Travel can be stressful for everyone. However, if you need to travel with catheters, you may wonder if you need to take extra precautions before your flight. Here are some of our top tips for traveling with catheter supplies.
What Should I Do If I Have to Travel By Air?
One of our employees, Bill, wrote a detailed blog post several years back that offers some great tips on what you should do if you self-cath and need to travel on an airplane.
Here are several important things to do:
1. Contact the airline before your flight.
The airlines are incredibly busy at this time of year, so you’ll want to contact your airline as soon as possible. Ask if they have any special procedures for travel with catheters in your checked or carry-on luggage.
In addition, it might be a good idea to make sure your catheter supplies meet the TSA guidelines, so you don’t have any surprises at the security checkpoint.
2. Know and follow the current TSA guidelines for liquids.
Do you know the 3-1-1 liquid rule? According to the TSA, you can bring a quart-sized clear bag with liquid items, aerosols, gels, creams, and/or pastes through the security checkpoints in carry-on luggage as long as each item is 3.4 ounces or less.
Make sure to pack any liquid supplies in accordance with this guideline to avoid hold-ups at security checkpoints.
3. Bring documentation if needed.
If you plan to pack all of your catheter supplies in a carry-on bag instead of checking any luggage, it’s possible, depending on your supply type, that you might need to provide documentation. This may be as simple as providing a document from your doctor proving the necessity of your medical supplies, such as your catheters.
More Tips for Travel with Catheters
- Pack extra catheters just in case you are required to stay longer than originally planned.
- It’s a good idea to pack at least a few days worth of your catheters and any other medically necessary items in your carry-on luggage, just in case your checked luggage gets delayed.
- Remember to use proper hygiene, especially when self-cathing in public bathrooms. Washing your hands and using antiseptic wipes and other insertion supplies may help reduce the risk of contamination or infection no matter where you are.
Have more questions about how to travel with your catheters? Contact our team of friendly, trained specialists at 1-877-688-2729 today.
