Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Rebecca on November 10, 2009 at 10:30am

I can't imagine where the problem comes from especially if you point out a couple of things. 1) The omnipod communicates via infrared signal. It cannot interfere with the radio or other signals the airlines use. 2) The range of the omnipod is a couple of feet. Even if you were sitting in the front row it would not reach the instrumentation on the plane. Both of those explanations should alleviate the technical concerns. This is also an issue of discrimination if they refuse to let you fly and should be directed to the American Diabetes Association and you should point out to American Airlines that the American Disability Act protects your right to carry your medical devices. Really, they have no case and don't for a second let them try to get away with telling you you can't have your PDM!

Permalink Reply by Jim on November 10, 2009 at 10:34am

Rebecca, the PDM communicates with the pod via radio signal. The infrared signal is for downloading data. You are right about the very restricted signal range.

Permalink Reply by Rebecca Kollaras on January 7, 2010 at 1:30pm

Also if you should ever have a travel related incident like this and you need someone to advocate an answer quickly either contact Chris elliott (www.elliott.org) at chris@elliott.org or Peter Greenberg at Mastertrav@aol.com and more than likely they will find the answer and shame the airline for discriminating against someone with an insulin pump. I am

Permalink Reply by Jane Vaugh on June 5, 2010 at 4:26pm

Rebecca - according the the Omnipod Owners Manual, "Both the Pod and the PDM generate, use and can radiate radio frequency energy and may cause harmful interference to radio communications." "The OmniPod System communicates by low-level RF energy". The signal is indeed low level and would not interfer with airline communications, but arguing with flight attendants could be stressful. I had to get my security department to approve my Omnipod because of the RF.

To Marty, if it were to ever happen again, just take your batteries out for a few minutes, then when the attendant goes about their business, put them right back in. I've had the batteries out for longer than a week (using my old pump) and it didn't lose my settings...but I did have to reset the time and date and I couldn't use the bolus calculator for 6 hours. But I doubt a few minutes would do much harm. Good Luck on getting your flight approved.

But I did forget about the 30 minute suspend. That would be the easiest solution. I'm flying AA in August, I'll remember to keep my mouth shut.

Permalink Reply by marty peters on June 5, 2010 at 5:09pm

Moot point now that AA has approved use of this device going forward. I just carry the email from AA indicating approval if I have any further problems.

Permalink Reply by Eric Rizzo on November 10, 2009 at 10:55am

While I sympathize with you a great deal, I have to agree with Jim that you probably created the situation by "refusing." Just turning the PDM "off" would have put an immediate end to the situation, as I'm sure you realize now, after the fact.
By the way, when I was trained (about 18-20 months ago), I asked if the PDM and pods use Bluetooth for the communications. The trainer said, authoritatively, "No" and the specific reason he gave was that the FCC (or was it FAA?) would not approve such a communications device for use on airplanes; so Insulet developed it's own proprietary radio-based technology for the communication in order to gain FCC/FAA approval.
So I'd be surprised if Insulet does not have some form ready at-hand to demonstrate to airlines that it is indeed OK to use.

Permalink Reply by Kimberly on November 10, 2009 at 11:26am

How does one turn off the PDA w/o removing batteries? I've never heard of actually turning it "off".

Permalink Reply by Jim on November 10, 2009 at 11:55am

You just turn it off by holding down the home key. For the purposes of satisfying the flight attendant, I'm sure that would have been fine.

Permalink Reply by marty peters on November 12, 2009 at 4:08pm

This just turns off the display.....the PDM is still powered on.

Permalink Reply by Susan M on November 10, 2009 at 3:59pm

wouldn't you just suspend as you would to download readings, you can suspend for 1/2 hour. I will never forget a flight we were getting ready to take and my husband who is the Omnipod user was being searched and he was being searched right in front of a very large poster for Joslin Diabetes Clinic, it was as if TSA was totally oblivious to the needs of a diabetic.

Permalink Reply by Natasha Bowlds on November 10, 2009 at 9:46pm

Why do you suspend to download readings?

Permalink Reply by Rebecca on November 10, 2009 at 9:52pm

you used to have to suspend to download the readings, it wouldn't talk to the computer if it was delivering insulin. You don't have to suspend with the new PDM but I think it automatically does.

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