A woman has sparked a debate after she was stopped at Stansted airport security and told off for not packing her medication in a clear plastic bag – but others are divided on the rules
A woman’s post about a run-in with airport security at Stansted Airport over her medication has sparked an online debate.
The lady explained that her bag was flagged for additional checks because she had not placed her inhalers and medicine capsules in a clear plastic bag, as required by security.
Relaying the incident, she explained: “The security guy gave me a lecture that I need to put my inhalers and medication in a separate clear plastic bag (same one as for liquids). I told him that I had been instructed NOT to put my inhalers in a liquid bag. I asked when this rule about putting medication into the clear bag came into effect and he said two and a half years ago.”
In search of answers, the travel fan posted: “What do you think? I checked the Stansted Airport website and it doesn’t mention that you have to put powder-based medication in a clear plastic bag. What do you do with your medicine at security?”
Her query quickly drew attention, with many other plane passengers sharing their own tales of confusion at various airports. One person replied: “Inhalers, yes. I’m asthmatic and found this out at Manchester in July. Even got the, ‘Why do you need THREE inhalers? ‘ lecture. Two of them are rescue inhalers as I always have a backup and one was my steroid inhaler.”
Another frustrated flyer commented: “It’s crazy! I’ve been to countless airports in the last year all over the world and nobody has made me take my inhalers out of my bag!”
One traveller recounted: “I used to put them with my liquids but a security person told me you don’t need to because it ain’t a liquid. Also why should you have to justify your inhaler quantity to someone who clearly is not a doctor… if you had like ten maybe, but three? ! Of course you need your spare inhaler! “.
One more flyer shared their tale, saying: “I flew from Stansted 2 weeks ago, with 2 inhalers in my backpack pocket. I got selected for a luggage search. They noted my inhalers but said absolutely nothing about needing to put them in a liquids bag. I’ve flown from Stansted at least half a dozen times in the past two years, same with Gatwick and Luton, and that’s the one and only time my inhalers have ever been mentioned.”
The official guidance from Stansted Airport’s website indicates that inhalers are classified as liquids and therefore should be placed in a transparent plastic bag when carried in hand luggage. Advice from Holidaysextras.com suggests that passengers ought to pack medical gear with care, notify security personnel about such items, and verify whether any medication in the cargo hold could be impacted by cold temperatures.