Living with UC? Tell us about your experience. Take our survey here.

Flying With An Ostomy? It's Okay To Speak Up!

I had a new experience while traveling with my ostomy about a month ago. I do want to say that flying with an ostomy is not as big a deal as it may seem. Aside from going to the bathroom frequently and needing to manage what I eat/drink, I am able to fly with no problem. So if you are someone who has recently undergone ostomy surgery or have concerns about what it is like to fly with an ostomy, I did want to let you know that before moving on.

Security testing in the airport for an ostomy

For those who live with an ostomy and have flown on an airplane, you probably are used to the X-Ray machine picking up on the fact that you have something on your abdomen. I would venture to guess you are also familiar with how it is usually handled. Or, at least handled in my experience. For me, the “normal protocol” would be TSA going through my carry-on luggage. That only occurred a few times. Once the machine revealed what it did, a female TSA agent/officer would pat me down and wipe my hands for bomb residue (I assume that’s what they are testing for). The degree of the patdown has varied for me but the testing has always remained the same. And, of course, after that didn’t reveal anything I would be let go.

My latest flight was different. I was on my way home from a conference in Las Vegas, NV when I was flagged for understandable reasons while going through TSA. But this time, I tested positive when they checked my hands for whatever chemical they check for.

I had no idea what was going to happen. The TSA agent called for her supervisor who came over to me, asked if I was traveling with anyone, and told me to grab my bags. She then informed me we would need to go into a private room but assured me I wasn’t going to have to take my clothes off or anything like that.

I wasn’t sure how to handle it, but I was honestly afraid to go into a room alone in an airport, with no one traveling with me to ensure I was okay if too much time had gone by. I also didn’t know what I would do if I missed my flight. So, I decided to speak up.

Speaking up in the security line

I told the TSA agent that I would prefer she do whatever was needed out in public. I expressed that I appreciated the fact that she was probably trying to respect my privacy (who knows if that was true) and I was happy to do whatever she wanted, but I didn’t want to go in a separate room. She called for her male supervisor who looked me up and down and then whispered something to his colleague.

She was able to do the very “handsy” frisk in public. She also had to go through every single item in my bags and test it for whatever chemical they test for. After the 30/45 minute ordeal was over, I thanked her for being so kind and respectful.

Unfortunate situations when flying with an ostomy

I wanted to share this with you guys because I know many of us have heard some scary stories about flying with an ostomy. And while I don’t doubt there are many unfortunate situations, I do hope they are extremely infrequent. That is why I want to remind you that you can speak up. You are a human being with rights.

We all have to do what we are comfortable with. Just because I was fine with everything being done in the middle of an airport doesn’t mean that is the “right” way for it to be. Many people might have understandably preferred a more private place. Either way, my point is to tell you that you have the right to speak up. I do recommend you do it calmly, with respect, while letting them know you are open to whatever they need to do (within reason, of course).

Do you fly with your ostomy? Have you ever experienced this? Would you have preferred a separate room? Have you spoke up before? How did TSA respond? I’d love to know more about your experiences!

By providing your email address, you are agreeing to our privacy policy.

This article represents the opinions, thoughts, and experiences of the author; none of this content has been paid for by any advertiser. The InflammatoryBowelDisease.net team does not recommend or endorse any products or treatments discussed herein. Learn more about how we maintain editorial integrity here.

Join the conversation

Please read our rules before commenting.

Community Poll

How open are you about being diagnosed with IBD?