Going on holiday and flying with a stoma generally means that you have quite a lot of stuff. However, going on holiday with hand luggage only is so much cheaper and can be a lot easier.
When you go away for a week, you have at least 12 bags with you, cotton swabs, blue bags and adhesive remover. These things also take up a lot of space in your bag.
This is one of the reasons I was so so worried about going hand luggage only – how would I manage to fit all my clothes AND stoma stuff in one bag?
Spoiler alert, you can.
How to go hand luggage only when you have a stoma
Contact your airline
The biggest piece of advice is to contact you airline once you’ve booked. Ring the medical assistance line and explain that you have a stoma and need to an extra bag for your medical supplies.
I flew with Jet2.com and I honestly cannot recommend them enough. They were really understanding and helpful and made me feel really comfortable.
They also offered fast track security and boarding to make it easier. They’re the best airline I’ve flown with regarding this.
This is my biggest tip because you end up being able to take a second bag with extra weight allowance. I used my backpack and then filled it with my stoma stuff. It’s so easy!
3 top tips for flying with a stoma
- Don’t forget to get yourself a travel certificate. You can download one from SecuriCare here or give them a ring on 0800 585 125 (New customers) or 0800 318 965 (existing customers). It explains to people about stomas in many languages so if you set the scanner off in security, you can be taken to a different room to be searched and they’ll know what your ostomy is.
- Remember to empty your bag before you get on the plane. I forgot to do this once and found I had to empty my bag of air about an hour into the flight. However, on a different trip, I emptied my bag about 20 minutes before we boarded and I was fine. I decided to empty it near the end of the flight but more due to not knowing how long the queue at border control would be and I didn’t want to be uncomfortable.
- Don’t skip meals. I know it’s hard to know what to eat, especially when you’re crossing time zones, but try and eat regularly like you normally would. That way you reduce the chance of your bag filling up with air and your output will stay as normal as possible.
SecuriCare and CliniMed sponsor the Ostomy section of KTMY
Pin for later:
Latest Ostomy blog posts
Leave a Reply