The thought of flying with a stoma bag can seem daunting, but to be honest, it’s totally fine if you know what to expect.
Here are some tips that will help you be more prepared and hopefully feel more confident.
Travel tip 1: always be prepared with a stoma
Before travelling anywhere I will always make sure to do a fresh bag change and pack double the supplies I will need for the trip. It’s always better to have more than less!
You should always pack;
- Your prescription list
- sunflower lanyard
- radar key
- emergency toilet use card
- travel certificates
You may not need these but again it’s always better to be prepared.
They will then do checks so they will ask to see your stoma bag and this can be done in a private room or you can do it off to the side.
I prefer to just do it off to the side as it’s normally quick and discreet and in my experience draws less attention. I never liked the fact I had to be escorted into a room.
Travel tip 2: always dress for easy access to your bag
Another thing to remember here is to wear something that you will be able to show your stoma bag without fully exposing yourself, such as shorts or trousers and a top.
If you have a dress on, you will need to pull this up to show your bag.
They will then scan your bag with a handheld device, and sometimes your hands. For me, this has been quick and easy on most occasions but there has been an occasion where the staff were not fully trained and escorted me to a side room which made me feel uncomfortable.
Travel tip 3: empty your stoma bag before your flight
Before getting onto the flight I will always empty my bag.
You can do this on the plane but as the toilets are quite small and restricted on the plane, I try to minimise using them or using them as little as possible.
Finally, don’t let airport security, flying or fear of the what ifs prevent you from travelling with a stoma bag. The more you do it the more confident you will become and the more experience you will gain.
