Travelling with a PF meter

[Wheezycat]

Hi! Just for information. Yesterday I was travelling abroad via Manchester Airport. Like the previous time my hand luggage got specially checked because of my peakflow meter. I always carry the PF meter in my hand luggage as I have had the experience of my hold luggage going awol, and I don’t want it go astray.

Last time, a couple of months ago, I hadn’t put it in the tray, so it got picked up on. However, when the security guy asked me he immediately knew what it was. Since then I tend to put my peak flow meter in the tray, and that way I have got through checks in Sweden, Leeds and Budapest without comment. Yesterday, however, in Manchester, even though it was in the tray, on display, it did get picked up on, but again, the guy who dealt with it knew exactly what it was. He also said it was better to do what I was doing, putting it in the tray. (I also have a standard letter confirming my need for it. I have never yet used it.) Apparently there is some sharp part inside the tube, which is what they are reacting on.

It has always been fine in the end. It seems that the Manchester security are particularly nit picky - my husband had a small pack of paper tissues taken off him and binned.

I find it helps me to try to hang onto as philosophical an attitude as possible for these security checks.

[greggs]

Why tissues I always take them flying my sinuses play up.

[Wheezycat in reply to greggs]

Indeed! We have no idea, and I think we need to check why later - or at least point it out. Either overzealousness or discrimination ( my husband looks a bit foreign, though less so now that he is older and greyer.)

[Lysistrata Administrator Community Ambassador]

Tissues?! I think someone got overzealous and out of regs there!

I once had a metal hair clip taken off me before an internal flight in Italy. I suppose I could vaguely see the logic, except there were 25 armed Italian police on the same flight, with guns in the cabin! Would have to be an insane hair clip ninja to.try anything!

Never been asked about the PF meter. Last time I travelled to the US I had syringes in my bag for hydrocortisone. Of course I had a letter if needed but on the way out they didn't even ask me to take them out. On the way back.I had to take the sunglasses case they live in out and put it in the tray but no one asked to see letter.

[emmasue]

Thanks for the update! It's good to know.

[Wheezycat]

An update: at the time my husband, who ended up really cross and stressed by the whole experience, just lost one tissue, a scrunched up up one that lived in his pocket and caused a bulge, thus checked. I think it could be interpreted differently.

[Nutzs47]

I always put my meds in a clear plastic bag and put them in a tray esp as I use a spacer too so far haven’t had a prob .on a diff track we’ve taken my granddaughter on hol with her dad and have been stopped twice on the way back into Leeds and had to prove she’s her dads daughter.

[Wheezycat]

Yes, there is no problem with my inhalers. I, too, put them in a clear plastic bag, and would with a spacer as well. This was just my peak flow meter.