You must carry medication in hand luggage, I always do anyway, never put it in hold. As for a letter, I have never heard such nonsense. Can't see why a copy of the scrip won't do as the details should match those on the medication boxes/bottles.
EasyJet says passengers must have doctors lette... - Thyroid UK
EasyJet says passengers must have doctors letter cofirming what medication you have and what it is for??!!
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crimple
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How much does it cost to get a doctor's letter for anything these days? And how easy is it to get a doctor to agree to produce one?
My thyroid hormones aren't prescribed, so do they expect me to leave them at home? Will they forcibly dispose of them?
And what about people buying thyroid hormones abroad, having bought them over the counter?
If I had any urge to be an Easyjet customer, it has instantly worn off having read this post.
I imagine this could be a quite profitable revenue stream for GP Surgeries, and some of them will get on board (escuse the pun) sharpish.
People often say on here that levo and lio are not medication, but are hormone replacements. Somehow I don't think that will make any difference to EasyJet!
Are they going to be fussy about supplements?
helvellaAdministrator
Just checked and it appears you can put medicine in hold luggage. But, whether cabin or hold, that requirement for a doctor's certificate is the same.
Medicine, medical conditions and equipment
If you’re putting medicines in your hold luggage, you must pack them separately from any other items and provide a doctor’s certificate confirming that you need them while you’re away from home.
What medication and equipment you can bring on board
You can bring any medicines and medical equipment that you need to have with you. This includes gel packs or cooler bags to maintain the temperature of your medication, food and specialist devices such as dialysis machines (subject to size regulations), CPAP machines and nebulisers.
If you’re bringing medicine on board, you must also provide a doctor’s certificate confirming the type of medication and what it is used for. You’ll also be able to bring liquid medicines larger than 100ml through security if you have a doctor’s certificate.
Please note: We’re unable to refrigerate medication on board.
easyjet.com/en/help/boardin...
I'd argue it was a massive incursion into privacy and rights. You have to tell any EasyJet employee who shows any interest not only what it is but also what it is for!
In other, words you have to tell them things that no other person can require you to tell them except, possibly, police or courts.
And if they ask while you are on the aircraft, there simply is no realistic possibility of ensuring privacy. You might have real concerns over a particular condition being known by others - who might include family or work colleagues, or many others.
Even if, in the end, it were shown to be unenforceable, it could be a very unpleasant road to have travelled. (Yes - I know, a road in an aircraft. 
)
Wings clipped for those self medicating (with T3) then!!And a nice income for GPs as they charge for those letters...
I never thought I'd be linking to The Sun for medical information, but here goes ...
thesun.co.uk/health/1916379...
Oh, and here's a link to Pulse :
pulsetoday.co.uk/news/workl...
I think it is an invasion of our privacy. What do airport security staff and cabins crew know about medication? why do they need to know? Travel is becoming more and more difficult.I think it's a plot to keep us all at home. Won't be flying anytime soon.
I agree.
British Airways have this far more limited advice:
If you need to take medication, including liquid medication or syringes, pack it in your hand baggage too (if possible, in its original packaging). To avoid delays at airport security, also take a prescription or supporting letter from your doctor that confirms it is prescribed to you.
britishairways.com/en-gb/in...
RyanAir seem concerned only by liquids (understandably).
help.ryanair.com/hc/en-gb/a...
EasyJet's requirement mean that if you have a headache or hayfever and buy some paracetamol or antihistamine, even while in the airport, you then need to get a doctor's letter. (They do not exclude over-the-counter medicines.)
Looks like EasyJet have grossly over-egged their T&C and someone should challenge them.
Thank you for posting this!
Major airlines, especially if you are travelling internationally, have always required you to carry medications in your hand luggage. This is because you won’t lose it if your checked in luggage goes astray.Prescription medications have required your repeat prescription list and any injectables would need a GP letter stating you need to carry them onboard. This is also the case for certain medications depending on the country your going to. This is NOT for the airline, it’s for getting through security on departure and any checks on arrival.
I’ve been doing this for years it’s nothing new. What is, is the £50 charge that’s suddenly started to be included by the GP. Given they copy and paste from a previous year and only update any medication doses, I find that extortionate!
Perhaps they’ve had problems with drugs smuggling?! “What’s this white powder for madam?”. “Oh that’s just for my ingrown toenails (wink wink)”!
I’m meant to be flying with them in August so i wonder what will happen with all my meds as I’m on 5 types!
We can laugh... but my elder son was hauled up and grilled by security in the US because they noticed white powder on his laptop. He was en route to a conference and had been working on the plane.He has eczema.....so dry skin!!
Free to go now Sir!!
After walking through the airport security arch I was pounced on and frog marched off by several security staff to a private search room for wearing my money belt under my clothing. How stupid was I! 🙄
Then another time coming back on the ferry, customs took us aside, went through all our luggage, went through the car, then started dismantling our car doors, etc. We were there for hours! 😳
I wear bangles and had bought a cheap one somewhere in a market....some time ago/ memory.
Anyway....Singapore a few years ago
Like you...through security arch...alarm
Armed guards marched me off....scary stuff
Searched
Then it dawned....I was wearing that dammed bangle.
Took me a time to convince them
I felt I might be heading for Changi!
My poor husband had no idea what was going on....
Then I appeared to tell the tale
Bangle in bin!!
At Plymouth, after embarking from the Ferry, we had our car searched, and like you were there for a very long time. They were not interested in all the medications that my son has to take, including steroids. In the end we decided that as our car was bought second-hand, it could have been used for dubious journeys before we bought it. Either that or we had a rookie dog searching. Ever since then we have always done a fly-drive instead of using a Ferry. As they took a lot of the front inner part of the passenger side apart, I got them to write a disclaimer to say that if anything would not go back properly or fall apart after, then they would pay costs.
Oh yes, similar experience. They put our car doors back but not properly and we had a rattle for ages until we got a garage to sort it out.
I think it's poorly worded by easyJet. In general, they really don't care what medication you have, although it's always a good idea to have access to the prescription. We fly easyJet a lot, and it's never been an issue, even when bringing back 25 boxes of T3 for our trip to Corfu at Easter!
Where you will need a Drs letter is if you require extra medical baggage at no charge. I do require this (bladder reconstruction surgery). The special assistance line always tell me that if it's medical equipment, then it is a general Drs letter and the date doesn't matter. If it's medication, the letter needs to be dated within 3 months of your flight.
I think there are changes afoot elsewhere too. Last Thursday on UK Column News it was mentioned by one of the Presenters that the MHRA have plans to restrict on-line purchases of medications from overseas. Recordings available on the website - 40 mins in ...
Think of every expletive you know, and I'm thinking it right now.
Me too humanbean ...with bells on!
If that's the case ....it's no T3....no life!
I'm saying them out loud now!!
This is the UK Column News from last Thursday :
ukcolumn.org/video/uk-colum...
Roughly 30 mins in... you can slide the timer forward at the bottom of the image.It goes on a bit!
Thank you for posting that humanbean . So good to hear the truth from a media site.
Fridays always good to watch with Patrick Henningson and others @
Hi Marz , I will certainly be watching this channel again and will give it a look in tomorrow.
They now do a Thursday one at 1pm or anytime as it is recorded and available on their website !
Thinking!!
Putting " a ring of steel" round the UK to stop meds from abroad entering the country...!Was that an overreaction by the presenter....sounds draconian!!
I have been listening/watching the programme since March 2020 x 3 times a week. The other Presenters on different days certainly give you food for thought.
Debbie Evans has done extensive research into the MHRA - also the NHS where she once worked. Surely it is more draconian that the yellow card reports of death and injury have been ignored. Am afraid the back story is a little worrying .... as is the future.
I suspect this "ring of steel" nonsense is not about safety and protecting people, it is about controlling us to make sure we are good little patients adding to big pharma profits. And if we don't make profits for anyone the government approves of we can just hurry up and die.
Yes, I saw that too Marz. Having been almost killed by assorted Dr's and their 'safe' medications, and forced into going it alone to save my own life, I find it absolutely terrifying. I've spent the last 6 years learning all I can and have recovered my previous good health after 25 years of suffering (something I never thought possible) only to have it snatched away by a bunch of pharma control freaks. I despair.
I gave up the monthly carrier bag full of drugs for the numerous ailments I was diagnosed with, and I now need nothing from them. I only take T3 and a few supplements. I guess I'm no longer good for business. Maybe I've been lucky, but I've never received any 'fake medicines' so far, and sadly, I'm quite sure I know much more about my condition and health than they do. I really dread what's coming down the line! x
I have flown to France with thyroid meds and have never been asked what they are for nor have I ever taken a letter or even my prescription. Most recent trip was in May 2022 with Ryanair. The only people who looked at my luggage was security.
My medication is always in my hand luggage with the up to date prescription in a clear plastic bag for airport security. I also wear a Medicare bracelet which names my health problems. Never had any problem whilst flying. Took an Easyjet flight recently.
What I did for an absurd request for a doctor letter was produce my own forgery. Who’s going to check? Does EasyJet cross-reference letters to a database of licensed medical practitioners?
The TSA in the States doesn’t care why you need medications, though their website suggests some states may regulate controlled substances. Brittany Greiner wouldn’t be on trial in Russia if she’d paid attention to the quantity of medical marijuana she packed. Poor thing.
While I fully agree with your sentiment, I don't think it stands as good advice.
The fact remains that faking evidence could be seen as illegal. EasyJet, if they were to check, could be very unpleasant.
I'd like to see everyone who is considering flying to write to/email EasyJet and explain precisely why they will be booking with another carrier.
For several years I paid for and carried a GP letter about the need for injections. I had in 1969 had my three month prescription ndt taken from me my security at Boston airport. Foolishly I had packed my tablets without a prescription and they ( understandably) considered a flight full of UK students arriving for a summer in US might be carrying some dodgy stuff. I was pretty poorly by the end of summer.
I recent years an£ with a GP letter I kept everything in an insulated cool pack with gel packs to maintain temperature. I left it in my hand luggage at every security check I went through. No one ever asked for the letter, I stopped paying for and kept the last one and a prescription. Never ever asked to show it.
If any airline requires evidence of medication needs let’s hope one letter will cover all, and that GPs don’t charge by item mentioned 😏, as I have eleven repeat prescription items. And some self sourced ndt.
I can’t imagine many Easy Jet employees have sufficient medical knowledge to determine when a hormone is an over the counter supplement or a prescription item.
I wonder if this infringes the terms of Data Protection in the UK, after all health is a personal matter. Might be worth checking on up to date legislation.
Should we post a link to this thread on easyJet’s Twitter page so they can back down on this?
Total utter idiots - surely a label stuck on the drug with your name on it means a pharmacist has seen the prescription and nobody needs to do anything further.
I can understand if it is unlabelled stuff but then how do they differentiate between paracetamol or even a multi vit picked up at the supermarket!
I'd do everything you can think to do.
Some of us have not joined Twitter, facebook, etc., but they could well be worth using.
I've done what I do. Contacted the Information Commissioner's Office and emailed EasyJet. And encouraged involvement from this forum.
My view is that they are demanding information without good cause.
This from my online chat with ICO:
An organisation should not request more information than is necessary, for the purposes in which they are collecting it for. If you are concerned about the way an organisation is handling your personal information, you should first raise this in writing/e-mail with their data protection officer (DPO). We would expect them to take action to resolve your concern. We have more guidance and a template letter in relation to raising a concern here: ico.org.uk/your-data-matter...
If it doesn't have POM on the box/container, then you're not likely to have a prescription or get a doctors letter.
Plus, we have a legal right to self source our own medications from outside the UK. So are Easyjet going to ban us from travel for doing that?
Another insane power grab.
I emailed Easyjet using the email address : customer.service@easyjet.com asking several questions about their medication rules.
I got an automated response telling me that this email address is not monitored. Now, there's a surprise.
The email response suggested that I should "chat" with them instead, or call them. Unfortunately, I'm deaf as a post so I can't call, and it isn't clear if "chat" is verbal or written.
When I looked at the chat option on their website it tells me "Sorry we're helping others right now".
Another option was to use their Chatbot :
Alternatively, you could give our Chatbot a try, it’s available 24/7 and can be found at the bottom of this page.
Other people may be able to find their chatbot but I couldn't.
I'll wait to see if anyone else gets any further.
I just put my NDT in an old bottle for an antibiotic, and sort of rubbed the label a bit. They ignored that, but the 3 highlighter pens (working trip) glowed on the screen and I was searched.
This is what it says on Easyjet website.
Medicine, medical conditions and equipment
If you’re putting medicines in your hold luggage, you must pack them separately from any other items and provide a doctor’s certificate confirming that you need them while you’re away from home.
You would be ill advised to put essential medicines in your hold baggage as bags (particularly at the moment with the issues in airports) are regularly going missing/turning up at destinations late. I work in an area that travel extensively - and in the last week more than 50% of the bags colleagues have checked in haven't arrived at the destination with them.
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