Whats the deal with going through airport security with insulin??

Snake Plisken

Hi Guys,

Just wondering with the new regulations whats the deal with going through with your insulins? I have one of those cold pouches (soak it in water crystals turn into gel)to keep my insulins cold, can I still use that or do I have to plastic bag them? Do you need a letter from your doctor about them? Just wondering

Thanks

Snake

Alanstrainor

I would get a letter from your doctor, but it should be fine, i went through heathrow security last week with all my insulin and there was no bother. I didn't even have to show my doctor's note. The doctors note is more for you syringes/pen/pump equipment and blood tester, but it's fine none the less. I didn't have a cooler bag but i've traveled with them before and it wasn't a bother.

bounty_hunter

It's perfectly acceptable to take your insulin through the airport with you as long as you have a note from your doctor advising any airport security that it is essential and explaining what you need it for. It might not even be checked, but you need to have it just in case.

I'm not entirely sure about the cold pouch though, but from watching others going through airports it seems you're allowed to carry them in whatever way is appropriate, I've never seen them being put into plastic bags, so I would imagine the cold pouch would be fine too.

Snake Plisken

Does the letter need to list out all of the needles types of insulin or is "person is diabetic and requires his insulin for trip" something like that?
Do u still need to hold it seperately to your hand luggage or leave it in your bag and show them the letter if they spot it on the xray?

bounty_hunter

I'm not at all sure what exactly needs to be in the letter Snake Plisken, I wouldn't want to advise in case I'm giving you the wrong information.
But yes you need to keep your insulin and the letter seperate (as in unpacked) and show it to security on your way through. They might not even want to see the letter, as I said, but you just have to declare what you have with you in any case.

Johnny Meagher

Yes, get a letter, best to list the stuff you have to carry I think. I wrote the letter myself, see attachment. It was fine for me, not saying it'll work with you. It's been a while since I've been through an airport. I think the last time I was through they felt the letter was a bit old. I always make a point before the xray of telling them I had the kit, in a sort of "nothing to hide" kind of way. I don't use cooler bags. Certainly never had a problem before 9/11 but things are tighter now etc. Good luck. pdf attachment of scanned letter 127kb

Snake Plisken

Thanks guys, Johnny I'll use your letter template and drop it in to the doctor to stamp

Thanks

Snake

Victor

There is a detailed document produced by the EU detailing the grey areas. The principle behind them is to be strict, but not stupid.

I think its best explained here: http://www.transport.ie/upload/general/8424-0.pdf

The_Conductor

Once you have a note from the doctor- there shouldn't be any problems whatsoever. I've carried stocks of Glucogel, various types of insulin, a spare bloodtesting kit, numerous strips and sharps in my handluggage for my wife- once they see them and know what they're for, they're fine with them. The only place I have had any problems with medications when travelling was Heathrow (where tablets rather than gels etc, were examined in minute detail- publicly and rather embarrasingly, but they were happy enough eventually).

Snake Plisken

well folks,

Just back from Madrid, no problems going through security coming back, actually going through Dublin Security they checked the letter out ok, I had the insulins in the plastic bag and had tablets in my hand luggage, but they didn't even examine them just the insulins. One other thing I had my asthma inhalers in the hand luggage going over with no issue, but just to be on the safe side coming back I put them in the plastic bag as well, do the same rules apply to the inhalers?

Thanks for all the advise

Snake

Victor

Snake Plisken wrote:

One other thing I had my asthma inhalers in the hand luggage going over with no issue, but just to be on the safe side coming back I put them in the plastic bag as well, do the same rules apply to the inhalers?

I think for convenience, put them in the bag. The rules permit you enough medication to complete your journey (not just this leg of the journey), so it doesn't count against your 500ml.

robinph

I have never had to declare insulins, needles or inhalers to the security and have never bothered with taking a letter from the doctor either, they also don't seem to care about if you put your medical stuff in those silly plastic bags either and are not concerned by the gel packs.

I went through three different sets of airports security scans yesterday and not one of them commented on the insulin pens or needles, although when my bag was selected by the scanners at two different airports because they were not sure what they had seen in the bag and wanted it to go through again, the first thing I said to the security guy before he sticks his hand in my bag is that there are needles in there. They are more interested in the laptop and various other electronics in there than a couple of insulin pens though.

Snake Plisken

Well all I can say that security in Dublin did stop me and checked my letter from the Doctor, not sure what would have happened if I didn't have it, might have taken a bit longer to get through,but think it was worth having.

Snake

DrIndy

Only a really anal or new security officer would be interested in a doctors letter. Most of those lads have seen hundreds of insulin pens and syringes and know exactly what they are for and what they should normally look like so won't even pass a remark.

Doctors letters are a formality.

tbh

I travel a fair bit for work, and only got a doctors letter last feb.

Usually I just leave the insulin in my bag, the only time it's been checked was in Hong Kong. The first time, I didn't have a letter and they asked me to inject one unit of insulin to prove that it was insulin. The last time - a couple of weeks ago, they spotted it again but this time I had the letter. The only time I've had hassle without the letter was a few years ago, I'd been working in Leeds for 8 weeks, over on Monday, home on Friday, and I'd had the letter with me each time. The last trip I didn't bother bringing it, and guess what - newbie on the machines asked me for it but there was no hassle when I didn't have it.

Snake Plisken

I'm more interested now in my Insulin cold bags which I bought from the Diabetes Association, it was handy in that you soaked it in water and the granuales in the pouch turned to a gel and kept the insulin cold until you got to your destination where you could transfer the insulins to a fridge, anyone use and bring one of those through security recently?

Snake

tbh

I'd bring one "live" and one spare (depending on how long I was going for) - usually one in my check-in luggage as well, so I don't really keep them cool. I'd a nightmare once in New Jersey when my mixtard vial broke, it meant that i thought I was taking 30 units, but was really only taking 4/5. It was the last day thankfully but I got pretty sick on the flight home - thank god it was only 5 hours!

A racy brainrot

its anything sharp that they check, and syringes fit into that category. I bring a lot of tablets in my hand luggage, and never get checked. Still though, i always have my doctors note just in case.

The_Conductor

A racy brainrot wrote:

I bring a lot of tablets in my hand luggage, and never get checked. Still though, i always have my doctors note just in case.

You're lucky- I got the third degree in Heathrow, when I was travelling with about 5 different types of tablets in the one bottle (it was more convenient for me). I think the only reason I was let go in time for my flight was because I was Irish, and the security guys were afraid of being accused of being racist. At least they were courteous and professional- even if totally OTT.

Advice to anyone with tablets in their handluggage- keep them in their original packaging or prescription boxes and do not mix them.......

kowloon

I was on a flight home from San Francisco on the morning after the liquid bomb thing happened.
Massive lines of people who hadnt heard about it were dumping perfume and the likes into boxes, and there i was with a bag of insulin, needles and a little electronic device that beeps.
To top it all off i had bought a rifle bag and had it slung over my shoulder (empty :rolleyes:).

Needless to say i was selected for a random search.