Good advice from
@SB2015
The only thing I would add is to try to see things from their perspective. I have seen a lot of stuff from people with diabetes travelling who seem to be caught in a paranoid whirl of terror, bolshiness and arrogance. Not a good mix!
The security staff will have seen loads of T1s come through, and I would guess that many (possibly even the majority) have no idea about the device manufacturers official advice and are happy to just go through the scanners etc wearing all their tech and do so without problems. So if the staff say it will be fine, it is almost certainly because they've seen it happen before and it WAS fine.
Personally I prefer not to take the risk, and I would calmly explain that. "Yes I'm sure you are right and it would be fine, but this thing keeps me alive and I really don't want the hassle of it going wrong while I'm abroad - I'm just following the advice of the people that make it. I'm sorry to be a nuisance" would generally get a response of "Not at all sir, you are not being a nuisance".
BUT I see absolutely no reason at all why I should make the swabbing and pat/or down any more difficult than necessary. I would remove my pump when at the front of the queue and briefly explain that it can't go through x-ray or scanner and would need to be swabbed. I'm perfectly happy to hand my pump over and the staff member can potter off with it to find a swab. All the security that I've gone through work in a very small area and I've rarely if ever lost sight of the person I handed my pump to. It would take some extraordinary bad luck for a fire alarm or other incident to happen at that *precise* moment and delaying me getting it back. I'm happy enough to take my pump off to shower in a hotel bathroom - and there could just as easily be a fire alarm there. Removing my pump for 5 minutes is of no consequence to me. I can almost always see the person holding it at all times, and even if I can't they just re-appear and hand it back to me at the other side. It surprises me how surprised the staff are that I'll take it off to be honest. I suspect many people make a fuss and point blank refuse. I don't think that's a helpful strategy.
If decoupled and I'm not wearing a sensor (I only wear them intermittently) I'm happy to go through the body scanner. The metal arches are fine in any case it's only the fancy new ones that seem to have a question mark. If I'm wearing tech I can't remove I'll ask for a pat down. Again apologising for being a nuisance goes a long way to getting good treatment. But politely remain firm in what you expect and will / will not permit and why.
In honesty I think the device manufacturers are just being cautious. I am convinced that the chance of a scanner causing damage to an insulin pump is very low - it's just that the workarounds are easy and I'm
not prepared to take that chance when the people that make the kit say I shouldn't. If a tired and overworked security attendant at the end of a long shift gets presented with someone who just refuses to do anything they ask I can easily imagine that they would push back a bit. It's only natural.
I have to say though, that I've only ever had an excellent experience of airport security as a pump user.
If you are feeling anxious there are now 'invisible illness' lanyards that can be obtained at many large airports which alert staff even as you approach that you may need extra care.
In terms of putting yourself in others' shoes I find it helpful to think about 'flight mode'. Sometimes the same people who complain about airport security being rude and unhelpful will be the same ones who "don't see the point" and point blank refuse to put their devices into flight mode while on the aeroplane. Even though the official advice is that there is a risk of interference with aircraft instrumentation. The device manufacturers do not advise x-ray or scanner because of a small risk, but in truth I cannot ever remember hearing of someone coming to grief with their pump being fried at airport security. If I'm going to ask them to accommodate my concern over theoretical risk to my device of x-ray or scanner, then I must accept their suggestion of flight mode because of the theoretical risk during the flight (even if I think the risk is probably miniscule and flight mode is actually a bit of a nuisance to me personally).
If you go in assuming it will be fine and easy, smile and remain calm you will sail through. If you go in defensive and with your guard up you might have a trickier time.
As Sue says - allow plenty of time and enjoy your trip.
🙂
