vacation

ok pacemaker members who has had to get on the air plane what do i do show my id before i get to the loading area or as soon as i get to the medal ditectore thingy. need some feed back planning a trip to mexico with husband an some friends. This is a much needed vacation as 2009 has been one crazy year. thanks Patsy

7 Comments

Vacation

by Blueaustralia - 2010-02-23 03:02:16

The first time I flew was an absolute debacle. The security woman was so bombastic and told me to put my hand over my pm site and she then wanded me all over. In the ensuing rush someone picked up my husbands mobile phone.

From then on when going through security we adopted the procedure whereby my husband goes first and takes all the bits and pieces for scanning and gets them off the other end, leaving me to calmly show my card and be directed for a patdown. (Wear shoes that are easy to get off as they always ask you to take off your shoes) By the time I am finished my husband has collected everything and is waiting for me with all the bits and pieces. Hopes this helps, this is my stress free way of dealing with it as everyone is in such a rush.

Good idea to plan ahead!

by SaraTB - 2010-02-23 03:02:21

Very wise to ask what to expect. I've flown many, many times with my PM now. As Blueaustralia says, nominate your DH to 'mind' your belongings. I do pretty much the same thing.
1. Tell the first TSA person you see that you have a PM. They will usher you around the metal detector and put you in a 'holding' spot until a female agent is available to give you a pat down.
2. At the same time, make sure your husband has your stuff, shoes etc - TSA may ask where your belongings are, so they can make sure they're secure, so tell them he's looking after them.
3. If they try and use a wand, tell them as politely as possible that you have a PM and they can't use it (they don't always know why you've been picked for a pat-down).
4. I usually chat with the agent while she does the pat-down: just casual comments, like "this must be a nuisance for you to have to do" or something: it seems to relax both of us, and makes it friendlier"
5. They will ask you to put your arms out, and later to sit down so they can check the soles of your feet. They might use a wand on your feet.

I've found the agents all to be friendly, once I was towards them. On your return to the US from Mexico, remember the spanish for PM is "marca passa" (phonetic) which is usually enough to say.
Have a great trip, and enjoy 'jumping the queue'

Your ID card & airports

by Pookie - 2010-02-23 03:02:31

I don't know how your airport is set up, However, I simply let the first security person I see (near the line up to the security metal detector "thingie") know that I have a pacemaker. I've never had to show my card as they believe me. Then they direct me where to go to get my pat down and it usually ends up being quicker than having to wait in those long wait lines!!!

Enjoy your vacation.

Pookie

No Problem

by mikesmom93 - 2010-02-23 05:02:00

I just flew for the first time since my ICD was implanted a few weeks ago. The airport was horrendously busy, as we were expecting a huge snowstorm, and people were trying to get out of town before it hit... The lines were super l-o-n-g...

As soon as I got to the security line, I told the first security person I saw that I had an ICD and couldn't go through the metal detectors.

He took me and my husband to the front of the line, my husband wen't through the regular way, and I got sent around the metal detector to wait for a female guard. She was great, asked me if I wanted a private room, and I said no, was totally fine doing it there. It took only a few minutes, then I sat so she could check the bottom of my feet, and I was done!

My husband loved it because every time we got sent to the front of the line, and didn't have to wait! He said he's going to take me travelling with him more often!

Not What I'd Expected

by Bionic Man - 2010-02-23 07:02:22

I traveled from Boston to the Dominican Republic for business. I told security about my PM as soon as I got to the metal detector. I was surprised how little I was searched. I was holding my keys and wallet in my hand when they patted me down. I never put them through the x-ray machine. The security officer said "Don't worry about it" and let me walk right through without checking the wallet or keys. I expected a more thorough search. I flew from the DR into Puerto Rico and was checked more intensely than I was in the US. The good news is I was moved right along. It was the first time I traveled with a PM and it was not what I had expected. I had no inconveniences.
Have a great trip,
Bob

For those who have to travel alone

by janetinak - 2010-02-24 02:02:46

I asked for help (wheel chair) as I was not sure if I could stand in long lines due to arthritis, not PM. Well I didn't use it in Anchorage as lines were not long. And the staff was very nice, did the pat down but got my valueables back to me ASAP as I didn't want them out of my site (purse, etc).
In Seattle on the return trip lines long & I had to go by train to another terminal (gate?) so I took advantage of the wheel chair. I got a nice fellow to take my stuff thru & bring it to me while I did the pat down.
Need to ask the agent when you book the reservation for help so its set up when you get to airport.

Have fun, Janet

I walk thru

by ccmoore - 2010-02-24 11:02:11

See this post.
http://www.pacemakerclub.com/public/jpage/1/p/story/a/storypage/sid/13369/content.do

Also see the 'Travel & Work' section on the lower left of the site.

I have been thru airport security detectors in Sacramento, Honolulu and Pittsburgh and never set one off or had a problem.

Later,
Charlie

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