Plans and carrying on insulin and needles

[stevemiller86]

I'm going to china in a few months and the flight is nearly 11 hours long. What rules is there about carrying my pen and needles on to the plane so I can use? Any help would be great


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[mo1905]

I've flown many times with needles, insulin etc as hand luggage. Airport Security have never even questioned it but I do carry a letter from doc just in case.

 

[noblehead]

Carry your supplies in your hand luggage, if travelling with a partner split the supplies between you both in case one bag goes missing. The airport may search your bag so it's always best to get a letter from your gp to say you have diabetes and need to carry needles and insulin etc. To keep your insulin cool use cool bags or Frio wallets. Enjoy your trip

 

[Engineer88]

Im also going to china but with a pump! dont forget dextrose tabs as they can go through security.

Anyone any further advice for travelling with a pump/to China?

 

[Jaylee]

Hi,

Most of my experience of flying & airport security have mostly been with a band...
As you can imagine this might prick up certain security concerns with that sort of passenger profile..?
With regards to hand luggage, I've had search & swabs on guitar peddles, radio mikes, & even questioned to the point of a gun upholstered by security on a toy Star Wars light sabre that I used as a prop..
X ray wise they have freaked at a 5 pack of Mars bars.. & wanted to disassemble a USB flash drive on a keychain attached to my bag.
Anything with large battery's still installed tends to rattle their senses...

However, I have never had an issue with my D stuff. Not one. I carry Novopenns & enough spare needles & insulin for Armageddon.
Plus blood monitoring meter & pot of strips.. I have never had to open any of the D containers on a bag search..
Even though I carry the "Doctors letter", which has never been called upon..

I hope this belays any concerns.. Enjoy yer flight!

 

[annelise]

I will chime in with previous posters. Either have a doctor's letter or take a copy of your prescription with you.

- One thing is certain: no airline carrier would want a passenger to have a hypo- or a hyper-case needing immediate treatment onboard a plane.

You may also pre-order special meals. I did this on a recent long haul to VietNam, but I will never repeat that mistake - they seemed to think that no spices could be added to 'special' meals, so meals were totally bland. So in future I will just have the normal meal and kind of pick and choose among the food items offered. (The benefit, though, was that I was 'fed' before anyone else!!)

You might also choose to take along a few snacks (e.g. cheese sticks) you know will agree with you if you feel peckish.

annelise (T2, Denmark)

 

[Engineer88]

Thanks Guys, Think I'm mostly worried about going through security with my pump as it cannot be xrayed (can cause pump failure) and explaining this in Chinese ;-/

 

[Jaylee]

You may also pre-order special meals. I did this on a recent long haul to VietNam, but I will never repeat that mistake - they seemed to think that no spices could be added to 'special' meals, so meals were totally bland. So in future I will just have the normal meal and kind of pick and choose among the food items offered. (The benefit, though, was that I was 'fed' before anyone else!!)

I had a similar arraignment on a Gulf Air flight to India a few years back....
I read somewhere years ago that the taste buds are pretty much shot a high altitude...?!

 

[janrick]

Make sure that you have a letter from your Doctor that says you are a diabetic on Insulin and you are carrying enough insulin and testing sticks to last your trip. be open and confident. We have travelled many times between New Zealand and England, through many countries, including through America while carrying 100 srynges, and never been questioned.... Good Luck, Rick