of an adequate size and positioned in the midline. Upon impingement of the intubation tube, completing the tracheal intubation is more difficult with the Berman airway than the Ovassapian airway.