they do not have medical lines at every airport. i flew threw orlando last week and they didn’t have one (you would think with so many people from everywhere going through…)
even in the medical lines i’ve still had the pat down after the metal detector because they did not have the second machine that blows air.
and you shouldn’t have to separate from your fiance! my entire family (5 people) one time and my bf another time went through the medical lines with me so we didn’t have to separate.
hmmm… i’ll see if he can go through with me in August. It would be way more fun if he could! haha.
I always just took mine off and stuck it in the plastic case to go through x-ray. Generally, it didn’t take that long to be reunited, so I didn’t even bother to correct for it. It never caused any problems; I don’t think anyone ever even asked any questions.
I have a ping, too.
I found that if I remove the metal clip before I go through and just put the pump in my pocket, that it usually does not trigger the metal detectors. This is not always the case, however, and I frequently undergo the pat down.
I have had TSA people tell me that most pumps to do not trigger the metal detectors but Pings seem to.
good luck.
Lane
I have flown twice with my paradigm 522 and the metal detector did not detect it either time. I wear a CGMS too and had no problems with that either?
I have the same issues with security at the airport. I ALWAYS get the pat down. I plan on it when traveling. I always tell the security agents that I am wearing an insulin pump.
I am used to it.
Tim, great idea to bring the guidelines. I’ll try it on my next trip.Every single time I’ve flown out of Newark I get the total pat-down.
I wonder what the rules are for boarding cruise ships would it be different from goin through airport security as i am looking at getting a pump and might be goin on a cruise to the South Pacific
Joel I have heard from several places that the pings set off the metal detectors. I have a mm which I usually hide at airports. Also, I have noticed recently that they have increased pat downs for all medical devices. I started to hide the pump after I got patted down 2 or 3 times without setting off the alarm.
I’ve flown a few times with my MM pump and never had any problems. I also had a job where I had to go into state office buildings on a regular basis so I had to go through security. I’ve occationally set it off there but only once did the security guy even make me take it out of my pocket.
The first few times I flew was within the US, this last time was internationally. At Heathrow we were switching terminals at 5am, so it was just a few people from a few flights going through and they just swabbed and I had no problems. When returning to the US, I just took it off both times through security (Spain and Heathrow) because it was much much busier and we were pressed for time and I didn’t want to risk getting pulled aside and having to have them go through my bag by hand.
When we were leaving, Boston has a special security line for “special needs” travellers- people w/ babies, medications, medical implants or mobility issues. I went through that one while my friends had to wait in the regular line. I breezed through security, but then had to wait for them to get through the regular line. It’s the best idea I’ve seen.
Don’t we diabetics have any political clout at all? Imagine if breast cancer patients had some kind of metal device they had to wear; you think that they would stand for this kind of crazy security? No, they would get an exemption in a New York Minute.
I’ve been going through security wearing my Deltec Cosmo pump without every having a problem. Before that, I had the minimed and never had a problem with that either. But now I’m sitting here looking at the UPS box with my new Animas Ping, debating whether or not to return it. Shame on Animas for such poor design and lack of forsite. I’ve already returned the OmniPod last week due to terrible hardware and software design. Now I have to make a decision on whether or not to keep the Animas Ping.
At the very least, Animas should be forced to post something in big letters on their website: If you travel by airplane, please be advised… Information and full disclosure before purchase should be required.
I don’t tell anyone I have a pump and the metal detector does not go off. But, because I won’t take my pump through the x-ray, then a pat down is necessary. Even if the metal detector did not go off the pat down would happen because I refuse the scanner. It’s just something that we must deal with to fly. It’s not just diabetics who deal with this, folks with pacemakers get patted town. Folks with other types of monitors get patted down. I don’t think those of us with conditions are special and should be exempt. We will ALL be banned from travel forever the first time a pump wearing diabetic or a pacemaker wearing heart patient who is exempt because of a condition brings a weapon on the flight. Sheesh!
I go through a fair amount of security (both for travel and in buildings) because of my job. I use the Minimed Revel. I’ve found that it sets off some metal detectors but not others. I guess it depends on the sensitivity of the detector. It’s really hit or miss.
Depending on the airport, sometimes my minimed would set things off andn sometimes it wouldn’t. I didn’t mind the pat down so much as they were pretty much always professional. I made sure I told them I had a pump before I went through. Once I was asked to take it off and I (politely) refused. I didn’t want their grubby paws on something that I was going to reconnect to. I asked for a supervisor and there were no problems.
I personally don’t necessarily mind the pat downs - it is better to be safe then sorry after all, and I am well aware that I need to be at the airport a bit early because of this issue so running late to a plane hasn’t come up yet.
However, the TSA folk with the bad attitudes about the pump need to go through some sensitivity training. I haven’t had much bother with the TSA in large airports (like Orlando), but thus far the Providence TSA have been down right nasty to me about having to test the unit. I mean it’s bad enough to have a chronic illness that requires 24/7 monitoring and to have a medical device affixed to me without having to deal with someone treating me like I’m doing something horrible by even being there. Don’t be surly, don’t snap, don’t treat me like I’m an idiot - I don’t enjoy this process either. So plaster a big fake smile on (use the one I have to wear during this process as an example if need be) and make with the faux niceties until your little machine can confirm that I’m harmless.
Next time this happens I plan on filing a complaint, though.
I cruised the south pacific in june and had no problems. I went on the dawn from brisbane and my travel agent let p&o know I was a diabetic with pump. I had all the letters from my doctor re diabetes and medication and did not have to show it once. When we went through security each time we boarded the boat i just disconnected my pump and handed to security who passed it through to r guards on other side so it was not going through x-ray machine or scanners.
I have a MM and I am of the don’t ask don’t tell philosophy. Apparently, there were reports of bombers or terrorists contemplating using medical devices to get.explosives past. Therefore, all known pump users would be secondarily screened. I have flown on a trip on the out bound flight, told them I had a pump and got the pat.down. on the way back, no tell, no pay down. I put the pump in my bra and make sure no tubing or site is visible. My pump has never set the.detector off.
The air does something to detect even the smallest amount of explosives, I believe.
wow seriiously? I flew a couple months ago and the pump was not the thing that set off the alarm.
Im right there with you bill. anytime I am near a metal detector I know Im going to be wanded and patted down. even before I got my pump.