Hi my daughter will be wearing the libre2+ cgm and carrying her insulin pens, extra libre needles etc. we are travelling from Gatwick to Lanzarote and returning to stanstead airport. Can she wear her cgm through the airport scanner and can she put her extra kit through the luggage scanners. Is there anything we need to do before travelling? She is very nervous so any advice to help this run smoothly would be very appreciated.
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Travelling for first time advice pleaae
- Thread starter Mst27
- Start date
My CGMs have been through airport scanners many many many times with no problems.
They have been in my arm and they have been in their boxes on the x-ray belt.
However, I still recommend taking plenty of test strips just in case the sensor fails or falls off (especially if you may be spending a lot of time in water in the heat).
Travelling is not a problem with diabetes. I have literally done it hundreds of times.
Some people tell the airport security but I consider it personal information that I have no need to share and I go through without any issues.
If your daughter is very concerned there is a "family and assistance security lane" in Gatwick. I have not used it in Gatwick but tried it once in Heathrow. Unfortunately, because it is used by people who need additional assistance (e.g. large families with lots of children), I found it more rowdy than the usual security.
When travelling the advice is
- keep all diabetes kit in your hand luggage
- take at least twice as much of everything (e.g. if your daughter uses reusable insulin pens, take a spare)
- make sure you have travel insurance
- Frio wallet is recommended if your insulin will be out with you in the heat
- your DSN may be able to give you a letter to ensure you can carry needles, etc. I have been carrying mine for 20 years (on hundreds of flights) and needed it once about 12 years ago so I would not panic if you do not have one. Some people take a copy of their prescription, just in case.
- make sure you have hypo treatment with you in your seat when flying. Do not leave it in the overhead locker where you cannot access it while the seat belt sign is on. Yes, that is advice from someone who has been there and done that!
- enjoy your holiday
They have been in my arm and they have been in their boxes on the x-ray belt.
However, I still recommend taking plenty of test strips just in case the sensor fails or falls off (especially if you may be spending a lot of time in water in the heat).
Travelling is not a problem with diabetes. I have literally done it hundreds of times.
Some people tell the airport security but I consider it personal information that I have no need to share and I go through without any issues.
If your daughter is very concerned there is a "family and assistance security lane" in Gatwick. I have not used it in Gatwick but tried it once in Heathrow. Unfortunately, because it is used by people who need additional assistance (e.g. large families with lots of children), I found it more rowdy than the usual security.
When travelling the advice is
- keep all diabetes kit in your hand luggage
- take at least twice as much of everything (e.g. if your daughter uses reusable insulin pens, take a spare)
- make sure you have travel insurance
- Frio wallet is recommended if your insulin will be out with you in the heat
- your DSN may be able to give you a letter to ensure you can carry needles, etc. I have been carrying mine for 20 years (on hundreds of flights) and needed it once about 12 years ago so I would not panic if you do not have one. Some people take a copy of their prescription, just in case.
- make sure you have hypo treatment with you in your seat when flying. Do not leave it in the overhead locker where you cannot access it while the seat belt sign is on. Yes, that is advice from someone who has been there and done that!
- enjoy your holiday
Hi
Myself and my partner (Type 1) started travelling by air last year - its the first time he's done it in a long time and he was a bit worried too. His diabetes nurse did a travel letter (its never been asked for at the airport, 6 trips and counting) and you can download a card that we took just in case, this was useful coming back through the Latvian airport where they didn't seem to understand what the Freestyle device was at first.
(https://www.caa.co.uk/media/4f1pswv0/caa_aoa_medicaldeviceawarenesscard.pdf)
We flew out of Stanstead and Luton, hand luggage only, I just let one of the security people know as we come up to the scanners, they were happy to do a manual search rather than the scanner although we've since learned the scanner is fine for the Libre.
What Helli says is pretty much what we did, spares of everything, hypo treatment in pockets on the plane etc. We found they take longer to go through the bag with the medication in so we split our luggage, anything electrical all in one bag so we only have to repack one on the other side, then he stays with his diabetes kit and I repack the one bag on the other side so nothing is left unattended. If you're taking carry on as well its been suggested to me that we put extra supplies in both bags in case one does go astray!
Enjoy your trip!! 🙂
Myself and my partner (Type 1) started travelling by air last year - its the first time he's done it in a long time and he was a bit worried too. His diabetes nurse did a travel letter (its never been asked for at the airport, 6 trips and counting) and you can download a card that we took just in case, this was useful coming back through the Latvian airport where they didn't seem to understand what the Freestyle device was at first.
(https://www.caa.co.uk/media/4f1pswv0/caa_aoa_medicaldeviceawarenesscard.pdf)
We flew out of Stanstead and Luton, hand luggage only, I just let one of the security people know as we come up to the scanners, they were happy to do a manual search rather than the scanner although we've since learned the scanner is fine for the Libre.
What Helli says is pretty much what we did, spares of everything, hypo treatment in pockets on the plane etc. We found they take longer to go through the bag with the medication in so we split our luggage, anything electrical all in one bag so we only have to repack one on the other side, then he stays with his diabetes kit and I repack the one bag on the other side so nothing is left unattended. If you're taking carry on as well its been suggested to me that we put extra supplies in both bags in case one does go astray!
Enjoy your trip!! 🙂
PattiEvans
Well-Known Member
- Relationship to Diabetes
- Type 1
- Pronouns
- She/Her
May I add that you can get a "sunflower lanyard" from the Special Assistance desk at Gatwick which will signify that your daughter has a hidden disability. Since wearing a pump I have come across some awkward security people, but the lanyard helps a lot in smoothing passage through airports.
I had no problems travelling through Stansted.
Check with your airline, mine allowed me to take an extra handbaggage which contained all my insulins, spare CGMs, needles, strips, etc and a letter from my DSN, but I had no issues at security. Went through the scanner with no problems. (There was a person just in front who had a CGM on their arm) which helped my confidence no end!
At Heathrow and Bristol, they just ignored my lanyard so I stopped wearing it. I would rather not be labelled.
I think they lost their significance during COVID when it was hijacked by anyone who didn't like wearing a mask.
Thank you I will check that would be helpful if we could take an extra bag.
JohnS
Well-Known Member
- Relationship to Diabetes
- Type 1.5 LADA
I have been through the “normal” airport type X ray scanners multiple times with no issues for my CGM, however I understand that you should not go through the new full body scanners that they are starting to install. Has anyone had experience with these?
Yep. I have been through the full body scanners with a CGM and experienced no issues.
I am slightly more nervous about going through them with an insulin pump so know that you can request to be patted down. However, the pat down is much more of a pain and not something I would recommend if you are a nervous traveller: on more than one occasion, the airport security have been pushy to the point of being rude telling me there is no problem with medical equipment.
SB2015
Well-Known Member
- Relationship to Diabetes
- Type 1
My system (Medtronic closed loop) specifically says not to go through the full body scanner, so I am not chancing it. I know that Libre sensors are okay with the scanners.
At Bristol (our usual airport) I use my sunflower lanyard to go through the special assistance Chanel, which is generally a lot quicker and when we travel the children tend to be at school. They are not surprised when I say I can’t go through the full body scanner, and happily do a manual check without any hassle.
As @helli has said take double the equipment you need and keep it all in your hand luggage. We also split it between two of us, so if one bag goes awol I still have stuff to keep me going.
Enjoy your travels.
At Bristol (our usual airport) I use my sunflower lanyard to go through the special assistance Chanel, which is generally a lot quicker and when we travel the children tend to be at school. They are not surprised when I say I can’t go through the full body scanner, and happily do a manual check without any hassle.
As @helli has said take double the equipment you need and keep it all in your hand luggage. We also split it between two of us, so if one bag goes awol I still have stuff to keep me going.
Enjoy your travels.