Lap-Bands and Airport Security

[Cocoabean 430]

I have my lap-band® card in my wallet, however I have not yet pulled it out for the child or senior menu discounts (only 2 and a half weeks post-op)

I was given my card directly after surgery with a sticker containing the serial number and reference number of my band on it.

As for the metal portion on our ports, I can tell you that I have 2 steel plates and 16 screws holding my right foot onto the end of my leg, and I rarely set off metal detectors with THAT much metal in it. Once in awhile I get a touchy scanner and they just pat that ankle down when they catch it with the wand. :thumbdown:

I am going to say that there's not enough metal in the port to make even the most sensitive metal detecting scanners go off.

As for the full body x-ray the port is inside the body, as is the band, they're not checking you for medical implants, and I doubt it would ever be an issue flying.

Oh, I didn't mean from a metal detector standpoint. I meant just isn't there a bit of metal in the port. The post I quoted said it was all plastic, but I don't think so.

I recall there was a bit of metal at the bottom of the port. A tiny bit that would not set of any detectors.

I did a 3 month jury duty without setting of the detectors there that are much more sensitive than airports (or so the bailiffs told me).

[Hollywood96 0]

I currently am employed by TSA airport security. the full body scanners do not scan "inside your body" and cannot detect that you have had the band . nothing while going through security can detect the band. it is in no way shape or form metal. i have the band and tell passengers all the time....."No it not your port or band". the only way "security can tell if you have an implant" is if you tell them......there is no need to share your buisness. :thumbup:

[Drasan 23]

Thank you everyone for the replies. I'll fly through security with more peace of mind.

[Drasan 23]

I want to add an update to this thread with some information from my recent travel experience.

The airport from where I departed had metal detectors. My lap band, as expected was not detected.

The European airport for the return flight had a full body scanner, but not the kind that shows the xray of your body. This scanner showed a silhouette of a non-gendered human body. Detected objects show up as little orange squares. My lap band and port where detected, each one showing up as a little orange square. This earned me a pat down which was no big deal. I passed through security with no problem.

Happy travels everyone!

[tinksmom 0]

I was told that the small bit of metal is titanium. I asked because of having to have an MRI...no problem there either, BTW.

[Froggie D 1]

At my class they did say the metal bottom of the port could possibly be detected so I was given a card.

[jalivia2 0]

I have a lap band card too. I went through airport security yesterday and had no problems.

[kells0802 0]

Oh wonderful so I am getting on a plane in 2 weeks and was thinking I only had to worry about getting stuck, pb'ing or sliming when I got there Now I have to worry about setting off security as well??? WTF?? lol :w00t:

[racetrackweary 0]

Thanks for the info everyone! Especially Hollywood96. I will be traveling with a friend on Dec. 2 to NYC and I have been stressing out about someone finding my band! I've traveled before without incident; however, I was concerned about the "new and improved" security measures. No one except my husband and I know that I have been banded. I would love to keep it that way.

[extraonme 4]

Here is what the scan actually looks like. It is a picture of the outside of the body underneath the clothes, so they can not detect anything inside such as the port and or the band. Lots of banders have said they have 0 issue flying even with the new scanners.