Pumps and airport security

Chas C

Well-Known Member
Messages
1,044
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Pump
Hi Jackie100

Indeed, pump should not be xray'd or go through the new full body scanners. They can go through the walk through metal detector arch.
 

Medusa41

Well-Known Member
Messages
423
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Pump
I am going to Majorca next week. Does anyone know if they have body scanner. I am worried about the way back. Its such a big airport and worried it may cause a drama. Thanks

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Hi @linsay - I'm not sure I'm afraid. I was wondering the same about Menorca. Hopefully someone may have the answer!


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Minnie45

Well-Known Member
Messages
157
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Pump
Be ready to stand by your pump instructions, I had a nightmare recently at Gatwick, tried to make me go through the body scanner, the guy just kept saying other people had gone through the scanner with no problems and my walking through the metal detector causes more damage. It was a very uncomfortable situation and I was made to feel like I was the problem, I asked for a pat down and he just kept saying over and over again others with pumps go through the body scanner with no problem.

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Chas C

Well-Known Member
Messages
1,044
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Pump
Be ready to stand by your pump instructions, I had a nightmare recently at Gatwick, tried to make me go through the body scanner, the guy just kept saying other people had gone through the scanner with no problems and my walking through the metal detector causes more damage. It was a very uncomfortable situation and I was made to feel like I was the problem, I asked for a pat down and he just kept saying over and over again others with pumps go through the body scanner with no problem.

Sent from my SM-G925F using Diabetes.co.uk Forum mobile app

I had a similar issue in Berlin - so I asked the guy if he was a medical scientist, he said no, so asked him how he knew it was ok and that I was an engineer and could confirm that he was incorrect in his assumption. He gave in and let me through with hand scan and swab.

Always make sure you allow enough time for any negotiations and manual checks, I often find my hand baggage is also diverted if I'm stopped by security, I always allow 2hrs for an international flight at check in. :)
 

RuthW

Well-Known Member
Messages
1,158
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Pump
Why not just offer to disconnect your pump for thirty seconds, ask the guard to walk it round to the other side and then you put it through? If they don't agree to that, I bet they offer you a pat down and swab.


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Chas C

Well-Known Member
Messages
1,044
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Pump
Why not just offer to disconnect your pump for thirty seconds, ask the guard to walk it round to the other side and then you put it through? If they don't agree to that, I bet they offer you a pat down and swab.


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Fully agree if they let you and allow it to be hand carried and also your happy to let them hold it.
 

Minnie45

Well-Known Member
Messages
157
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Pump
This is what I decided to do for my next trip through Gatwick, I will be travelling alone and was worried about my hand luggage being kept waiting for me whilst I went off for a pat down (this is what happened to me at Gatwick but thankfully I wasn't travelling alone). Next time I will disconnect, hand my pump over to be swabbed, I will go through the acanner and collect my pump afterwards. I did this with my loan pump and there was no issue at all, the issue I had was not disconnecting my main pump and therefore not going through the body scanner. It was a horrible experience.

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fairylights

Well-Known Member
Messages
185
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Pump
I have just come back from holiday and was a bit worried about airport security. Going out of Edinburgh I just walked through the metal detector and did not set it off and I was not picked for a random check (my daughter is picked every time though). Coming back from Prague, they do the security checks at the gate. Interestingly my daughter pointed out someone getting a pump swabbed after the metal detector, but again I didn't set it off (Medtronic 640g) although they did check my bag due to needles, syringes etc. And I also know why they tell you to take extra supplies - I seemed to have a lot of issues with set changes and ended up doing three in one day!
 

Louise M

Well-Known Member
Messages
81
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Insulin
Dislikes
The misinformation out there about diabetes and misunderstanding of difference between Type1 and 2 .
D

Deleted Account

Guest
Dear Moderators,
Travellin with a pump seems to be becoming a very common question (maybe it's the time of year).
Is it possible to have an info page to direct people to?
I know it is not easy to search to find out if your question has been asked previously and there is so much great info on this site, it is becoming impoosible to know what to expect to find. So I don't mind seeing the repeated question.
Just feels like a generic response would help in 80% of the threads.
Thanks
 
D

Deleted Account

Guest
Tigger , can I ask do you suspend or disconnect pump during flight ? Flight will be 3 hours ?
I have an Animas but the logic is the same. I have travelled 10s of times with my pump and never suspended it. I would feel very very nervous to be without any basal insulin for as long as 3 hours.
 

tigger

Well-Known Member
Messages
558
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Pump
Dislikes
registrars asking silly questions
Tigger , can I ask do you suspend or disconnect pump during flight ? Flight will be 3 hours ?
No. I did it for take off and landing only and checked for bubbles on landing. That was the 1st time. After that i didn't bother but consider setting a higher basal for earlier part of day if stress increases your levels and you are also sedentary on the plane