Pump Terms

Glossary letters

  1. 4 terms starting with A
  2. 6 terms starting with B
  3. 9 terms starting with C
  4. 6 terms starting with D
  5. 1 terms starting with E
  6. 2 terms starting with F
  7. 2 terms starting with G
  8. 4 terms starting with H
  9. 6 terms starting with I
  10. No terms starting with J
  11. No terms starting with K
  12. 2 terms starting with L
  13. 3 terms starting with M
  14. 2 terms starting with N
  15. 1 terms starting with O
  16. 6 terms starting with P
  17. No terms starting with Q
  18. 1 terms starting with R
  19. 6 terms starting with S
  20. 7 terms starting with T
  21. 1 terms starting with U
  22. No terms starting with V
  23. No terms starting with W
  24. No terms starting with X
  25. No terms starting with Y
  26. No terms starting with Z

Reference

  1. 01A to Z glossary

Explainers

  1. 02How an insulin pump works
  2. 03Pump or injections?
  3. 04Infusion sets and site rotation
  4. 05Carbohydrate counting
  5. 06Alarms and fail-safes
  6. 07Sick days
  7. 08Exercise
  8. 09School and nursery
  9. 10Travelling with a pump

Related reading

  1. 11Diabetes and the nervous system
  2. 12Official UK guidance

About

  1. 13About
  2. 14How we check facts
  3. 15Contact
  4. 16Privacy

Travelling with an insulin pump from the UK

Planning for spares, security checks, time zones and insurance takes most of the worry out of a trip. This page summarises what Diabetes UK, TREND-UK and the NHS publish.

Updated 11 October 20265 min readGeneral information, not medical adviceBy the Pump Terms editors

A pump should not stop anyone travelling, and Diabetes UK says living with diabetes should not be a barrier to trips at home or abroad. This page pulls together what UK sources say about luggage, security, time zones and insurance. The person's diabetes team and the pump manufacturer can confirm details for a particular pump and journey.

Supplies and spares

Diabetes UK advises planning to take two to three times the amount of insulin, medication and equipment normally used, in case a stay is extended or there are disruptions. It suggests asking the team for prescriptions covering extra insulin, supplies and manual equipment, as back-up in case of failure. The TREND-UK travel leaflet makes a similar point and adds that insulin may degrade more quickly in warmer climates and that requirements may change.

For pump wearers specifically, TREND-UK advises packing insulin pen devices and needles in hand luggage, along with quick-acting and long-acting insulin, in case of pump failure on holiday. The reasoning behind a back-up kit is set out in alarms, occlusions and fail-safes. Diabetes UK includes "device spares" in its hand luggage list, and the team can say which spares suit a particular pump.

What goes in hand luggage

Diabetes UK says to carry insulin, other diabetes medication, device spares, hypo treatments and other supplies in hand luggage. Insulin should not go in the hold, which is very cold, where luggage can be lost and where X-rays can damage sensors and device spares. Its packing list adds diabetes ID, the doctor's letter, a prescription sheet and extra snacks in case of delays, and suggests splitting medication between separate bags. TREND-UK says contacting travel companies in advance can often raise the hand luggage allowance.

The letter and the awareness card

Diabetes UK recommends a letter from the healthcare team saying the person has diabetes and needs to carry medical supplies. It says the letter should include details of medication, whether any container over 100 ml is needed, and any devices used. Some airlines request such a letter, and security staff may ask for evidence of need. Diabetes UK says to check the airline's guidelines when buying the ticket, because forms may need to be completed in advance for pump users.

Diabetes UK also points to a Civil Aviation Authority Medical Device Awareness Card, which sets out screening advice for passenger and security officer. It says the card is not essential but may make things easier.

Airport security and scanners

Devices differ here, so Diabetes UK says to ask the team and check the manufacturer's scanning advice. Its general guidance is that most pumps and sensors can go through the walk-through metal detector arches, but most pumps, sensors and any spare devices should not be exposed to X-ray luggage scanners, hold luggage scanners or full body scanners. If a person does not want to remove a pump for a full body scanner, Diabetes UK says to ask for a pat down instead, which may take time, so leaving plenty of time at security is sensible. It states that a person should never be asked to remove a medical device for screening and should be offered alternative methods. TREND-UK says to tell staff about the pump and to ask the specialist nurse or pump helpline about body scanners and X-ray equipment.

On the plane and across time zones

Diabetes UK says insulin pumps are safe to use during air travel, but changes in air pressure can change the amount of insulin delivered, so glucose should be monitored more closely on flights, especially around take-off and landing. TREND-UK suggests considering flight mode during take-off, flight and landing.

Long-haul flights cross time zones. Diabetes UK says eastward travel shortens the day and generally means a temporary reduction in insulin, while westward travel lengthens it and may raise requirements. It says the time or date on some pumps may need changing manually so the correct basal insulin is given, and that the healthcare provider should advise which settings to change and when. As one published example, TREND-UK says to wait until landing and then change the pump to local time. Teams may advise differently, so treat that as an illustration. Where glucose is reported in mg/dL, TREND-UK says dividing by 18 gives mmol/L.

Insurance and healthcare abroad

Diabetes UK says travel insurance is important and must cover pre-existing conditions such as diabetes, as many policies do not. TREND-UK says to declare diabetes as a pre-existing condition and list all medications. The NHS says a UK Global Health Insurance Card (GHIC) provides necessary state healthcare in the European Economic Area and some other countries on the same basis as a resident, which may be free or may need a payment equal to what a local resident pays. This can include treatment for long-term or pre-existing conditions. The card is free, lasts up to five years, and is applied for through the NHS website.

The NHS is clear that a GHIC is not a replacement for travel insurance. It does not cover being flown back to the UK, treatment in a private facility, or ski or mountain rescue. The NHS lists the countries where the card works, says to check coverage before travel, and recommends the UK government's foreign travel advice for the destination.

Heat, cold and storing insulin

Diabetes UK says heat can damage insulin and stop it working properly, and that insulin damaged by heat may look brownish or, for clear insulin, cloudy. Such insulin should not be used. In hot places it suggests a hotel fridge or a cool bag, provided the insulin does not freeze or touch frozen plastic ice blocks. In very cold places it says to keep insulin at room temperature or close to the body, because frozen insulin cannot be used. For the pump itself, Diabetes UK advises covering it with a towel in the sun and keeping pump handsets at room temperature in the cold, such as in an inside pocket. It adds that insulin may be absorbed more quickly in hot weather, raising the risk of hypos. If illness strikes abroad, sick days with a pump covers the general approach.

Questions people ask

Is a letter legally required to fly with a pump?

The sources opened for this page say some airlines request one and that security staff may ask for evidence of need. They do not describe it as a universal legal requirement, so checking with the airline and carrying one is the practical advice.

Does a GHIC cover a replacement pump?

The NHS describes the GHIC as covering medically necessary state healthcare, and says it is not a substitute for travel insurance. The sources do not say whether pump equipment is covered, so the insurer and the manufacturer should be asked.

In short

Two to three times the usual supplies, carried in hand luggage with a team letter, are the core of Diabetes UK's advice. Scanner rules vary by device, so the manufacturer's guidance and the diabetes team decide, with a pat down as the usual alternative to a full body scanner. Insurance that covers diabetes matters even with a GHIC, and heat and cold can both damage insulin.