Unusually unpleasant airport experience

[SB2015]

In all the years of flying since being on a pump (12) I have only had two unpleasant experiences. Mi came through Malaga airport at the weekend and had an unpleasant member of staff insisting that I should go through the. Odd scanner. Since she has diabetes she was convinced that she knew better. Eventually she agreed to a pat down but was certainly not at all gentle. Very unusual occurrence.

 

[Satan’s little helper]

In all the years of flying since being on a pump (12) I have only had two unpleasant experiences. Mi came through Malaga airport at the weekend and had an unpleasant member of staff insisting that I should go through the. Odd scanner. Since she has diabetes she was convinced that she knew better. Eventually she agreed to a pat down but was certainly not at all gentle. Very unusual occurrence.

Sorry to read this. Sounded a little too invasive. Was the staff member “working” on her own initiative or were there others?

 

[helli]

I agree that bad experienced at airports are rare but they still happen when they shouldn't.
I would roughly estimate that more than 90% of airport experiences are fine - friendly, efficient and caring.
But that last less than 10% can leave me very angry.
the worst was being dragged off to a separate room like a criminal, leaving me to carry all my belongings without giving me a chance to put anything back in to the bags or even put my shoes on and then telling me I bought it upon myself because I "chose" to have diabetes. A strongly worded email was sent to her management after that.

Most of my bad experience is in the UK but that is likely to be because every trip will involve a UK airport.
I wonder is Diabetes UK can do anything to educate airport security about diabetes.

I do want to emphasise to anyone newly diagnosed that I had zero problems until I had a pump and to anyone with a pump that these experiences are rare.

 

[stephenS50]

So sad to read of your experience at Malaga Airport @SB2015...this woman should have known than to treat you in that way...and the fact she was diabetic as well made her behaviour towards you even more unpleasant.

 

[pjgtech]

Excuse my ignorance, but what is the issue with T1D pump and airports? I assume the pump can't go through a scanner, is that the issue? Thanx

 

[helli]

Excuse my ignorance, but what is the issue with T1D pump and airports? I assume the pump can't go through a scanner, is that the issue? Thanx

Insulin pumps *may* be impacted by the xrays so the advice is to request a manual pat down.
I have recently read that OmniPod are ok with airport scanners but that is not the case with all pumps.

Is there a reason why you have asked? "Curiosity" is a perfectly good answer but I am now curious why you asked

 

[pjgtech]

Insulin pumps *may* be impacted by the xrays so the advice is to request a manual pat down.
I have recently read that OmniPod are ok with airport scanners but that is not the case with all pumps.

Is there a reason why you have asked? "Curiosity" is a perfectly good answer but I am now curious why you asked

Yep, just curious, as my knowledge of T1D is very low, sorry. thanx 🙂

 

[everydayupsanddowns]

Yep, just curious, as my knowledge of T1D is very low, sorry. thanx 🙂

I think part of the problem is that the device manufacturers simply can’t guarantee all versions of all their devices would be fine with all versions (past and future) of all scanners.

Generally CGM are said to be OK, and often archway metal detectors are fine, but the higher powered ‘full body’ scanners are generally advised against by device manufacturers (not because there is a definite problem but because there’s a theoretical possibility of one).

And of course for me, even though the staff have most likely seen people who didn’t want to make a fuss, or who simply didn’t know, blithely walk through all scanners without issue… if I’m about to get into a metal tube that’ll be 30,000 feet in the air - I’d rather not find out then that the delicate electronics that keep me alive have been fried. 😱

I’d say it’s the same asking people to put devices in Flight Mode. Almost no possibility of those feeble signals interfering with the plane’s system… but just enough of a possibility to make the request to deactivate unnecessary devices.

Sorry to hear about your unpleasant experience @SB2015 - glad you felt able to stand your ground for the pat down.