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Travelling with diabetes

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R

Roozle

Member
Relationship to Diabetes
Type 1
Hello
I will be flying for the first time (within UK) since being on insulin. Is there anything I need to be aware of in terms of going through airport security with meds and needles? Should I allow extra time? Do I need to inform the airline first? Hoping there’s a seasoned traveller out there who can advise!
 
Roozle said:
I will be flying for the first time (within UK) since being on insulin. Is there anything I need to be aware of in terms of going through airport security with meds and needles? Should I allow extra time? Do I need to inform the airline first?
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No need to notify them. Make sure you have a letter from your GP or DSN (and try and get a general one rather than one that specifically lists what you need, so you can use the same letter repeatedly).

But most likely there won't be any issue. I've occasionally had security curious about my Libre sensor but that's about it. And I've only been asked to see the letter a couple of times (in ~10 international trips).
 
Roozle said:
Hello
I will be flying for the first time (within UK) since being on insulin. Is there anything I need to be aware of in terms of going through airport security with meds and needles? Should I allow extra time? Do I need to inform the airline first? Hoping there’s a seasoned traveller out there who can advise!
Click to expand...

I take a doctor’s letter with me and my prescription. I put all my diabetes stuff together, and when I get to Security I tell them I have diabetes and am carrying insulin and sharps. I then give them the letter. I’ve never had any issues, although as I use a pump, I have been swabbed for that before (pump and hands) and had to wait while they checked that. It only took a few minutes.

So, yes, I’d allow a little extra time. I also like to get there early so it’s hopefully less stress getting through security. You don’t need to contact the airline in advance. Do check their website though as some allow you to carry an extra medical bag in addition to your one hand luggage bag. I found this very useful.

Remember to keep all your insulin in your hand luggage and not in the hold. Take double the amount of insulin, strips, etc than you think you’ll need.
 
Type 1 for over twenty years. Pre-covid travelled regularly on planes.

Obtain a letter from your GP or DSN which states you have diabetes and need to carry insulin and sharps.
I've never informed the airline that I have diabetes and never had a problem although some sites suggest you do this.
Find a container which will fit into your hand luggage that will hold all the diabetic supplies, including hypo treatments, you will need during the flight and any onward travel.
Don't forget a few extra supplies in case you get delayed.
Avoid putting your diabetic supplies in your main luggage in your case goes astray.
At security inform the staff you have diabetes and are carrying sharps. If you have an insulin pump, they may want to swab it.
Have a look at "Travel and Diabetes" for lots of useful information including managing differrent time zones.

Enjoy your trip and don't be phased about flying with diabetes.
 
I fly a lot (apart from during a pandemic) and only had questions twice.
Once when flying the day after the "shoe bomber" and once when the Italian security guys were confused by my metal insulin pen on the x-ray. Insulin pens are plastic nowadays and needles are too small to show up on the x-ray.
I carry a letter from my doctor (get one from your diabetes team because GPs usually charge) just in case and carry extra supplies as I would if I am away from home in the UK.

The only people I tell about my diabetes are the check-in staff if I am checking in luggage (very rare) in answer to their question "do you have any sharp items in your luggage?". My evil devil who sits on my shoulder during these times, urges me to hesitate after responding "yes" for long enough to see the staff start to worry and then explain "I need them for my diabetes." 😉

But, if I am not asked, I see no reason to offer information about my medical condition. Security staff and flight crew do not need to know.

Things are slightly different with an insulin pump because they cannot go through x-rays but no one has asked anything about my Libre.

In addition to the great advice mentioned above, my tip, from personal experience, is to always keep hypo treatment with you in your seat not in the over head locker - it is a tad embarrassing being shouted to sit down during take off because you had to stand up to get treatment for falling blood sugar levels.
 
Roozle said:
Hello
I will be flying for the first time (within UK) since being on insulin. Is there anything I need to be aware of in terms of going through airport security with meds and needles? Should I allow extra time? Do I need to inform the airline first? Hoping there’s a seasoned traveller out there who can advise!
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I've never had a letter and never had to inform anybody. Never been stopped or asked anything about it.

The thing is, there are so many people (all types 1,2 etc) on insulin nowadays it's almost become normal. So i'd guess that it is a well known and accepted part of peoples travel items.

As others have suggested, best to get a g.p letter to avoid any potential issues. Or as @helli suggests, if you are being seen via a hospital (not all of us are), ask hospital for a letter for free.
 
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Amity Island said:
As others have suggested, best to get a g.p letter to avoid any potential issues.
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My suggestion is NOT to get a letter from the GP as this can work out as an unnecessary expense.
My advice is to ask the hospital based diabetes team for a letter as they are more likely to provide these free of charge.
 
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My (undated) doctors letter is now 22 years old, didn’t cost me anything and I have even Google-translated it according to my destination. I have never had to show it to anyone - I feel quite cheated, really!
 
Hi there @Roozle. Definitely travel with a letter stating you’re diabetic and are carrying insulin (which can’t go in the hold), sharps, a glucose meter, the Libre, etc. I used to fly easyjet from Stansted to N Spain and back a lot, and repeatedly had to explain my bag’s contents and whip out my bilingual letter at security. I guess I just have a dodgy-looking face, unlike you @JJay! o_O 😉 Happy travels!
 
Don't know about my face @Bloden 😉 but we travelled back from Venice just a week after 9/11, when security was naturally extremely strict. The security people ignored my diabetes equipment totally, but spent ages scrutinising every bit of make-up in my bag. As we boarded the plane I remarked to my husband, "well it's nice to know they're being thorough"
He replied: "Don't know about that - they completely missed the fact that I still have my Swiss army knife in my bag"!
 
A few years ago now, I was boarding a domestic flight in the US.
As we were boarding they were "randomly" selecting every non-US citizen for an extra hand luggage check.
They went through my luggage pretty thoroughly, taking everything out of my bag, scattering it across the table and checking each item closely. They checked my pen knife and left me to repack it back into my bag (whilst hurrying me to get on the plane).
 
Roozle said:
Hello
I will be flying for the first time (within UK) since being on insulin. Is there anything I need to be aware of in terms of going through airport security with meds and needles? Should I allow extra time? Do I need to inform the airline first? Hoping there’s a seasoned traveller out there who can advise!
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Roozle, can I just ask, are you with a hospital diabetes team or just under your G.P?
 
helli said:
A few years ago now, I was boarding a domestic flight in the US.
As we were boarding they were "randomly" selecting every non-US citizen for an extra hand luggage check.
They went through my luggage pretty thoroughly, taking everything out of my bag, scattering it across the table and checking each item closely. They checked my pen knife and left me to repack it back into my bag (whilst hurrying me to get on the plane).
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We travelled on a flight to Edinburgh a few years ago now from East Midland and a friend had her bag searched and they confiscated her eyebrow tweezers. I'd like to think it wasn't because she was Muslim and wore a hajib.
 
Leadinglights said:
I'd like to think it wasn't because she was Muslim and wore a hajib.
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That’s disgraceful!

Though the list of things you can’t take is quite long - maybe tweezers are in there? I think nail clippers are?
 
Tweezers and nail scissors are two of the things they’ve highlighted. There’s no reason to have them in hand luggage but it’s easily done if they’re with your make-up.
 
@Roozle

I had a letter once I think… but I don’t have one, and have never been asked for one. It would probably be wise to get one if you can, but don’t panic.

I *think* as it’s a liquid, the insulin is strictly speaking supposed to go in your clear bag with your micro tube of toothpaste etc.

And just to reiterate what others have said DO NOT put insulin in the hold - there’s a risk of it freezing as the hold temp gets really low at cruising altitude. And frozen insulin can’t be used.

If you have a lot of supplies and paraphernalia (depending on the length of your stay and/or things like sensors you may use) some airlines will let you take an extra piece of hand luggage - check the FAQs for travellers with medical conditions if this applies to you as you will most likely need to arrange/agree beforehand.
 
everydayupsanddowns said:
Ah interesting! I think I’ve just gone by whatever the airline said with the tickets, and assumed they were common!
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But it makes sense. If they try and produce a complete list of prohibited things there's bound to be some sharp thing that's not on that list. Better to say no sharp things and allow some exceptions for specific purposes (like the medical exception).
 
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