Summer Travel with Hearing Aids

Summer means it’s time to hit the road, hit the airports or hit the train stations! No matter how you are going to travel you don’t want to miss a single thing on your trip. That includes sounds as well as sights, smells and tastes. Make sure you are ready to travel with your hearing aids this summer!

Before your trip

You wouldn’t think about heading out on your next adventure without being prepared. Why should your hearing aids be any different? When you pack your bags, be sure to pack for your hearing aids too. You don’t leave home without packing a bag; your hearing aids aren’t any different.

Domestic travel: If you are staying in the U.S. or Canada; make sure you pack these items at a minimum:

• Battery charger or replacement batteries
• Cleaning equipment and supplies
• Storage case
• Spare accessories, in case you lose tubing, sport clip or sweatband
• Waterproof storage case if water sports are on the itinerary

International travel: If you are leaving the U.S. or Canada, you should consider voltage issues if you use rechargeable batteries or any drying box that requires electricity. Since plug configurations and voltages vary from country to country, make sure that you have a step-down transformer with the proper plug configuration.

If you will be using a cell phone in another country, make sure the cell phone you will be using is hearing aid compatible. 

Your travel agent is a wonderful source of information. Be sure to ask them about these special considerations. 

All travel: Don’t forget to take any accessories you use to connect with high tech devices. Be ready to connect with FM or loop systems. These are used all over the world to help people with hearing loss connect with organized tours, museums, and auditoriums. Make sure you ask if these services are available when you buy your ticket. 

Air travel and hearing aids

If your hearing aids run on lithium batteries you cannot put these in your checked baggage. All lithium batteries must be carried on-board. This is for your safety and the safety of everyone else on the plane.

Once on board, rest assured that the directive to turn off electronic devices does not apply to your hearing aids. The FAA has made an exception to this rule for hearing aids.

If you have trouble hearing onboard announcements, be sure to let the flight attendant know this. In case of emergency, they should know that you need to hear safety announcements personally. 

Also, don’t worry about changes in cabin pressure. The change in air pressure while you fly does not damage hearing aids.

The TSA and hearing aids

According to current TSA guidelines, you don’t need to remove your hearing aids for security screening. As a matter of fact, you need to leave them in so you can hear any instruction that the agent might give you.

You do need to let the screening agent know in advance that you are wearing hearing aids. You can use a downloadable preprinted card provided by the TSA if you prefer to discreetly notify the agent.

If your hearing aids do trigger an alarm from the screening device don’t panic. The screening agent has already been made aware of the hearing aids. You may be screened with a wand or have a quick pat down. Either way you’ll be cleared to proceed and have a great trip!

Traveling with hearing aids doesn’t have to be an arduous task; just do your research and preparations before hand!