Traveling 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 traveling 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 Travelers" 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 labeled 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 traveling.  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 traveling in different time zones.