Navigating airport security with type 1 diabetes: advocating for a smoother experience

Living with type 1 diabetes today often involves relying on essential medical devices, such as CGMs and insulin pumps, to manage blood sugar levels. These devices are lifelines for people with diabetes, enabling better glucose management and an improved quality of life.

When it comes to air travel, these devices become even more critical. Device manufacturers strongly recommend against putting them through airport body scanners, as the radiation can potentially damage them. This requirement is not just a matter of convenience: it's a matter of health and safety.

This isn’t the first time #dedoc° voice and diabetes advocate Nathalie Piat has had to navigate an airport with diabetes tech — in this photo from April 2022, Nathalie and her insulin pump are preparing to catch a flight out of Paris. Source: Nathalie Piat

Flying with diabetes tech: a stressful experience

For people living with diabetes and wearing diabetes tech — as many of us do nowadays — the airport security process can be particularly stressful. My own experience at the airport on my way back from EASD 2023 exemplifies the difficulties we often face.

The process of politely requesting a pat-down can be met with resistance or confusion from airport security staff. This can result in a frustrating and anxiety-inducing ordeal, including multiple requests for a pat-down. The fear of going through a body scanner, knowing it's not safe for our devices, and as a consequence for ourselves, adds an additional layer of anxiety to an already tense situation.

One of the most disheartening aspects of these encounters is the feeling of not being heard. When you, as a person with diabetes, request a pat down for the safety of your life-sustaining devices, you expect understanding and cooperation from airport staff. Unfortunately, this isn’t always the case. Many people living with diabetes and wearing diabetes tech, like me, have faced resistance and a lack of empathy from those in positions of authority. These encounters leave us feeling unheard, frustrated, and even traumatised.

Nathalie Piat shares her stressful experience navigating airport security with her diabetes devices on X/Twitter. Source: Nathalie Piat

Not heard, not listened to: my personal experience at a German airport

On the evening of October 6th, as I approached the security checkpoint at an airport in Germany, I knew I would have to ask for a pat-down and explain the reason why. I was prepared. However, what should have been a straightforward process turned into a distressing ordeal. I know the protocol for insulin pumps and CGMs. I'm acutely aware that they should not pass through the full-body scanner, as the radiation can damage them, posing a significant health risk.

Nathalie Piat shows her diabetes tech. Source: Nathalie Piat

I approached the security officer, politely requesting a pat-down. Five times, I was met with a categorical “No". I tried to explain that I was wearing an insulin pump, and that it shouldn't go through the body scanner. The response was an unyielding “No", accompanied by the assertion that he didn't need to know my medical history. Shocked and in disbelief, I tried to clarify that I wasn't discussing my medical condition but rather the fact that I was carrying a medical device that should never go through the body scanner, for the risk of being damaged.

The process of requesting a pat-down became a cycle of frustration and resistance. I had to ask six times before finally being heard by the woman in charge of the body scanner. Another kind and smiling woman (I am grateful for her kindness) did the pat-down and swabbed my insulin pump. I was made to take off my shoes, which was actually only a minor inconvenience, but it helped me take a deep breath right after the exhausting encounter I had just endured.

Lonely and powerless

Throughout this lousy experience, I felt lonely, unheard, and powerless. It left me feeling deeply upset and sad. I carried the weight of the anxiety and the struggle to be heard, only to be met with resistance. After I had passed the security checks, I couldn't contain my emotions any longer. I walked towards my gate with tears streaming down my face. This security checkpoint has been a journey of feeling alone, unheard, and frustrated at an unnecessary battle to ensure my safety and the integrity of my medical devices.

This experience serves as a reminder of the need for change in airport security procedures for people living with diabetes and relying on diabetes tech. No one should endure this level of stress and distress while simply trying to navigate the airport. It's my hope that by sharing this personal account, we can shine a light on the urgent need for advocacy, understanding, and support from the industry and airport authorities alike. It's time for a change, and it's time for us to be heard.

Rachel Crawford's advocacy work

One powerful advocate for change is Rachel Crawford, a parent who was deeply moved to action after her own son had to disconnect his insulin pump during security checks in Dubai airport and ended up in a life-threatening situation with DKA. She launched the "Medical Device Awareness Card" initiative in 2019 to raise awareness about the importance of recognising and respecting the needs of people living with diabetes during airport security checks. Her tireless efforts exemplify the urgency of this issue, as her personal experience turned into a call for change that can help prevent others from going through similar ordeals.

The “Medical Device Awareness Card” explains the requirements for handling medical devices — including those worn by people living with diabetes — at airport security. The card was launched following Rachel Crawford’s advocacy work. Source: Civil Aviation Authority

Download the card here.

The importance of not putting medical devices (including spares) through X-ray machines & the fear of device failure

Another crucial point is the handling of our spare medical devices during airport security checks. These devices, just like the ones we wear, should never pass through x-ray machines, as the radiation can pose a significant risk to their functionality. However, given the challenges we face in requesting a pat-down for the insulin pump and CGM we wear, it's not surprising that many of us hesitate to ask for our spare devices to be hand-checked. Instead, we often leave them in our luggage, focusing our energy on advocating for the safety of the devices we carry on us during the security check.

I asked within the diabetes online community and realised that many pump and CGM users actually go through the airport body scanner with the fear that their medical devices will fail them. This is not okay. The ideal scenario should be one where we can confidently request a pat-down without hesitation, knowing that our safety and the integrity of our devices will be prioritised. This shift towards a safer and more supportive airport security process should be the ultimate goal.

Nathalie Piat reached out to the diabetes online community via Twitter after her experience. She called on the DoC and the medical device industry to advocate for a smoother experience at airport security for people wearing medical devices. Source: Nathalie Piat

How the medical industry can play a role

Each manufacturer of diabetes tech publishes recommendations advising against sending their devices through body scanners due to the risk of damage. However, it's disheartening to note that these recommendations are often ignored by airport security personnel, who may also disregard official letters from healthcare professionals.

Here’s where the diabetes industry can make a significant difference. Manufacturers of insulin pumps and CGMs are in a unique position to advocate for their users. They understand the critical role their devices play in the lives of people living with diabetes.

Therefore, I strongly believe they have a responsibility to take joint action on our behalf. By actively participating in advocacy efforts and raising awareness, these companies can help ensure that users, people living with diabetes, have a smoother experience at airport security around the world.

The call to action is clear: manufacturers must step up and support their users. By advocating for a smoother airport security experience, they become allies in our journey. They have a powerful voice that can influence airport policies and practices. Speaking up on our behalf, they can help bring about positive changes in airport security procedures.

This collaboration is a win-win situation, ensuring not only the safety of our devices but also peace of mind for us — people living with diabetes — when we travel.

Nathalie Piat was one of several #dedoc° voices and diabetes advocates attending EASD 2023 in Hamburg, Germany. The incident at airport security occurred on her way home from the conference. Source: Nathalie Piat

Flying with diabetes should be a safe and stress-free experience

In conclusion, flying with diabetes tech should not be an ordeal. It should be a safe and stress-free experience for every person living with diabetes. By actively advocating for and with us, diabetes tech manufacturers can play a pivotal role in ensuring this. They can be our allies, using their influence to create a supportive environment at airport security. With their assistance, we can look forward to smoother and more comfortable journeys, allowing us to focus on our health and well-being rather than the challenges of navigating airport checkpoints.

It's time for the industry to step up and make a difference.

Have you faced similar problems at airport security with diabetes devices? Let us know and share your experiences in the comments.
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