Heads-up: diabetic problems at Phuket Airport (HKT)
May 17, 2009, 9:31 am
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Apr 2004
Location: ZRH
Programs: LH SEN only nowadays, AF & AY basic. Radisson Blu fan :-)
Posts: 505
Heads-up: diabetic problems at Phuket Airport (HKT)
Hi all,
I am a type 1 diabetic and therefore always carry insulin with me. Wanted to quickly post my last week experience at HKT so other people are aware.
Basically Security "found" my insulin syringes (which is good) and decided that this poses a security hazard and it needs to go into the checked luggage. I showed them the doctors certificate, explained what it is and pointed out that this has never been an issue before. They did not understand and insisted on taking it away. By that time I asked for a supervisor and basically told them that I will not fly without it and asked to see a doctor. Took them about 30 minutes plus a few phone calls to figure out what to do.
At the end I was escorted to the Lounge where I was being picked-up about 15 minutes before departure. They copied the doctors certificate, took my insulin and put it into a sealed envelope which said "restricted item". I was then being escorted to the plane and was allowed to pre-board. The envelope was handed over to the purser. He then briefed me that I shall call him whenever Insulin is needed and he is to watch me inject it and take it away again. At that point I was so fed-up that I didn't mind anymore because the flight was only 1 hour to BKK. My worries were more with how to cope with the 12 hour flight back to ZRH afterwards.
Anyway to cut this short, I got my insulin back in BKK, disembarked and cleared two security checkpoints at BKK without any issues before flying back home to ZRH.
I guess if you are diabetic and going thru HKT make sure you have enough time to deal with this nuisance and maybe even get the airline to confirm you can take the insulin on board. The whole thing took at least 1 hour to deal with.
Hope this can be of some help for fellow FT'ers.
Cheers,
pilatusguy
PS: I was flying TG
I am a type 1 diabetic and therefore always carry insulin with me. Wanted to quickly post my last week experience at HKT so other people are aware.
Basically Security "found" my insulin syringes (which is good) and decided that this poses a security hazard and it needs to go into the checked luggage. I showed them the doctors certificate, explained what it is and pointed out that this has never been an issue before. They did not understand and insisted on taking it away. By that time I asked for a supervisor and basically told them that I will not fly without it and asked to see a doctor. Took them about 30 minutes plus a few phone calls to figure out what to do.
At the end I was escorted to the Lounge where I was being picked-up about 15 minutes before departure. They copied the doctors certificate, took my insulin and put it into a sealed envelope which said "restricted item". I was then being escorted to the plane and was allowed to pre-board. The envelope was handed over to the purser. He then briefed me that I shall call him whenever Insulin is needed and he is to watch me inject it and take it away again. At that point I was so fed-up that I didn't mind anymore because the flight was only 1 hour to BKK. My worries were more with how to cope with the 12 hour flight back to ZRH afterwards.
Anyway to cut this short, I got my insulin back in BKK, disembarked and cleared two security checkpoints at BKK without any issues before flying back home to ZRH.
I guess if you are diabetic and going thru HKT make sure you have enough time to deal with this nuisance and maybe even get the airline to confirm you can take the insulin on board. The whole thing took at least 1 hour to deal with.
Hope this can be of some help for fellow FT'ers.
Cheers,
pilatusguy
PS: I was flying TG
