Bell services and medical devices

[themagicgotme]

OP - I'm sorry you feel judged. I believe folks intend to be helpful, but sometimes get caught up in making assumptions. I'm not familiar with the device you have and possibly others are not either. We all tend to try to make assumptions and correlations based on what we do know -- which maybe is meds, a smaller device that doesn't require additional screening, a lighter device that can be managed by 1 person, etc. My only suggestion with regards to TSA is to make sure the device is declared as "medical" and have nothing else in that bag. As to Bell Services - I agree with others who recommend transporting it yourselves.

I certainly appreciate your posting to share your experience. I have learned something new that could help me in the future. Hopefully others will find it helpful as well.

Thank you!! I really appreciate your post. And I do appreciate helpful suggestions! Learning that it is common that someone else takes responsibility for the secondary screening does make sense. I will start work on getting my husband to allow me to do that (stubborn-gene, LOL). I think one added detail is that because the device is so big, and not regularly transported for travel, there isn't a standard medical bag made for it. So we have it in a backpack, but it really doesn't look officially "medical", despite the tag we have. We can argue with boarding staff if needed, and are prepared to, but it's one more stress on a difficult trip with a small child, so we prefer to plan in a way that avoids that eventuality.

 

[Lewisc]

https://noinsurancemedicalsupplies.com/products/respironics-trilogy-evo-in-use-case?

I don't think you're required to use a medical case. Spend some time on Amazon, you should be able to find a backpack or duffel bag big enough.

 

[SueM in MN]

Thank you!! I really appreciate your post. And I do appreciate helpful suggestions! Learning that it is common that someone else takes responsibility for the secondary screening does make sense. I will start work on getting my husband to allow me to do that (stubborn-gene, LOL). I think one added detail is that because the device is so big, and not regularly transported for travel, there isn't a standard medical bag made for it. So we have it in a backpack, but it really doesn't look officially "medical", despite the tag we have. We can argue with boarding staff if needed, and are prepared to, but it's one more stress on a difficult trip with a small child, so we prefer to plan in a way that avoids that eventuality.

I take responsibility for my daughter’s stuff. They don’t question her catheters and urinary supplies - those just go thru the scanner. We do travel with 2 large bottles of liquid medication, which goes thru the scanner and then needs a secondary screening. The TSA agents always look at it strangely and then another agent takes it to a machine for checking.
My daughter can’t stand, so is patted down and has her hands, shoes and multiple parts of her wheelchair swabbed. They usually ask her to lean forward, so they can check her back and the wheelchair seatback. One time my husband took her hands to pull her forward - Whoa! Us touching her or her wheelchair is NOT allowed. We stand about 6 feet away now and don’t come closer unless invited.
TSA has a program called TSA CARES that might be helpful in your situation.
Link to TSA CARES webpage. We have used them at our home airport (MSP); we contacted them by email ahead of the trip and a TSA agent met us at the airport check in counter and facilitated our TSA screening. We‘ve had good luck at our home airport, but we got no help at Orlando, even though we contacted them the same way.

 

[SueM in MN]

Thank you!! I really appreciate your post. And I do appreciate helpful suggestions! Learning that it is common that someone else takes responsibility for the secondary screening does make sense. I will start work on getting my husband to allow me to do that (stubborn-gene, LOL). I think one added detail is that because the device is so big, and not regularly transported for travel, there isn't a standard medical bag made for it. So we have it in a backpack, but it really doesn't look officially "medical", despite the tag we have. We can argue with boarding staff if needed, and are prepared to, but it's one more stress on a difficult trip with a small child, so we prefer to plan in a way that avoids that eventuality.

I am actually familiar with that device from working in a Long Term Acute Care Hospital that had 2 ventilator weaning units; it was used as an invasive portable ventilator and also for BIPAP.
I was an Infection Preventionist, not direct care, so do not know how to run it, but did have a general familiarity with it. I can see that TSA agents who are used to run of the mill CPAP machines would probably look at it with a bit more trepidation - heck, they sometimes look at my daughter’s custom manual wheelchair like it’s some kind of exotic device that fell from the sky.
Phillips Respironic, maker of the Trilogy, does have a case for the Trilogy 100 and 200 models that you might want to look at. Link to Trilogy Carry Case
It only has a tiny label on it, but it does look more like a medical device carry case than just a backpack and should also be more protective as well.

 

[themagicgotme]

I take responsibility for my daughter’s stuff. They don’t question her catheters and urinary supplies - those just go thru the scanner. We do travel with 2 large bottles of liquid medication, which goes thru the scanner and then needs a secondary screening. The TSA agents always look at it strangely and then another agent takes it to a machine for checking.
My daughter can’t stand, so is patted down and has her hands, shoes and multiple parts of her wheelchair swabbed. They usually ask her to lean forward, so they can check her back and the wheelchair seatback. One time my husband took her hands to pull her forward - Whoa! Us touching her or her wheelchair is NOT allowed. We stand about 6 feet away now and don’t come closer unless invited.
TSA has a program called TSA CARES that might be helpful in your situation.
Link to TSA CARES webpage. We have used them at our home airport (MSP); we contacted them by email ahead of the trip and a TSA agent met us at the airport check in counter and facilitated our TSA screening. We‘ve had good luck at our home airport, but we got no help at Orlando, even though we contacted them the same way.

So much respect for what you and your daughter must go through! And thank you so much for your service through your work. I am so sorry she has to subject to being pulled forward like that, without assistance from people she trusts and who know what is comfortable for her. This is similar (although way more extreme) to our experience as well, which is that TSA is the most dehumanizing of the contact we go through. It feels that way for everyone, but add misunderstood disability into the mix and it can push a difficult experience over the edge. I do plan to carry the device through TSA this time myself, based on some advice on here that this is common, so I have learned something. It's also good to know there's an official carry case, my husband said no, but his Googling skills are not as strong as mine, LOL, so I should not have taken his word for it. Especially when we travel by car, so we don't need to resort to the backpack, that might really help. We're trying a backpack this time that zips completely open on all sides, hoping that will be sufficient instead of removing it completely. (fingers crossed!) I also think I want to try a small folding luggage cart that we're happy to gate check, if necessary. And hey, if we lose or damage a $30 luggage cart, no biggie comparatively.

 

[elvispursley]

Just another note about medical bags as carry-ons...I've a ton of medication and insulin pump/CGM/insulin/pens/needles I fly with and I put all of my medical supplies in a vera bradley weekender bag along with additional carry-on bag and personal bag (that goes under my seat). If I'm even stopped, I declared it a medical bag. No one has ever asked to see the contents and I've only been stopped once.

 

[brinkley07]

Hi all!
My family is doing a split stay in February, 2 nights at Wilderness lodge and 2 nights at the Grand Floridian.
My husband uses a Trilogy device (non-invasive ventilator), which is significantly more expensive and heavy than a standard CPAP.
Normally he never lets anyone transport it other than him on trips (although we are comfortable with leaving at it Bell Services for the day/afternoon) so we are debating whether to use bell services to transfer our luggage during the split stay, or to take an Uber with just that device over to the next resort ourselves before starting our day.

I'm fine with the latter as Epcot has extended evening hours that day, so we're not trying for an early start anyway. Rather a more leisurely start and late night. But my husband doesn't want to cut into vacation the rest of the family's vacation time too much.

Has anyone had experience with Bell services and medical devices and the care, or not, that they take?

Thanks so much!

I'm sorry the replies upset you, yet I am familiar with the device your husband uses. Due to the importance of the device and the difficulty to replace it I wouldn't have Bell services transfer it. Although we love Bell services I fear that not all staff would understand the importance of this device, and therefore leave it vulnerable to accidental damage or delay during transfer. On a good day luggage transfer can have unexpected confusion and delay, and weve had long late waits. For us the extra time to transfer our own items gives us peace of mind to enjoy our day. Have a great time!

 

[chaoslobster]

OP I'm so sorry you feel judged. The only thing I'm judging here is the TSA if they've made you go through this repeatedly when it's not at all required.

I travel alone as a severely disabled person. I am not physically able to carry the bin of my stuff; I can't even stand up from my scooter for more than about 30 seconds at a time. I can't unload my stuff from the scooter and place it in the bin. I can't put my shoes in the bin because I can't pick them up from the floor.

The TSA will not require a passenger to do stuff they cannot do or that isn't safe. It's illegal. Every time they decide to inspect my laptop or anything else, they carry it over there themselves because I can't. I travel with a soft cooler of refrigerated meds and syringes that gets examined every time, and that I could carry, but the area they bring it to for secondary inspection isn't accessible to my scooter and I can't walk it over there.

There's no such thing as "unless you can pick up and carry your own medical equipment you don't get to pass security." You and your husband can choose to do so if you like, and I'd hope no one would judge you for it. It's just that I have seen many many instances of TSA abusing their power, making up nonexistent regulations, once an agent tried to stick his hand down my pants because he absolutely insisted I had loose change in my pocket, as he could not grasp the concept of a hip replacement on a young girl. I didn't even have a pocket in those pants, btw, they were sweatpants.

If it's your choice, there's nothing wrong with it, but please don't let the TSA push you around or demand you do anything unsafe for yourself or for your equipment.

 

[themagicgotme]

OP I'm so sorry you feel judged. The only thing I'm judging here is the TSA if they've made you go through this repeatedly when it's not at all required.

I travel alone as a severely disabled person. I am not physically able to carry the bin of my stuff; I can't even stand up from my scooter for more than about 30 seconds at a time. I can't unload my stuff from the scooter and place it in the bin. I can't put my shoes in the bin because I can't pick them up from the floor.

The TSA will not require a passenger to do stuff they cannot do or that isn't safe. It's illegal. Every time they decide to inspect my laptop or anything else, they carry it over there themselves because I can't. I travel with a soft cooler of refrigerated meds and syringes that gets examined every time, and that I could carry, but the area they bring it to for secondary inspection isn't accessible to my scooter and I can't walk it over there.

There's no such thing as "unless you can pick up and carry your own medical equipment you don't get to pass security." You and your husband can choose to do so if you like, and I'd hope no one would judge you for it. It's just that I have seen many many instances of TSA abusing their power, making up nonexistent regulations, once an agent tried to stick his hand down my pants because he absolutely insisted I had loose change in my pocket, as he could not grasp the concept of a hip replacement on a young girl. I didn't even have a pocket in those pants, btw, they were sweatpants.

If it's your choice, there's nothing wrong with it, but please don't let the TSA push you around or demand you do anything unsafe for yourself or for your equipment.

I truly can't imagine what you go through and I'm horrified to hear that about TSA and your pockets, but unfortunately not surprised. My husband's condition is degenerative, so he's heard lots of stories from his community of custom scooters ruined in planes with no recourse. We're traveling as much as we can now, and hopefully will make adjustments as we go and continue, just on different kinds of trips. Our biggest issue now is a fortunate one, which is that it's not obvious he has a disability. He's working on just telling TSA that he needs to slow down and to give him a moment, but it's a work in progress. He's a natural rule-follower to a fault. We requested early boarding on our last trip, and being able to get on the plane and know he can securely and safely store his ventilator and take his time without being jostled made a huge difference. But someone made a nasty comment on both legs of our journey- one was a passenger and on the way back it was the gate agent. It's small, but it takes an emotional toll. (My mother was a ballet dancer, so had a double hip replacement at a relatively young age, and yes, the hip checks are so stressful because they are basically your groin.)

 

[disney-inspired]

*duplicate*

 

[notatallmagic]

Just another note about medical bags as carry-ons...I've a ton of medication and insulin pump/CGM/insulin/pens/needles I fly with and I put all of my medical supplies in a vera bradley weekender bag along with additional carry-on bag and personal bag (that goes under my seat). If I'm even stopped, I declared it a medical bag. No one has ever asked to see the contents and I've only been stopped once.

That's good to know! We are frequent fliers with Frontier, and have three trips this summer. The only guidance I could find for "medical bag" is that only medical equipment/supplies (like what you listed) can be in the bag. Any other tips? She was thinking a bag the size of a string bag to fit everything.

 

[elvispursley]

That's good to know! We are frequent fliers with Frontier, and have three trips this summer. The only guidance I could find for "medical bag" is that only medical equipment/supplies (like what you listed) can be in the bag. Any other tips? She was thinking a bag the size of a string bag to fit everything.

I don't have a whole lot more to add except you may want to check with your airline. I generally fly Alaska exclusively when I can and their website clearly talks about additional carry-ons allowed for medical supplies/equipment. But when I flew Air Canada, I had to have physician's note stating the additional bag was a medical necessity. I had to email their medical disabilities with the note which was then added to my flight (this was for an international flight so it may have been required because of that ). But having the ability to carry all my supplies on trips without it counting as one of my two carry-on's is nice indeed!

 

[Lewisc]

That's good to know! We are frequent fliers with Frontier, and have three trips this summer. The only guidance I could find for "medical bag" is that only medical equipment/supplies (like what you listed) can be in the bag. Any other tips? She was thinking a bag the size of a string bag to fit everything.

A small backpack may be easier to carry. Resist the temptation to fill empty space with non medical. Should Frontier discover non medical stuff at boarding you could be charged a minimum of $99 with no opportunity to rearrange stuff

 

[Starwind]

I don't have a whole lot more to add except you may want to check with your airline. I generally fly Alaska exclusively when I can and their website clearly talks about additional carry-ons allowed for medical supplies/equipment. But when I flew Air Canada, I had to have physician's note stating the additional bag was a medical necessity. I had to email their medical disabilities with the note which was then added to my flight (this was for an international flight so it may have been required because of that ). But having the ability to carry all my supplies on trips without it counting as one of my two carry-on's is nice indeed!

My understanding is that for USA airlines the US regulations they fall under require that a medical-only bag be permitted as an additional carry-on item at no charge, and they are not allowed to require documentation (eg physican's letter of necessity), although they can inspect the actual bag and its contents to verify it is medical only items. As with most disability-related things for US airlines, a verbal declaration from the passenger is sufficient (yes, there are certain things that require documentation, the list is short, and this isn't one of them).

In recent months i traveled for the first time in many years on Air Canada and encountered what you did -- they require a physician's letter in order to allow an additional medical bag (whether carry-on or checked). In my case since I was travelling in a few days and did not know about the rule nor have time to get such a letter (which would also cost $$$) the medical assistance desk granted me a one-time exemption for a small additional carry-on bag -- I had to tell them exactly what would be in it in advance. WestJet and Porter also wanted documentation. This is a change, IME from when I traveled say 5+ years ago when a verbal declaration was all that was needed, even when talking with their medical services desks. As an aside, they have also changed their food allergy policies -- WestJet now requires physician documentation in order to even have the allergy noted on your file, let alone request a buffer zone.

 

[KBoopaloo2]

Just saw this post and though the original post is older I wanted to share that bell services would not transfer my Dad’s CPAP machine from Kidani to BWI this trip. The CM at bell services told us it was a new policy that they will not transfer medical equipment. We’ve previously had the CPAP moved with the rest of our luggage plenty of times. It was not a big deal for us as we were not heading to a park but it is something we’ll have to keep in mind for split stays in the future.

 

[mamabunny]

Just saw this post and though the original post is older I wanted to share that bell services would not transfer my Dad’s CPAP machine from Kidani to BWI this trip. The CM at bell services told us it was a new policy that they will not transfer medical equipment. We’ve previously had the CPAP moved with the rest of our luggage plenty of times. It was not a big deal for us as we were not heading to a park but it is something we’ll have to keep in mind for split stays in the future.

Yes, we did a split stay (AK/Poly) in January of this year, and at the time we were told that Bell Services would not transfer any medical equipment. It wasn’t a problem for us, because we always drive our own car.

In September of this year (AKL), they had expanded that policy to include all food & beverages, including/especially ice chests. We did not transfer to a different hotel on that trip, but a friendly Bell Person told us about this so that we would be prepared if we had any future split stays.