Ileostomy my experience at airport

[newbe]

I just wondered if I was overreacting about my recent incident going through customs at Birmingham airport. After putting my luggage through x ray I stood in front of the X-ray machine and was pulled to the side to be searched/patted down. You can imagine I had to explain that I had an ileostomy and consequently a stoma bag. I was informed that they wanted to see my stoma bag and swab it(this I did not object to but was a bit taken aback that they wanted me to show them my bag in the middle of the airport terminal!). In hindsight I should have asked them to take me to a side room instead of which they expected me to unzip my jeans to show them my stoma bag.

Am I overreacting, your thoughts would be appreciated.

Debbie

[hatshepsut]

No you are not. That is unforgivable treatment, you should register a formal complaint. Absolutely unbelievable. I am so sorry. This should never happen again. I would also be writing to my mp and the press

[OldTed60]

Hi from a fellow scleroderma ostomate. I don’t know if you’re on the stoma group here or colostomy uk Facebook but I know that others have recounted similar experiences here and at airports abroad. I did fly from Scotland to Heathrow and back only a few months after my stoma surgery. I paid for a GP letter to confirm colostomy and also my portacth and my bottles of Ensure Plus but was still very apprehensive. I had a rolator and was patted down at X-ray but not asked for anything more intimate or a swab.

I guess that stoma bags would be a very good place to smuggle drugs or other through so they are probably within their rights to take you to a room and ask although it does seem terribly invasive - similar to swabbing someone’s private parts for no good reason.

Having an ostomy is classed as a disability so I think way you were treated could be classed as ableist? In my case last year it was fine both ways but a necessary bag change during the short flight was a disaster so I have avoided travelling ever since.

I did once fly back from India in my early 20s and got chatting to a young guy in a wheelchair with a swollen leg. He asked me to help wheel him onto the plane, later telling me in a whisper - after we’d had to divert and landed in Dubai on route - that he had drugs stashed in his plaster cast. I was furious and left him abruptly to get help elsewhere. Being young and innocent and scared of all the armed soldiers around us (Libya had just been bombed by the US) I didn’t report it. But I’ve always been glad for good security checks at airports ever since. But making you show them your stoma bag in the middle of the airport rather than a private room was just downright wrong so I really would complain.