Has anyone else had to experience the horror of airport security? What is with these people they act like they’ve never seen an insulin pump before. And I dont know about you but my doctor told me specifically not to go through the big machine so I’d have to walk through the small metal detector. One time I was in New York and we were getting on a fairy to go to Liberty Island and I went through the metal detector and had to get pat down. They made me take my pump off and they put it in this bowl that I’m positive was not clean or sanitary. On top of that, the lady scratched my pump and then very disrespectfully gave it to me. Anybody else have experiences like this? I have so many stories I can share but I have to know if anyone else has to go through this as well.
Not the same experience here. They feel us up, repeatedly, and swab the pump for explosives. The usual BS.
It’s crazy! They act like an insulin pump is some foreign object used to hold explosives
At the terminal security check where I was at I literally had supposedly two choices, the large scan machine and a metal detector. I was told by security that if you had issues you had to use the scanner. There were no other alternatives. Two ways in only. At the time I think I had called and the Libre I was wearing wasn’t supposed to go through the metal detector? I figured there must be a different process but I was in a wheelchair as it was right after I hurt my back and I wasn’t feeling the greatest. It turns out if you want to bypass both of those you have to go to a different area. They never offered any other options or told me there were any other options even when I questioned it. I really sort of consider them jerks because of that. The other airports have been much nicer. That was LAX, which is just a huge mess anyway.
They took my pdm etc and didn’t put it through x-ray. But everything was swabbed and tested for powder. They questioned my drinks but as soon as I said I had to have them they let them through. ( I had 3, juice, protein drink, soymilk) But it took forever for the sidelined security check.
Life is full of these minor inconveniences. Forget about them and relish everything good life has to offer and you will grow and lead a long, healthy, totally enjoyable life. Agonize and dwell on these minor issues and the miserable people that need to feel important and foist these inconveniences upon you and you will join them in their miserable existence. Your choice, for your sake I hope you toughen up and find humor in these situations rather than misery.
Everyone has the right to opt out of the body scanners, not just diabetics anyone can. It just involves getting a more intense pat down and awkward eye contact with everyone walking by thinking you’re smuggling drugs or something lol.
I have never had to remove my pump, the most they have ever done is make me touch it then swab my hands. They have always refused to even touch it themselves. My last 2 flights they did neither, I told them I had and pump and they said “you’re good” and waved me through. I think it’s important to know what your rights are in these situation and not let a TSA having a bad day intimidate you into doing something you are not comfortable with.
Heads up. My dad walked thru that stuff covered in explosives dust, once. Undetected.
I think for those of us that fly 100’s of thousands of miles each year it is soothing to hear that authorities are actually taking their thankless job seriously. Explosives have been found in shoes, underwear and remember the Pan Am 103 Lockerbie bombing where the explosives were put in an audio cassette recorder? With so many Insulin pumps going through airport and other security every day, it seems to me that a fake insulin pump loaded with explosives would be an ideal explosive container if they were not thoroughly checked out. The authorities can’t win. If they do thorough checks, customers complain. If there is an explosion because one loaded with explosives got through, the public would holler how could authorities be so stupid to not do their job properly and catch this.
This is true CJ114, but some airports are sure nicer than others. LAX is a mess. But it is the most traveled airport in the nation. I will just try to avoid it I think if I can help it.
Do you know they have actually tried more than once to take a dead person through security? I just was reading an article about the most unusual things people have tried to do at LAX, It is cheaper to pay for a seat than to go through the coroners office and ship a body in a coffin, so they have tried to pretend they are a person getting on a plane.
Yes, I am on the TSA notification feed and they periodically post pictures and stories of the oddest items found accompanying passengers. I believe the first dead body found trying to be placed on aircraft dates back to around 2010 in London and since then there have been several additional attempts including LAX. Over the years, I have been on 2 flights where an individual dies during the flight and the flight crews are well trained to handle that situation discretely. The worst episode was on a flight out of Dakar where an individual was being extradited back to the US in late 1970’s. He decided he did not want to come back to US so slashed his wrists during takeoff. The airplane was brought back to the terminal, the individual was taped up, drugged and put back on the plane, firmly attached to his seat by accompanying US marshals. Fly enough, and you will see it all.
@CJ114 Okay, that beats any story I’ve read.
My experience at airport security has been the same no matter the airport: I don’t bother with the metal detector. I’ve never had any issues with my Tandem pump going through the scanner. They always detect the pump, sometimes along with a few other item I forgot take out of my pockets. They look at the pump, have me rub it down and swab my hands to test for explosives.
I have had wildly varying experiences but they have always been a hassle. As far as metal detectors go, I have never heard it was not OK to go through them, only other scanners. I go through metal detectors alllll the time in my work and it has never been an issue besides my pump setting it off. That may be why they say to not go through it as it is bound to set them off.
The last time I flew they just had me skip straight to pat down and searching through all my stuff and swabbing everything. The worst is when they separate you from your supplies because they drag you somewhere and leave them for anyone to grab. I have also had them all but force me into the body scanner even with my protest. In addition to that other non medical things have been stolen by TSA before. TSA is just very poorly executed. There should really be a separate line for those with medical stuff that is run by people with special training.