Profile picture for user TitaniumHeartofGold
Anonymous

Airport Security

Thu, 12/20/2012 - 10:46AM

If you're planning plane travel with a LVAD, I highly recommend that you call the TSA Care Help Line number 72 hours before departure. I did so for my husband recently and received the "royal treatment" as a result. Agents could not have been more helpful and respectful. Kudos to them!

The head of security at each airport called me at home the day before and gave me the name of an agent to see. They were waiting when we arrived. Put everything except the emergency pack with extra controller through the Xray machine. They hand inspected and swipe-tested the emergency pack.

The phone number is 1-855-787-2227. Website is http://www.tsa.gov/traveler-information/travelers-disabilities-and-medical-conditions

I also stopped by the airline counter ahead of time and had an agent put a note in our travel reservation that we needed to carry-on all equipment. This was helpful as well, and they waived the carry-on fees.

Don't forget to tell the boarding staff that you'd like to board as a disabled passenger. That way the overhead space is open for equipment. (We packed it into two smaller, wheeled bags for easy stowing.

All this takes some extra time, but is worth it!

Bon voyage!

10737 reads
Profile picture for user Lia
A P.

Thu, 12/20/2012 - 11:07AM

Thank you so much for this encouraging advice! I can't to tell my father (the LVAD recipient in our family) about this. I would so love it if he could visit me and see his grandchildren.

Once again, thank you for explaining and going through the process for all of us.

Profile picture for user Paul1991
Paul B.

Tue, 12/19/2017 - 2:10PM
I'm glad that u had a great experience traveling through airport security. We on the other hand had an absolutely terrible experience which almost begs to ask the question in what country did u fly. Sorry for that statement but I'm still upset with my experience. Even though it didn't work for me thank you for the info. I also called the TSA and provided them with all the info and was scheduled to meet a special care agent prior to going through security, he didn't show. Going through security my system was in one carry on which they completely unpacked even though they could take the batteries out and see through the clear wrapping after they had sniffed for explosives. After ripping apart the taped batteries they left me there to safely repack without any tape. When we got to the Jet Blue desk they called in a supervisor because we were not going to board without our carry on which contained my equipment. A supervisor was called in and he made us open the equipment carry on so he could see that it was life sustaining equipment guess he didn't believe us or the hospital letter. On the plane our experience was the same. Next time we will skip the letter and the TSA special care agent and simply show up for our flight only this time I will carry extra packing supplies to put everything back together again. We are not going to stop flying.