• Guest - w'd love to know what you think about the forum! Take the 2025 Survey »

Insulated Cold Packs in cargo hold?

Sugar High

Sugar High

Well-Known Member
Messages
53
Type of diabetes
Treatment type
Other
I know that the Frio wallets cannot go in checked baggage in the hold of a plane, but what about the insulated Cold Packs, like the ChillMED. They claim that they can maintain ~45°F for either 12 or 24 hours depending on the model. It seems to me that they should be good for a short flight (~2 hours) and maybe a medium flight (~5 hours). I don't know about something longer than that, so I wouldn't risk it. Of course, on a flight longer than 5-6 hours, I wouldn't be able to get into my luggage for hours longer than that, so I'd probably need the pens with me for my next injection anyway.

I actually called customer service at ChillMED. The person I talked to not only didn't know the answer, but also didn't know how heat transfer works. Maybe I'll try another manufacturer to see if they have anyone who knows anything. (sigh)
 
I am not familiar with ChillMed but why do you want to put them into the hold?
I always keep my insulin with me in my hand luggage. My concern is not only the temperature and pressure in the hold but also whether my hold luggage will actually reach me. I always carry all medication in my hand luggage.
The maximum time I have been away is 3 weeks and I carry 3 times as much as I need so this is no small amount of insulin, test strips, needles, etc.
 
helensaramay said:
I am not familiar with ChillMed but why do you want to put them into the hold?
Click to expand...
We often travel with small children, which means a ton of gear. Anything I can remove from carry-on, I do.

My concern is not only the temperature and pressure in the hold but also whether my hold luggage will actually reach me.
Click to expand...
Another good point. Thanks.
 
helensaramay said:
but also whether my hold luggage will actually reach me.
Click to expand...
In hundreds of flights, I have never lost luggage. I like to think that this is because I always check that the luggage tag they put on the bag hasw the correct airport code on it. But you make a good point. Murphy's Law will bite me at the absolute worst possible time. :bigtears:
 
Sugar High said:
In hundreds of flights, I have never lost luggage. I like to think that this is because I always check that the luggage tag they put on the bag hasw the correct airport code on it. But you make a good point. Murphy's Law will bite me at the absolute worst possible time. :bigtears:
Click to expand...
I too have travelled hundreds of flights and I always check the luggage tags. Unfortunately, my luggage has been delayed a number of times. Usually (but not always), the luggage delay has been when I transfer flights.
My diabetes kit is far too important for me to risk losing it. I can always buy toothpaste or underwear at my destination but I am less convinced I could get hold of the insulin I use or the test strips for my meter. And, if I could, I hate to think what the price would be.
If you are concerned your hand luggage will be full of children's necessities, I have heard of people with medical needs contacting the airline before the flight and getting agreement to take an additional "medical bag" as hand luggage.
 
Sugar High said:
In hundreds of flights, I have never lost luggage. I like to think that this is because I always check that the luggage tag they put on the bag hasw the correct airport code on it. But you make a good point. Murphy's Law will bite me at the absolute worst possible time. :bigtears:
Click to expand...

You'll be relieved to know that an incorrect port tag is now nigh on impossible. If it's an automated airport at your departure point, no way would the bag be accepted in the first place if it didn't match the flight number, the date, the destination port, and your booking reference. The baggage belt would reject it.

Trust me on that one :)
 
Get kids to carry their own stuff. Mine does, I’m not risking freezing my insulin. And I have also had luggage go missing, luckily on the way home...
 
helensaramay said:
Usually (but not always), the luggage delay has been when I transfer flights.
Click to expand...
That's a good point. 99% of the trouble I have ever had with airline travel has been on connecting flights. We were twice stuck in Dallas, once for 5-6 hours and once overnight. I try to always fly direct (nonstop).

If you are concerned your hand luggage will be full of children's necessities, I have heard of people with medical needs contacting the airline before the flight and getting agreement to take an additional "medical bag" as hand luggage.
Click to expand...
That's good to know. Thanks.
 
Last edited:
Sugar High said:
We often travel with small children, which means a ton of gear. Anything I can remove from carry-on, I do.


Another good point. Thanks.
Click to expand...

Hmmmmm….if it's a choice between one of the kids in the hold and my insulin...well...it's a close run thing! Seriously, there is NO way my insulin and accompaniments are leaving my body. I've never had luggage stolen but I have been sat on planes for hours because of delays and last year we were all hauled off a plane about to take off because of a security scare. We sat in Orlando airport for hours on end, (no access to luggage which remained on the plane). I suppose you could put your extra test strips in the hold but the actual insulin pens don't really take up much room do they?
 
KK123 said:
Hmmmmm….if it's a choice between one of the kids in the hold and my insulin...well...it's a close run thing!
Click to expand...
You better make sure they allow your insulin kit in the pokey. ;)

Seriously, there is NO way my insulin and accompaniments are leaving my body. I've never had luggage stolen but I have been sat on planes for hours because of delays and last year we were all hauled off a plane about to take off because of a security scare. We sat in Orlando airport for hours on end, (no access to luggage which remained on the plane).
Click to expand...
I'm new to this insulin routine, but I don't think it would be life threatening in my case if I missed an injection or two.

I suppose you could put your extra test strips in the hold but the actual insulin pens don't really take up much room do they?
Click to expand...
The test strips take up even less, so that wouldn't save much space. Besides, I want to keep it all together.
 
Your profile says you are 74. Get the kid’s parents to deal with the kid stuff. When she was 2 I could fit her stuff and mine in the carry on. If away for a long time clothes in hold insulin and diabetes kit and kid entertainment in carry on.
 
Diakat said:
Your profile says you are 74. Get the kid’s parents to deal with the kid stuff. When she was 2 I could fit her stuff and mine in the carry on. If away for a long time clothes in hold insulin and diabetes kit and kid entertainment in carry on.
Click to expand...
You certainly have a lot of strong opinions on how other people should handle their travel with children and you don't seem to mind expressing them as orders.
 
Sugar High said:
That's a good point. 99% of the trouble I have ever had with airline travel has been on connecting flights. We were twice stuck in Dallas, once for 5-6 hours and once overnight. I try to always fly direct (nonstop).
Click to expand...

That's the nature of the business. Airlines would go bust if they tried to run directs from A to C, hence the plethora of connect flight / carrier options and usually on smaller aircraft based on route density.
 
Sugar High said:
You certainly have a lot of strong opinions on how other people should handle their travel with children and you don't seem to mind expressing them as orders.
Click to expand...

Hi,

Been traveling a very long time with insulin. As when the oxigen masks drop in the "unlikely event." Place your own on first before helping others? If it's a case of attending children after your mask? Pick your favourite next.... ;)

Insulin, traveling without your meds close to hand could & will affect your BGs, especially if omitting a dose or two?
Rapidly out of the "zone" untreated or unsupervised BGs may also affect your personal judgment..

Regarding kids? There are some cunning "ride on" luggage devices these days marketed for the jet set youngster that look like a variety of fantasy animal or insect characters. Mainly due to the invention of the wheel... :)
 
We just returned from a 3-day trip. I bought one of those insulated travel bags with the freezable gel packs, which I put in my carry-on bag with the open pen I was using and a second unopened one as a backup. One the way out, the TSA agent pulled my bag out for manual inspection. She dug into the bag and pulled out the insulated case and opened it. She felt the gel pack and said that it was OK because it was frozen solid. I got the impression that they would not have allowed it if it was not frozen.

Our hotel room had a frig but no freezer, so on the way back, the gel pack was not frozen. So I put gel pack and the case in my checked luggage and the open pen and the unopened pen into my carry on. It was not pulled out for inspection.

I have a couple of questions:
  1. Does anyone know what the TSA rules are about insulated insulin travel cases?
  2. Do they generally go through or get pulled out?
  3. What would have happened if I had tried to go back with the unfrozen gel pack in my carry on? I was going to put it in the frig thinking that a cold gel pack would be better than nothing, but decided against it for fear that they would take it away.
  4. What would happen if we were on an all-day trip with a change of planes and a second pass through security? If, due to the travel to the airport and all, the gel pack was not still frozen by the time we went through security a second time. Would they take it away?
 
Back
Top