How To Travel With Hearing Aids in 2021
As more people get vaccinated, there are more opportunities to travel! Whether you are going by car, plane, or train, traveling during the summer should be fun, adventurous, and hopefully, stress-free.
Traveling with hearing aids can make a vacation seem a little daunting—you need these little technological marvels to stay clean and safe so you can really take in all the fun of vacation. Here’s your handy dandy all-inclusive guide to traveling with hearing aids.
Getting On A Plane With Your Hearing Aids
Navigating the airport is rarely a pleasant process but hearing aids don’t have to make travel more difficult. When you’re flying by air, remember these important tips:
- You can wear your hearing aids through security, metal detectors, and on the plane. TSA guidelines state that you never have to remove hearing aids or cochlear implants. If you feel worried or uncomfortable about going through an X-ray machine with your hearing aids, you can request a visual and physical pat-down instead. Just alert a TSA agent that you wear hearing aids and would rather not go through the scan.
- Airports are legally required to broadcast announcements via visual video system. If you’re concerned about missing announcements, ask a gate agent where to go to see this information. In addition, airports have many screens where they show flight info and delays—find one and take a seat nearby while you wait for your flight so you can keep an eye on it.
- Alert staff about your hearing loss. This is especially important if you’re traveling alone and don’t feel comfortable handling everything by yourself. Talk to a gate agent and mention you have hearing aids and ask if they can alert you to any important flight notifications or gate changes. Also ask if there are induction loops you can tune into!
Caring for Your Hearing Aids During Travel
The most important thing to remember when traveling with hearing aids is to keep them safe, clean, and dry as you do at home. Vacation is a time to kick back and let loose…but don’t get lax about your hearing aid safety!
When you’re traveling with hearing aids, make sure to:
- Keep them dry. If you’re going to a tropical place or having a relaxing beach vacation, be aware of environmental factors that can affect your hearing aids. Humidity can damage hearing aids if the air is moist enough (although most hearing aids these days are moisture-proof). Make sure you remove your hearing aids before jumping in the ocean or the pool!
- Keep an eye on them. If you’re in a new or unfamiliar place, like a hotel, be extra vigilant about where your hearing aids are. Leaving them on a towel or tissue in a hotel bathroom could mean your hearing aids accidentally end up in the trash. Consider buying a storage container to bring with you on the trip and to hold your hearing aids when you’re not using them.
- Bring extra batteries. Going for a long trip? Make sure to bring at least two backup sets of batteries, just in case something happens. You don’t want to be caught with dead hearing aids when you’re on vacation!
Follow these tips for traveling with hearing aids and we guarantee you’ll have a great time on your summer vacation!