Travel Tips for People with Hearing Loss from TSA

During the holiday season, many of us fly to visit family and friends or take off for a vacation. Some of us will be facing the new Advanced Imaging Technology (AIT) for the first time. HLAA has been asked whether it is safe to go through AIT wearing the processor for a cochlear implant. According to the US Department of Homeland Security, Transporation Security Administration (TSA): AIT will not harm a cochlear implant’s processor.

TSA’s website provides general information about the screening process as well as information for people with disabilities. According to their website, TSA, “has established a program for screening of persons with disabilities and their associated equipment, mobility aids, and devices. Our program covers all categories of disabilities (mobility, hearing, visual, and hidden).”

To learn more about their program, visit:

http://www.tsa.gov/travelers/airtravel/specialneeds/index.shtm

Their tips for people for hearing loss follows:

Hearing Disabilities
Travelers with Disabilities and Medical Conditions

• If you need to communicate with the Security Officer, inform her/him of your disability and the way in which you can communicate. TSA Security Officers are trained to provide whatever assistance they can to persons with hearing disabilities.

• If the screening process is unclear to you, motion to the Security Officer that you can't hear and ask him/her to ask the Security Officer to write the information down.

• If you can read lips or are hard of hearing, ask the Security Officer to look directly at you and repeat the information slowly.

• It is not necessary to remove hearing aids or the exterior component of a cochlear implant at security checkpoints.

• It is best if you wear your hearing device while going through the metal detector.

• According to Otolaryngologist and Otolaryngology surgeons, hearing devices such as hearing aids, cochlear implants, external component of cochlear implants, and middle ear implants are not affected by X-ray inspection or walk-through metal detector screening. In addition, these devices may also safely be screened using Advanced Imaging Technology (AIT).

• If you are concerned or uncomfortable with going through the walk-thorough metal detector, or are uneasy with having your external component of your cochlear implant X-rayed, you can ask for a full body pat-down of your person and a visual and physical inspection of the exterior component while it remains on your body.

• Assistive listening devices must undergo x-ray screening.

• If you use a hearing dog, you and the dog will remain together at all times while going through the security checkpoint. See the "Service Animal" section for more tips on service animals in the screening process.

http://www.tsa.gov/travelers/airtravel/specialneeds/editorial_1380.shtm