Letter to take insulin etc on board airplane

[Chalky34]

SORRY FOR LENGTH
I am somewhat shocked
as I have never in 20 years had to pay for confirmation in respect of me having diabetes and needing to take my insulin and other paraphernalia when travelling abroad.

The airline wants confirmation I am diabetic and need to take my insulin etc in the cabin as it can't go in the hold due to the cold temperature.

Apparently some airlines have new rules on cabin luggage size that ONLY allow one small hand luggage bag. Everything above the size they quote has to go in the hold and be paid for.

I always have used a small cool bag for my diabetes stuff. Which the airline will allow as well as my hand luggage if I provide confirmation of my diabetes from my surgery.
I am told they want £40.00 to do so. No other surgery I have been with has charged for this. I havent been abroad since covid started so my old letter is now tatty and from a different surgery and isn't any good.
If that's what I have to pay I will, however I would like to know if this is the norm for those of us with diabetes .

 

[ajbod]

It's called a cash cow, we can so we will profit from YOU.

 

[Tony337]

Hi
I go to the Canaries twice a year and have done so for years.
I have my kit in a rucksack with a copy of my prescription.
I have never had a problem with security or the airline so what you are experiencing is new to me!

I was curious so i spoke to my own GP surgery and they can print off a list of medication which is free but if you require a letter with my Doctors signature then its £25!

It sounds like the airline are playing games as once you are through security no-one needs to know what you have in your hand luggage.

I hope this helps and i wish you luck

Tony

 

[KennyA]

SORRY FOR LENGTH
I am somewhat shocked
as I have never in 20 years had to pay for confirmation in respect of me having diabetes and needing to take my insulin and other paraphernalia when travelling abroad.

The airline wants confirmation I am diabetic and need to take my insulin etc in the cabin as it can't go in the hold due to the cold temperature.

Apparently some airlines have new rules on cabin luggage size that ONLY allow one small hand luggage bag. Everything above the size they quote has to go in the hold and be paid for.

I always have used a small cool bag for my diabetes stuff. Which the airline will allow as well as my hand luggage if I provide confirmation of my diabetes from my surgery.
I am told they want £40.00 to do so. No other surgery I have been with has charged for this. I havent been abroad since covid started so my old letter is now tatty and from a different surgery and isn't any good.
If that's what I have to pay I will, however I would like to know if this is the norm for those of us with diabetes .

As providing a letter for an airline isn't part of the NHS, the GP practice is entitled to charge you for doing so. The BMA publishes a list of suggested charges - but it's not binding.

Why not write to the airline? They made that rule up and they can change it. I used to carry a CPAP machine as an additional piece of hand baggage and wrote to the airline beforehand: I never had a problem taking the extra bag on. It might also be worth putting something like your post above on their social media. A lot of businesses seem to get extra twitchy when people are informed of how unreasonable they are to customers.

 

[Antje77]

my old letter is now tatty and from a different surgery and isn't any good.

Why isn't it any good anymore?

 

[Outlier]

Can you copy it?

 

[postinic]

I have a letter but have never been asked for it, I always ring the flight co eg Tui & have always been given an extra 5 kilos allowance to take what I need, on a flight to the Caribbean the even let me put mu insulin in there fridge that they use for them self's

 

[tomfalc]

As providing a letter for an airline isn't part of the NHS, the GP practice is entitled to charge you for doing so. The BMA publishes a list of suggested charges - but it's not binding.

Why not write to the airline? They made that rule up and they can change it. I used to carry a CPAP machine as an additional piece of hand baggage and wrote to the airline beforehand: I never had a problem taking the extra bag on. It might also be worth putting something like your post above on their social media. A lot of businesses seem to get extra twitchy when people are informed of how unreasonable they are to customers.

Does this count as discrimination under the equalities act? Car insurance companies aren't allowed to charge us more just for being diabetic, so why can airlines?

 

[Fenn]

Interesting thread as I’m getting on a plane to the states in three days and have no letter lol, may I ask which airline please? There’s not a chance ell they will be able to check the authenticity of a letter, fill your boots.

 

[In Response]

I have a letter from my diabetes clinic from a few years ago.
Unlike GPs, the clinic does not charge for the letter.
I know others carry a copy of their repeat prescription.

I am surprised your airline knows about your insulin, etc. Unless they explicitly ask a question like “are you carrying any sharp items such as syringes?”, I never tell the airline.
I have never needed an additional bag. If I did, it would be a pain to carry. I keep my luggage to a minimum whilst carrying at least twice as much diabetes stuff as I need which was not a problem for hand luggage for 3 weeks along with books, toiletries, a change of undies, etc.