Finally, holiday season is in full swing! Whether you’re headed off on a foreign adventure or planning a trip closer to home, here’s our comprehensive guide to travelling with your hearing aids.
Finally, holiday season is in full swing! Whether you’re headed off on a foreign adventure or planning a trip closer to home, here’s our comprehensive guide to travelling with your hearing aids.
If your travel plans involve getting on a plane, then this next section is for you – we’ve been answering some of your most asked questions about air travel with hearing aids.
These days a large proportion of hearing aid batteries are rechargeable, which means that they are absolutely fine to take on a plane in your hearing aids – just remember to bring your battery charger so you don’t get caught short!
If you use non-rechargeable batteries in your hearing aids, they are also allowed on flights if kept in the aids. Make sure to pack any spare batteries in the hold luggage, preferably in unopened packets.
Yes, hearing aids are perfectly fine to wear through security and shouldn’t cause you any issues. It is recommended, though, to let a member of staff know you are wearing hearing aids before going through the scanner, and if, for some reason, the security staff need to take a closer look at them, you can request they do so by hand (although this is at the airport’s discretion).
A lot of hearing aids now sport Bluetooth capabilities, which make listening to your favourite tunes or getting stuck into a box set so much easier. But can you use them on a flight? As long as the device your hearing aid is connected to is switched to flight-safe mode, then it is absolutely fine to use them.
TOP TIP – You should download your favourite music, films and TV shows onto your personal device before jetting off so they are available to access without an internet connection.
Now for some more handy hearing aid travel tips you should note before setting off on your adventures.
When was the last time you had your hearing aids checked? If it’s been a while, we recommend booking a hearing aid review about 4 weeks before you travel. This will allow your audiologist to check everything is in working order and optimise any settings.
Probably the most important tip we’ll share in this guide is to be prepared, especially if you are someone who really relies on their hearing aids. Remember to bring spare batteries or your charging devices along with you so you aren’t caught short, especially if you are on an all-day excursion. Make sure to also pack your cleaning and maintenance supplies when you’re travelling. This is especially important if you’re headed to warmer climes, because the humid conditions could cause moisture build-up in the domes and filters, and you may need to replace them.
Although it’s something that some of us don’t like to talk about, letting people know about hearing difficulties can be really helpful whilst on your travels, especially if you also have a language barrier to get over as well. Whether that’s at the airport, on the plane or at your hotel, informing key personnel about any hearing impairment will allow them to make any necessary accommodations and ensure important information is properly communicated to you.
And for our final travel tip, make sure you check your travel insurance! While most travel insurers do cover the loss of personal items, it’s important to check with the provider whether your hearing aids are covered or need insuring separately.
We hope our top tips for travelling with hearing aids stand you in good stead for any adventure you’ll be embarking on. But of course, our expert audiologists at The Hearing Care Partnership will be on hand to help with any queries or advice before you jet off.
If you would like to book an appointment at your nearest THCP practice, you can call our Dedicated Patient Support team on 0800 52 00 546 or book an appointment online.