Anyone flown with Ryan air and diabetic?

Soldato
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Hey guys

Im flying to Belgium tomorrow with the gf and i am aware of the cabin luggage restrictions and the women having to put their handbags in the cabin luggage too. Question is the GF is diabetic and will be bringing a cool bag for her insulin etc. Obviously its too big to put in the cabin luggage. Will ryanair let this slide and in theory let her on with 2 bags of hand luggage? with it being medical etc?

Tried ringing customer services but they are by far the most terrible CS iv experienced lol.
 
Soldato
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Why can't you pack it in cargo hold?
Take insulin as normal, eat as normal, people have more issues going hypo than hyper- hyper takes longer to give keto effects, and if she's taken her insulin as normal it should not be an issue.
 
Soldato
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Surely a small cool bag would do - she won't be taking that much insulin will she? Current insulin can be kept in her handbag as it will only need to be at room temperature and is fine for 4 weeks like that.
 
Soldato
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Why can't you pack it in cargo hold?
Take insulin as normal, eat as normal, people have more issues going hypo than hyper- hyper takes longer to give keto effects, and if she's taken her insulin as normal it should not be an issue.

The insulin would freeze in the cargo hold mate. Weve flown long haul loads and usually just put it in the stewards fridge. But because its only a 1.5hr flight were just going to put it in a cool bag. But ive read online stories they wont accept this.

I would call them. And take the full name of who ever you speak to.

They keep trying to put me through the special assistance. Although its not open weekends, just my luck.
 
Soldato
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Surely a small cool bag would do - she won't be taking that much insulin will she? Current insulin can be kept in her handbag as it will only need to be at room temperature and is fine for 4 weeks like that.

Yeah it is small mate. probably the size of half a load of bread lol. But its wont fit in the little 10kg cases we are taking (too boxy).

Will have to speak to them direct tomorrow morning.
 
Soldato
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Yeah it is small mate. probably the size of half a load of bread lol. But its wont fit in the little 10kg cases we are taking (too boxy).

Then cut down on everything else you were going to take in that hand luggage and just take the one bag. Alternatively get her to put her handbag in her hand luggage and take the coolbag in place of the handbag - if you have a medical certificate they aren't going to argue because if anything went wrong there would be liable.

Speak to someone you'll get it sorted to your satisfaction I am sure.
 
Soldato
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Then cut down on everything else you were going to take in that hand luggage and just take the one bag. Alternatively get her to put her handbag in her hand luggage and take the coolbag in place of the handbag - if you have a medical certificate they aren't going to argue because if anything went wrong there would be liable.

Speak to someone you'll get it sorted to your satisfaction I am sure.

This is the thing mate. Shes not allowed an handbag lol. It has to go inside the cabin luggage which is shocking really. So thats going in the bag already. We have the doctors letter etc so hopefully shouldnt be a problem.
 
Soldato
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I can't quite understand your problem how this is a problem.

I carry a medical pen in a Thermos cold pouch (size of a shoe roughly and soft sided), in which I put sports injury type ice packs (they don't leak unless damaged). Fits in my cabin luggage fine for xray and check in.

On my 2 previous flights with BA, I asked them for ice cubes to put in the pouch because they were long haul flights (7h+) and the ice packs wouldn't last. Although the Thermos pouch is waterproof, I tend to take it out of my cabin luggage and keep it under my feet, just in case it gets damp or leaks. It hasn't to date though. The pouch is also very well insulated - I managed to make ice cubes last the whole flight in them + 2h transfer on the other side.

Can't find mine online, but got it in TKMaxx for < £10.
 
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Soldato
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Gawd that is a bit tight. How long are you going for though - as the insulin only needs to be a room temperature and only in the fridge if being stored then do you actually need the coolbag?
 
Soldato
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Its more so she knows she has it with her incase she loses her bag.

Rang them and listed everything what will be in the cool bag and she said its fine aslong as its not over 3kg which is about 1kg and sending a certificate to let her have 2 cabin bags.

Happy days, thanks for the replies dude.
 
Associate
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You don't need a cool bag unless the temps are going to be 30+ then even the insulin you are using should be in something like a Frio Be careful about using fridges for your insulin to as sometimes they will be to cold and might freeze the insulin.

I like frio because you don't need anything but cool water to use it. It doesn't keep it really cold just low enough to protect the insulin. Works just like sweating so it will get stuff in the same bag wet and the high price is the only downside. Might be worth looking into for the future if she isn't using that system already.

I've had more problems with needle tops than insulin. If you have cargo luggage they like you to put the ones you'll not need in there.
 
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No it wouldn't. Why would it freeze?

Airlines and nurses / doctors tell us not to just in case it might freeze in an unheated one. I believe it doesn't happen on short haul flights as you are never high enough, but it isn't worth the risk. I'm not sure if they are normally heated now and it is no longer an issue? I know luggage isn't lost much but with a insulin it is better to keep it on you. In the EU you'd likely be ok getting any insulin you needed but some places you just can't get the right type of insulin and changing to a different one is difficult and extra bad on holiday when your needs are likely different to normal.
 
Soldato
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Insulin starts to clump and crystalise below 10 degrees too notably from about 4 degrees downwards so it's best not to take the chance.
 
Soldato
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Why can't you pack it in cargo hold?
Take insulin as normal, eat as normal, people have more issues going hypo than hyper- hyper takes longer to give keto effects, and if she's taken her insulin as normal it should not be an issue.

I don't know what it's like for Type 2s. but for Type 1, you have to inject for every meal. So if there's in-flight food, she'll need insulin on hand. If she has a hypo during the flight, she'll have to eat something. Then she'll have to keep a close eye on her levels and adjust as needed with the insulin.

Personally, I keep my injecting kit with my current insulin in a jacket pocket, with spare vials of insulin in the hand luggage. It doesn't take up much space. You don't need to keep it in a cool bag on the flight, so long as you stick it in the fridge as soon as you arrive at your destination. Even if it's a long haul flight, the insulin shouldn't be damaged so much by spending a number of hours at room temperature.

No it wouldn't. Why would it freeze?

Because aeroplane cargoholds are very cold. You're flying at 30 to 40 thousand feet - it tends to get quite chilly up there, and cargoholds aren't always heated.
 
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