Travelling With Diabetes Supplies
The
Transportation Security Administration (TSA) was recently established
within the U.S. Department of Transportation under the Aviation and
Transportation Security Act signed into law on November 19, 2001. TSA is
charged with safeguarding the nation's transportation systems that include
commercial airline travel. Due to the recent formation of TSA and the
ongoing interest in stepped-up airport security measures affecting airline
passengers with diabetes, the American Diabetes Association (the
Association) is providing the following updated information.
TSA has continued to
develop and enforce airport security measures implemented by the Federal
Aviation Administration (FAA) in response to the tragic events of
September 11, 2001. In addition, TSA is responsible for the development
and delivery of training to federalized security screeners that will
include information about the physical appearance, function, and
importance of immediate passenger accessibility to diabetes equipment,
medication and supplies. The Association is pleased to provide ongoing
assistance to TSA in the development of its training materials. The
Association's efforts to provide information to TSA will help to ensure
healthy travel and reduce inconvenience to airline passengers with
diabetes.
Below is the most
recent information generated by TSA regarding people with diabetes
travelling within the 50 states that need to board with their equipment,
medication and supplies. TSA makes the following recommendations to
airline passengers with diabetes and additional "Tips for Travellers" may
be accessed from TSA's Web site.
- Notify the security
screener that you have diabetes and are carrying your supplies with you.
- Make sure your
insulin vials, insulin pens, jet injectors and insulin pump are
accompanied by a professionally printed pharmaceutical label identifying
the medication (insulin). Since the prescription label is usually on the
outside of the box containing the vial of insulin or pens, it is
recommended that passengers refrain from discarding their insulin box
and come prepared with their insulin in its original pharmaceutically
labelled box.
- There is no
limitation on the number of empty syringes that may be carried through
the security checkpoint; however, insulin must be with you in order to
carry syringes through the checkpoint.
- Lancets, blood
glucose meters, blood glucose test strips can be carried through the
security checkpoint.
- For passengers who
test their blood glucose levels, but who do not require insulin,
boarding with lancets is acceptable as long as the lancets are capped,
and as long as the lancets are brought on board with a glucose meter
that has the manufacturer's name embossed on the meter (i.e. One Touch
meters may say "One Touch Ultra").
- Notify screeners if
you are wearing an insulin pump, and request that they visually inspect
the pump rather than removing it from your body.
- Advise screeners
when experiencing a low blood glucose level and you are in need of
medical assistance.
- The above protocol
applies only to travel within the 50 United States and is subject to
change. International passengers should consult their individual air
carriers for applicable international regulations.
The Association will
continue to monitor the situation and keep you informed of new
developments. Please contact the Association at 703-549-1500 x-1768 to
report any difficulties so that we may continue to provide feedback to the
TSA as appropriate.
Should a passenger with
diabetes be denied boarding a flight or be faced with any other unforeseen
diabetes-related difficulty while passing through security checkpoints, he
or she should speak the security checkpoint supervisor. If the problem is
not resolved to the passenger's satisfaction or if a passenger feels he or
she has been discriminated against or treated unfairly by federal security
checkpoint personnel, please contact the TSA hotline at 1-866-289-9673.
Also, a complaint may
be directed to the Department of Transportation's Office of Civil Aviation
Security (ACS-1), 800 Independence Ave., S.W., Room 1030, Washington, DC,
20591. More information on where to file complaints for discriminatory
action or treatment by other airport personnel may be obtained from the
DOT . In addition to filing a complaint with a federal agency, passengers
alleging discriminatory treatment by air carrier personnel (pilots, flight
attendants, gate agents or check-in counter personnel) should also notify
their airline carrier. Disability-related air carrier problems may be
registered with DOT by calling its newly operationalized aviation consumer
disability toll-free hotline at 1-866-266-1368 (voice) and 1-866-754-4368
(TTY).
The Association
recommends packing at least twice the number of supplies needed during
travel, and bringing a quick-acting source of glucose to treat low blood
glucose, as well as an easy to carry snack such as a nutrition bar. Carry
or wear medical identification and carry contact information for your
physician while travelling. It may also be helpful to have contact
information for a health care professional available at your destination,
and be prepared to adjust medication when travelling in different time
zones.
