Taking my cooling vest, etc onto airplane

[Tiggerish]

I have MS and am very heat sensitive, but am going to WDW for a week in August because with school schedules it is the only option.

I just received a cooling vest, neck cooler and wrist coolers through the Multiple Sclerosis Association of Ameria. This equipment uses starch-based gel ice packs. I have two sets of packs for each item so a total of 14 gel packs. I would like to take this equipment with me to WDW but am traveling by air.

But the vest is bulky and with all of the accessiories and extra gel packs, weighs about 15 pounds. So putting it into my one checked bag is not really possible.

My Dr. sent in a prescription for me to receive the set so I am assuming it would be considered medical equipment. I did not get a copy of the prescription since the Dr sent in the applicaiton with it for me. I do have the product info which says it is for MS related cooling.

I am already traveling with a rollator and a small kit with a freezer pack and pre-filled syringes plus other assorted meds. Could I add the cooling stuff to that and put it into a tote bag and carry it aboard in addition to my regular carry on? Will I be able to get through the TSA with it? Or would the airline (AirTran) let me sent it as checked luggage in its own bag without additional cost?

Any suggestions or experiences would be appreciated.

 

[jmartinez1895]

It will be counted as medical and should not be counted toward your carry on allowance. I have never traveled with that amount of cooling packs so I don't know how the TSA will handle that. One thing I did before our last flight was to call the airport I was flying out of and I asked to speak with TSA. I asked them all my questions about getting through with our medical supplies and they gave me answers and some tips that would make things go better. I hope that someone with experience with this will come along.

 

[Ms_Butterfly]

If your medical supplies are alone in a bag (not a single non-medical-related item in the bag), you can carry it on for free and should be able to check it for free (the latter one you might have trouble with depending on the check-in agent, as some can be stupid or rude). If you want, you can ask your airline for confirmation in writing as to the bag being free checked luggage. (I'm guessing you don't want to be lugging a heavy bag around all day and would rather check it!)

 

[Tiggerish]

Thanks, I did contact the airline and they told me to put all the items (and only those items) into a small suitcase and it would be checked for free or carried on for free, my choice. I am leaning towards checking the bag so I do not have to tote it around the airport and to save any TSA hassle over the gel packs.

 

[jmartinez1895]

Thanks, I did contact the airline and they told me to put all the items (and only those items) into a small suitcase and it would be checked for free or carried on for free, my choice. I am leaning towards checking the bag so I do not have to tote it around the airport and to save any TSA hassle over the gel packs.

I know that it is easier to check the bag, but what would you do if it got lost or damaged. It happens everyday.

 

[SueM in MN]

I know that it is easier to check the bag, but what would you do if it got lost or damaged. It happens everyday.

That is always a concern, but in this case, I would probably check it rather than carry it on because of the amount of gel involved.

I can't look up the exact wording of the law right now, but it is something to the effect of ' the amount necessary for the duration of the flight' is allowed through security and carried onto the plane.
The amount of gel is very large and I would hate to have the TSA agent decide it is not necessary for the flight or is too much gel.

I don't know what size the gel packs are, but if they are a standard size that you might be able to get in a store like Target or Walmart, I would possibly carry the empty vest in your carry on and put the gel packs in a checked bag.
I would maybe do that anyway, because if worse came to worse and the bag was lost, you may be able to get replacement gel packs from a medical supply store ( there are some listed in the disABILITIES FAQs thread), but may have more trouble getting the actual vest. Also, the MS Society that got the vest for you might have some travel hints or be able to get you in contact with the Florida MS Society.

Airlines have 24 hours to find lost bags and get them back to you without penalty. With bar codes and automation, they are likely to be able to do that, even if it is temporarily lost.

Also, if you are doing DME (Magical Express) and check your bags, I would pick the bags up from baggage claim myself and bring them on the bus rather than putting DME tags on that bag. If you claim it yourself and its missing, you can start the process of finding it much faster.

 

[Tiggerish]

Thanks again every one, there is so much to think about.

The airline did suggest that I could wear the vest through security and put only the extra cooling packs and accessories (the neck, wristlets & extra gel packs) into a checked bag. The vest is designed to wear under your shirt but I think for the purposes of TSA I might wear it on the outside.

I am doing the Magic Express but since they only sent me one tag, I was planning on picking up the medical bag myself.

 

[mickeymaker2003]

If you call Magical Express and tell them how many tags you want, they can send you more.

 

[ccbayly]

I have taken my cooling vest through security without a problem. I did pack my extra cooling packs in my luggage, but when I talked with security about the vest (with packs in it) they said absolutely no problem. They also stress that you should keep your medications with you in your carry-on baggage. Personally, I am planning on taking all of my gear in my carry on next trip. I couldn't bear to lose any of it if my bags were lost.

 

[Tiggerish]

ccbayly - I really appreciate hearing that you have worn your vest through security. It is reassuring to hear that some one has already successfully done something that I have fears about. I do plan to carry on all my meds and my med bag will be big enough to hold my vest if I decide I am getting too cool. Although I can break out in a sweat just sitting in a chair doing nothing.

I just got the vest and like all the changes MS has brought me, I am learning to relax and go with the flow as much as possible.