# Airports and sunflower lanyard



## SB2015 (Mar 13, 2019)

Having read on here about the sunflower lanyards that are available at some airports, and having had a (very unusually) unpleasant experience at a very busy Heathrow last time, I decided to try the sunflower lanyard this time.  This is used to show that you have a hidden disability, which I haven’t but I am happy to use it for my hidden pump which, on very rare occasions, causes issues going through security.

I picked up one at the assistance desk, put it on, assured them that I did not need assistance and followed  their advice on going through the special assistance queue at security.  We bypassed the zig zags, and arrived at a much shorter queue.  I did my usual of removing anything metal to avoid bleeping in the metal scanner, no bleep,  but my bag with needles, pens and cannulas was diverted for a check.  When called over to witness this extra check, the person looked up, saw the lanyard and just handed me my bag and said that was fine.

I shall keep my lanyard as advised by the desk, put the new awareness/information card for airport security checks produced in association with the CAA( See here: https://forum.diabetes.org.uk/board...s-card-live-launch-on-13-february-2019.79527/),  in the clip on bit, and use it again.  If nothing else the shorter queue is one of the few advantages of having D.   It is rarely a problem having the pump, but if I forget to remove some metal and I beep, and tiny number of the security staff become experts about how to look after my pump and insist that I go through the X-ray, .... If the lanyard avoids that, and reduces the number of issues I will happily use it.


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## Drummer (Mar 13, 2019)

Thank you for passing on the information - I know several people who have been sorely trouble by security, one who missed a family wedding because they were delayed for so long they could not make the connection with the wedding party all down to the amount of medication they needed to carry with them.


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## travellor (Mar 13, 2019)

SB2015 said:


> Having read on here about the sunflower lanyards that are available at some airports, and having had a (very unusually) unpleasant experience at a very busy Heathrow last time, I decided to try the sunflower lanyard this time.  This is used to show that you have a hidden disability, which I haven’t but I am happy to use it for my hidden pump which, on very rare occasions, causes issues going through security.
> 
> I picked up one at the assistance desk, put it on, assured them that I did not need assistance and followed  their advice on going through the special assistance queue at security.  We bypassed the zig zags, and arrived at a much shorter queue.  I did my usual of removing anything metal to avoid bleeping in the metal scanner, no bleep,  but my bag with needles, pens and cannulas was diverted for a check.  When called over to witness this extra check, the person looked up, saw the lanyard and just handed me my bag and said that was fine.
> 
> I shall keep my lanyard as advised by the desk, put the new awareness/information card for airport security checks produced in association with the CAA( See here: https://forum.diabetes.org.uk/board...s-card-live-launch-on-13-february-2019.79527/),  in the clip on bit, and use it again.  If nothing else the shorter queue is one of the few advantages of having D.   It is rarely a problem having the pump, but if I forget to remove some metal and I beep, and tiny number of the security staff become experts about how to look after my pump and insist that I go through the X-ray, .... If the lanyard avoids that, and reduces the number of issues I will happily use it.



It sounds like a good system.
I would prefer it if we still had full security on the bag check though.


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## nonethewiser (Mar 13, 2019)

Amazes me how you find these things out, never heard of the sunflower lanyards.


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## SB2015 (Mar 13, 2019)

travellor said:


> It sounds like a good system.
> I would prefer it if we still had full security on the bag check though.


They probably picked up the needles, insulin vial, meds, ... which was all that was in the bag.


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## travellor (Mar 13, 2019)

SB2015 said:


> They probably picked up the needles, insulin vial, meds, ... which was all that was in the bag.



It appears they did assume that was all that was in the bag.
However, looking in the bag, and checking would be good.
"just handed me my bag and said that was fine."
Unless I've misread your post?

It's one thing to overcheck a disability, it's another to be so PC that any disability gets waved through regardless.
That's a very bad precedent.


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## Robin (Mar 13, 2019)

SB2015 said:


> They probably picked up the needles, insulin vial, meds, ... which was all that was in the bag.


I assume it had already gone through the x-ray machine, The same sort of thing happened to me once, I saw my bag coming through, then they reversed it and had a good look, and the guy called his supervisor over, who looked at the suspicious looking double metal tube showing on the image, looked at me and said, 'that’s insulin pens, isn’t it?' to which I replied 'yes' and it went through without further hitch. (It was my empty spare ones, the ones in use and my spare cartridges were in my clear plastic bag)


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## trophywench (Mar 13, 2019)

Never been stopped re insulin or those associated sharps but were once asked by the chap on the Xray machine 'Are you carrying a thing with 5 thin metal spikes and if so, what is it?'  Both mystified, even when he showed us on the screen.  Then I had a brainwave - I had a very lightweight lawn crossover dress with a low waist which gaped open all down the front when I got it home and did the second twirl with the right shoes - so I bought a starfish brooch which I pinned it together with - I only really wore it on holiday so it was all quite tasteful and appropriate for holiday wear - and I'd done this for several years, been X rayed I dunno how many times in the past and never ever queried before.  Oh yeah - bet that's it !   So said so and asked if he wanted us to unlock it so I could show him and prove it for them?  Nah - don't worry if that's what it's likely to be, he said.  Obviously we didn't argue with that.  BUT …….


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## SB2015 (Mar 14, 2019)

It had indeed been through the X-ray.  He checked that again before handing it back to me.  I guess he felt he had an explanation for all the needles, cannulas, insulin, spare pump, ...  rather than asking me to confirm that I had D.


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