Liquid Medications on airplane??

[lovethattink]

My son is going to be flying on Southwest Airlines next month. Most of his prescription medications are liquid. What is the rule with liquids? And are there any exceptions for prescription medications? Southwest says to take prescriptions medications in your carryon.

He will be taking 2 Epipens or 1 Twinject, 24 ampules (5ml each) of Gastrocrom oral concentrate, and 25 (3ml) vials of Albuterol Sulfate inhalation solution. The rest of his medication are solid tablets/capsules.

Thanks in advance, we haven't flown since 1997.

 

[disneyfaninaz]

Liquids for medical reasons are exempt from the 3-1-1 rule. However, they do have to be declared when you go through security. It is recommended that a prescription label be put on your medications.

It is always a good idea to take personal items such as medicine in your carry on.

 

[lovethattink]

Sorry for sounding stupid, but how do you declare it? A paper document? Or just verbally let them know? He is flying with a school group, but my husband is one of the chaperones.

 

[SueM in MN]

Not stupid at all - you just keep it separated out from your other liquids and you tell them.
Follow the link in my signature or look near the top of the thread list for the disABILITIES FAQs thread. One post is about air travel and includes links to the TSA web pages about travel with medications.

 

[mistymouse5001]

We took everything in 2008. Per Sue's advice No problems.

 

[jmartinez1895]

I assume that because you are traveling with albuteral then you also will be bringing a nebulizer. If so, you will have to take it out of you bag and they will use a special wand looking thing to check it out. We travel with a neb and a whole lot of meds. I put all of the meds in gallon size ziplock ( we use 3) and then as soon as you get to the screener just tell them that you have medications. THey will xray your bag and then have you open the bag. They will take a look and you'll be on your way. The nebulizer just takes an extra minute, but it dosent take to long.

 

[lovethattink]

Thanks! I will check out those links and yes he will bring his nebulizer. He's bringing a battery operated, small portable nebulizer

 

[ckdsnynt]

if you haven't flown in quite a while, you may not know that they have what they call a "family or medical needs" line for people that have medical equipment such as a nebulizer. My DD that is an adult uses an insulin pump and she is required to go thru this line so we go with her. To assist in going thru screening as quickly as possible, I put all my medications (no liquids but a ton of pill bottles!) in a gallon size bag. All the bottles still have the pharmacy labels on them, clearly marked. These I leave separate from my liquids bag (the 3-1-1 bag). Then, I put my liquids bag and the medicine bag in the plastic tub so the screeners can see what they are. Makes things so more quickly.

 

[SueM in MN]

if you haven't flown in quite a while, you may not know that they have what they call a "family or medical needs" line for people that have medical equipment such as a nebulizer. My DD that is an adult uses an insulin pump and she is required to go thru this line so we go with her. To assist in going thru screening as quickly as possible, I put all my medications (no liquids but a ton of pill bottles!) in a gallon size bag. All the bottles still have the pharmacy labels on them, clearly marked. These I leave separate from my liquids bag (the 3-1-1 bag). Then, I put my liquids bag and the medicine bag in the plastic tub so the screeners can see what they are. Makes things so more quickly.

there is a picture of the line from the Orlando airport in the transportation post in the disABILITIES FAQs thread. I have a link to that thread in my signature or you CSM find it near the top of the thread list for this board.

 

[crashbb]

Just to support what everyone has said - ALWAYS, ALWAYS, ALWAYS bring any medication that you have onto the plane with you.

In the US, both prescription and non-prescription medications are exempt from the 3-1-1 rule (BTW - this includes saline solution for contact lenses). Don't put it in your baggie (anything in your baggie has to be under 3.4oz) and show it to the TSA people when you go through security.

Technically, since you are not crossing any borders, you don't need a prescription label, but I tend to leave mine on if I can.

ETA - you might find this site from the TSA helpful:
http://www.tsa.gov/travelers/airtravel/specialneeds/index.shtm

 

[KAYzEyes]

if you haven't flown in quite a while, you may not know that they have what they call a "family or medical needs" line for people that have medical equipment such as a nebulizer. My DD that is an adult uses an insulin pump and she is required to go thru this line so we go with her. To assist in going thru screening as quickly as possible, I put all my medications (no liquids but a ton of pill bottles!) in a gallon size bag. All the bottles still have the pharmacy labels on them, clearly marked. These I leave separate from my liquids bag (the 3-1-1 bag). Then, I put my liquids bag and the medicine bag in the plastic tub so the screeners can see what they are. Makes things so more quickly.

Is this an extremely recent added requirement? I use an insulin pump but have never been required to use a special line thru security. Unless you let them know you have a pump they'd not even know you do, until you go thru the booth of course & it alarms. I always just go thru the normal line, let them know at the booth I have the pump so they know I'm going to set off the alarm, & when I go thru they wand the pump and I go on along.

I do have to find out about bringing liquid nutrition on flight. It's not a medication, but is a necessity. I have a feeding tube & use only liquid nutrition. The formula is in small cans. On a short trip (hour or so) I would only need to have a few cans with me on flight "just in case, as never know what might happen & could be unexpected layovers. The bulk of my supplies would be stowed in my baggage.

 

[lovethattink]

Thanks, thanks, thanks, you all are so helpful!

 

[lovethattink]

What about an ice pack and a cooler bag to keep the refrigerated liquids cold? Would that count as a liquid, and is a cooler bag allowed?

 

[SueM in MN]

What about an ice pack and a cooler bag to keep the refrigerated liquids cold? Would that count as a liquid, and is a cooler bag allowed?

No, it doesn't count as a liquid and you are allowed to bring coolers and gel packs or whatever along if needed for medication.

There is information about 'medical liquids' in this link from the Transportation Security Administration:
http://www.tsa.gov/travelers/airtravel/specialneeds/index.shtm

If you lose this thread, that link (and a bunch of others from TSA about air travel) are in post #15 of the disABILITIES FAQs thread.

For ice, some people bring a couple of plastic bags with ice from home, dispose of the ice before going thru screening (keeping the plastic bags) and get ice at one of the food service places or from the Flight Attendants after going through screening. (Important to check your airport has a place you can get ice though).

 

[Angela3272]

Thank you so much for asking the question about taking liquid meds on a plane. I haven't flown in years, but may choose to again within a year or so, and I have 5 meds that I would need to take with me.

 

[SueM in MN]

Is this an extremely recent added requirement? I use an insulin pump but have never been required to use a special line thru security. Unless you let them know you have a pump they'd not even know you do, until you go thru the booth of course & it alarms. I always just go thru the normal line, let them know at the booth I have the pump so they know I'm going to set off the alarm, & when I go thru they wand the pump and I go on along.

I do have to find out about bringing liquid nutrition on flight. It's not a medication, but is a necessity. I have a feeding tube & use only liquid nutrition. The formula is in small cans. On a short trip (hour or so) I would only need to have a few cans with me on flight "just in case, as never know what might happen & could be unexpected layovers. The bulk of my supplies would be stowed in my baggage.

It's not a requirement, but they started adding them in airports to make the screening easier for people with liquids or medical needs and more efficient for the screeners.

 

[NeurosurgeryNP]

Is this an extremely recent added requirement? I use an insulin pump but have never been required to use a special line thru security. Unless you let them know you have a pump they'd not even know you do, until you go thru the booth of course & it alarms. I always just go thru the normal line, let them know at the booth I have the pump so they know I'm going to set off the alarm, & when I go thru they wand the pump and I go on along.

I do have to find out about bringing liquid nutrition on flight. It's not a medication, but is a necessity. I have a feeding tube & use only liquid nutrition. The formula is in small cans. On a short trip (hour or so) I would only need to have a few cans with me on flight "just in case, as never know what might happen & could be unexpected layovers. The bulk of my supplies would be stowed in my baggage.

As they allow formula and juices for infants (in small quantities), and children, I am sure that your liquid nutrition would be allowed.