I just received word from American Airlines that I have been denied flying with my PDM. Since it’s considered a wireless device it must be turned off below 10,000 feet. It is not an approved medical device according to their Medical Clearance staff. I mentioned that I can’t run this device off since it has no on/off switch.
I am at the mercy of this department to get approval on a ‘rush’ basis in order to fly on Friday. If not, I will be denied onboard entry to the airplane.
Thoughts?
Marty,
May I ask why you needed to contact AA? I’ve flown all over the US with my new PDM with no problems. Besides, TSA is in charge of security, not AA. Just wondering…
Thanks,
Mark
I had a flight on AA about 2 weeks ago and I had alarm for low insulin readings before 10,000 feet. Since it was in my pocket I instinctly was looking at to satifsy the alarm and a flight attendant came by at the same moment. I had checked with TSA before my flight just to make sure.
I explained what it was highlighting it was a medical device and so. He indicated that since it was wireless it had to be powered off until landing. I stated I couldn’t and I refused to do so and it was quite heated. I later send a complaint to AA about the treatment I received.
Their reaction was to state I was in the wrong and should have notified their Special Medical Assistance line beforehand.
Today I got a call from them since they knew I was flying this coming Friday and to remind me I was required to power-off the device below 10,000 feet. They don’t have approval for an Onmipod device on file. I stated I would not since it’s required medical device. At that point I was flagged until they get approval from their medical device staff. They claim it will interfere with navigation instruments since it’s wireless.
In hindsight I should have kept my mouth shut. I just got off the phone with Insulet and they have never heard of this before either. The rep is forwarding it to mgmt as I expect AA to call them about it.
This Page lists the items that you can take through security on the plane. Insulin pumps are one of the acceptable items. I doubt you’ll have any problems at all getting on the plane.
Wow, I take back my previous post. This is amazing. Please keep us informed on what happens.
Why could you not power off the PDM after checking the alarm? You had to be very close to landing at that point. At any rate, the range of the PDM is very low. You can’t get a signal more than about three feet from the pod, so I’m sure it’s not a problem to aviation equipment. If it were me, I would just keep it low key. It sounds to me like, by making a fuss, you were your own worst enemy. There’s almost no reason why you could not agree to power off the device below 10,000 feet.
I can’t imagine where the problem comes from especially if you point out a couple of things. 1) The omnipod communicates via infrared signal. It cannot interfere with the radio or other signals the airlines use. 2) The range of the omnipod is a couple of feet. Even if you were sitting in the front row it would not reach the instrumentation on the plane. Both of those explanations should alleviate the technical concerns. This is also an issue of discrimination if they refuse to let you fly and should be directed to the American Diabetes Association and you should point out to American Airlines that the American Disability Act protects your right to carry your medical devices. Really, they have no case and don’t for a second let them try to get away with telling you you can’t have your PDM!
Rebecca, the PDM communicates with the pod via radio signal. The infrared signal is for downloading data. You are right about the very restricted signal range.
I flown 4 other times before this with the PDM. It was just bad timing regarding the insulin level and alarm. If the flight attendant didn’t happen to walk by I would have been alright. It was an instrinct reaction on my part to look at the alarm.
At that point, I did not feel comfortable disabling the PDM for any length of time as I didn’t know the end result since I only had it for a few months. Even Insulet rep recommends not powering off the PDM. I will have to work thru AA.
The FAA says it up to each airline to make rthe final determination on what wireles devices that allow outside pacemakers & hearing aids.
While I sympathize with you a great deal, I have to agree with Jim that you probably created the situation by “refusing.” Just turning the PDM “off” would have put an immediate end to the situation, as I’m sure you realize now, after the fact.
By the way, when I was trained (about 18-20 months ago), I asked if the PDM and pods use Bluetooth for the communications. The trainer said, authoritatively, “No” and the specific reason he gave was that the FCC (or was it FAA?) would not approve such a communications device for use on airplanes; so Insulet developed it’s own proprietary radio-based technology for the communication in order to gain FCC/FAA approval.
So I’d be surprised if Insulet does not have some form ready at-hand to demonstrate to airlines that it is indeed OK to use.
I’m not sure I understand what you’re saying. Isn’t your PDM powered off almost all of the time? I usually only turn mine on for boluses and checking blood glucose levels. If I had an alarm in your situation, I would turn on the PDM, check the alarm to make the pod stop beeping and then deal with the problem on the ground. I would think that scenario would satisfy any flight attendant.
How does one turn off the PDA w/o removing batteries? I’ve never heard of actually turning it “off”.
You just turn it off by holding down the home key. For the purposes of satisfying the flight attendant, I’m sure that would have been fine.
Well in lieu of being denied, you can switch back to basal/bolus MDI for a few days (not ideal, but if it allows you to continue you job, etc, then I would do it).
What some others have pointed out is that the device is “off” at all times except when you press the home button to activate it (such as when you go to bolus for a meal, etc). Clearly explaining that regardless of the beeping thing on your arm (in the case of your alarm), there is NO wireless communication of any sort between the two items as long as you do not turn the PDM on should help. Also, following through w/ the <10,000 ft rule and leaving the PDM off (even if you have an alarm beeping, as long as it’s not a solid occlusion alarm) would be recommended in my opinion.
They require all electronic devices to be turned off (below 10K ft). Even things like mp3 players, which do not emit any sort of radio frequency like the PDM does, are supposed to be OFF. I think it is lame that they have this rule, but I can also see the flip side that it is hard to enforce a rule for ‘some’ electronic devices (rather than the current all or none rule) and for all of the flight personnel to keep track of the specifics of what are allowable and what are not.
I hope that Insulet, you, and AA are able to reach an agreement before Friday that satisfies all parties! Keep us posted.
wouldn’t you just suspend as you would to download readings, you can suspend for 1/2 hour. I will never forget a flight we were getting ready to take and my husband who is the Omnipod user was being searched and he was being searched right in front of a very large poster for Joslin Diabetes Clinic, it was as if TSA was totally oblivious to the needs of a diabetic.
I think you are misunderstanding the PDM. As along as you have batteries in your PDM it’s on. In order to save battery power the screen is turned off. after 20 or 30 seconds depending upon your setting. You simply hold the home key to resume the display. Regardless the PDM is still fully functional and powered on.
If your batteries run out data in the memory is at risk. The longer the batteries are removed, the more the memory is at risk. I take this to mean I would have to re-enter all confiiguration settings upon restart to satifsy AA’s request to turn the device off.
Well, that really is a gray area and depends on what you mean by “off.” For the purposes of satisfying a flight attendant, I’d bet having the screen off is just fine (they don’t know any better).
I happen to disagree that the PDM is not OFF and not communicating, anyway - the PDM only wakes up on its own for BG check or expiration reminders, neither of which involve communication with the pod; the pod will alarm by itself without waking up the PDM; so I don’t think it is “on” in the sense that would matter to an airplane.
Why do you suspend to download readings?
you used to have to suspend to download the readings, it wouldn’t talk to the computer if it was delivering insulin. You don’t have to suspend with the new PDM but I think it automatically does.
That’s ridiculous. We fly on AA all the time. I’ve had no issues using my PDM in flight, going through the TSA, etc. I even use my CGMS device (which is not technically allowed).