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Hand luggage on aeroplane

1

1claire

Member
Messages
18
Location
Banbridge
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Insulin
Hi. We are heading to Spain soon with son who has type 1 diabetes and was wondering what items I can carry in hand luggage on the aeroplane. Do I just carry a few needles, a few lancets, all the insulin, insulin pens, glucose & keytone meters etc and hypo treatment and all the test strips? The remainder I was planning to put in the normal luggage. Does this sound ok?
 
Hi @1claire

I have been travelling as a type 1 diabetic for years ( too many to remember)-- I always carry all my supplies with me in my hand luggage -- the thought of any necessity being lost as part of checked luggage is ... well.... unthinkable.

I am travelling to Italy in 45 hours and I will be carrying all my pump supplies , insulin , spare insulin pens , test strips , spare meter , spare pump manager ( a bit of kit that runs my pump ) , 1/3 of my glucose supply -- I do pack some of the glucose -- cuz let's be fair -- we can buy orange juice or similar pretty much anywhere


hope this helps -- and have a lovely holiday -- and DON'T worry !!!!!!!!!!

edit to add -- get a letter from your DSN ( Diabetic Nurse ) stating your son has D and needs to carry all the gear ( just in case )
 
Thank you very much. Great to know. My son was just diagnosed 6 months ago and this is all rather new to us.

 
Ive only ever kept insulin in hand luggage as I was told it freezes if in a suitcase. Ive only been on short flights 2-4 hours so don't need anything else.
 
I do not use insulin myself...only the poor quality stuff inside my body...but I have heard from other Type 1s that x-rays can damage it. Just saying. Any thoughts?
 
 

I take all my supplies in my hand luggage. Many airlines let you carry an extra piece of hand luggage for medical supplies. Check with the airline.

Do NOT put insulin n hold luggage. It can freeze and be damaged and unuseable.

It's also wise to take a doctor's letter.
 
I carry everything in my hand luggage, take a copy of repeat prescription as well as I was told a leter from GP sometimes isnt enough.

When we went to Spain, I mentioned to security I was diabetic so no questions were asked about things showing up on Xrays.

Hope you have a good holiday!! X
 
Thank you all very much. Feeling more confident about the airport security end of things.
 
Have just travelled to Berlin, put insulin in frio bag, needles in clear bag inside clear bag with liquids plus my CPAP machine and scooter and with a freestyle libre in my arm. Sailed through. It's worse travelling with liquid morphine where they take it off to test it, left that at home this time! Never had any problems entering the US either again except for the morphine.
 
I agree used the same approach on a recent longhaul flight to Morocco via Dubai. I found it useful to carry all insulin requirements including needles, blood testing gear in a small bright orange bag in my carry on luggage. It's all in one place and it's easy to access. I call it my insulin travelling overnight bag . It reduces the chance of me forgetting insulin and testing gear. The only improvement I need is to carry back up food for long flights.
 
Dd
 
I would carry all his supplies. All the insulin in frio pouches, needles, Lancet device, glucotabs, needle clippers the lot and a spare everything! Also a letter from a Dr stating your son has diabetes (i got asked for mine for the first time) and has to travel with all the above. I stupidly took only one insulin pen which temporarily broke down (for enough time to make me panic like mad) ...I hadn't taken a spare so I will in the future! To be safe i had to get syringes from a farmacia. My needle clipper also broke.It was stress I didn't need so be extra safe and enjoy your holiday.
 
S
Sorry but would also take a meter and a spare meter and all test strips and be aware the test strips might need get too hot!
 
1claire said:
Thank you all very much. Feeling more confident about the airport security end of things.
Click to expand...
I wanted to tell you i got stopped at two airport security stops and all my insulin swabbed....this hasn't happened before so make sure you leave plenty of time as the hold ups delayed everything quite a bit
 
Hi! I hope you have a good holiday. I'm a type 1 and I carry everything in my hand luggage. When I checked in my suitcase I also tell staff at this point. When I traveled to the States they used to put a sticker on my bag so people knew. But I don't think that they that anymore since I traveled there last summer and they didn't do it this time. I also let airport security know that I am a diabetic and have a copy of a repeat prescription for all my medications with my passport. I've never been stopped to date (touching wood) and security weren't the least bit fazed.

Even going to the USA I didn't have any issues.
 
I carry the day's supplies in my handbag, everything else in my hand luggage. For a long trip or exotic location I split it between my hand baggage and my husband's and carry extra supplies. I am reasonably confident that in France my usual supplies plus a spare set is enough. In places like India and Cambodia I travelled with what I thought I need, a spare set, and an extra spare set so if any set got trashed I still had what I needed plus a spare, if that makes sense...
 

Hi ,

I have always been recommended to carry all supplies in my hand luggage because the temperature can affect insulin in the hold luggage and there is always the worry of it going missing.

The only thing I carry in hold is my glucose gel (for emergencies) and a bigger pack of glucose tabs.

I also get a letter from my DSN at hospital to state I'm diabetic and crying suppose and also carry my b side of my prescription ( with the ticky boxes) for back up.

Hope you have a lovely holiday
 
I always get letter from my doctor stating that i need to carry needles and injection pen, and medication, as many airlines are now requestng doctors letters. the doctors normally charge £20 for a letter. also if you need to carry lots of medication if you inform tthe airline some airlines will increase hand luggage t
from 5kg to 10kg.
 

Noooo , if you are under the hospital your DSN should be happy to do one free of charge for you , I always get offered one from mine . Or if not I would be asking the GP not to date it , it's a letter about two lines long saying we are diabetic and carry insulin , I wouldn't be paying £20 every holiday( I do travel quite often)
 
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