Well about to do some Air travel for the first time with the Omnipod. So what I want to ask is do you guys go through the metal detector and body scanner with it on. Or do you tell them you want the pat down? I also wear dexcom if that matters. Do you send the PDM and the rest of your supplies through the conveyor? Just a few quetions. Thank you in advance for any input you may have.
Both. Apparently airport security needs to have double-confirmation that I’m not a threat to national security 
Actually they don’t take issue with the Omnipod but they swab the CGM to make sure it’s not explosive. No sweat Happy travels!
I only sport the Omnipod pod as I walk through the metal detector and or scanner, I take the PDM off of my belt and put it in a back pack with the rest of my diabetic supplies, as well as watch, wallet, cell phone, ipad, belt, etc. and send it through on the conveyor, I have traveled several times with the Omnipod and I have never been questioned about it, I don’t wear a dex, so I don’t have any experience with that. I hope this helps. Good luck with your travels. John C.
I flew earlier this month with southwest. Went through body scan and they asked about what was on my abdomen. I said insulin pump and they didn’t say anything else.
Will, I travel Internationally a lot and I’ve found it best to just do what all the “normal” people. I go through the scanner or the metal detector and don’t ever bring attention to the fact I’m wearing a pump. The Omni doesn’t set the detector off so that’s usually smooth sailing. However, they almost always see it in the scanner. at that point I usually tell the TSA person I’m wearing an insulin pump and point to it’s location on my body. Sometimes they ask if I can take it off and my answer is simplly NO. They will usually pat around it and then I’m on my merry way. Always send all supplies through the bag scanner, including a supply of needles. Like I said, I travel a lot and I never have any issues. Safe travels and don’t worry about TSA. They are starting to see a lot more people wearing pumps.
My local airport has several body scanners and only one metal detector, so 99% of the time I pick the short/speedly line through one of the body scanners. I tell them as I step into the machine “I have an insulin pump on my (insert body part of arm, back, etc)”. They do the scan, and it’s a 50/50 coin toss as to whether they investigate further or not. Sometimes they “clear” me and I’m good to go. Sometimes they do a dumb patdown just on the small area where it’s located (they just have to touch it through my shirt but don’t like me to pull up my shirt and actually just show it to them, which I don’t get). Sometimes they do a swab of either the pod or my hands, to make sure it’s not explosive or something. It adds an extra 30 seconds to me getting through security, so it’s not a big deal to me.
I run the PDM through the xray machine w/ my laptop, carryon, etc. Never had any issues w/ that. I also put all my pods/medical supplies in one bag and send it through w/ my carryon. These have also never been an issue.
Re the dexcom, I would just tell them you have a glucose monitor on as well (if it’s the body scanner…if it’s the metal detector I don’t say anything about either my CGM or my pod and it’s never set the alarm off). I would send the dex receiver through the machine w/ the PDM. It might miss one data packet but that’s about it. Otherwise no big deal
Hope you have safe travels!
I go through the metal detectors with no problems so far. I did have to go through the body scanner recently, I warned them in advance and they sent me through. They did swab my pod but it was no big deal at all.
Same here- went through the scanner and gave them a heads up when the female agent did a sweep. She got a little alarmed, but I told her my pod was an insulin pump, so she swabbed my hands and off I went. The yogurt I left in my carry-on made more of an issue than the diabetes supplies.
We just went to the Empire State building… his pod did not set of the metal detector… pdm just went though the conveyor thingy w/his camera stuff… No problem…
Cool thanks guys. I was just making sure the body scanner wouldn’t effect the pod negatively. That all sounds good to me. Can’t wait to see what lies ahead for me!
The only issue I have ever had was not “declaring” my D-supplies. I just forgot to pull the ziplock bag out of my laptop bag. I have never been questioned about my Pod or my Dex.
I usually fly quite a bit for work, but had not done any traveling since starting with my pod two months ago. In the past, I never had any issues with my pens, syringes or lantus bottles. I flew several times last week and had no issues with my pod going through security. Nor were any questions asked about the PDM.
I’m glad you asked this question. I am about to fly for the first time with it and was curious and a little anxious.
I travel alot and just started on the Omnipod - I travel out of the UK to the US and Europe. I have only been asked to “step aside” in Germany - but I always carry a letter from my Prof
Flew a few times since starting on the pod a year ago and have not had a problem. I put the PDM in the backpack with my phone and ipod but I do put the small Omnipod PDM box that it came in into the backpack with their promo lit showing people wearing the pods on different areas of the body. I go through the detector with no problems and they have looked more at the spare insulin syringes and Humalog vials than anything else. Smooth sailing so far.
I have not been subjected to the situation yet, but will more than likely do the pat down until my endo says it is not a problem. I’ve been traveling for a long time and never had a problem. D since 1958 and still going strong.