Guides and information for specific needs
At LLA, we are passionate about ensuring that we provide Assisted Travel (previously Special Assistance) services that cater for people's specific needs, wherever possible. Below you can find detailed information about the practices we have in place for a selection of specific conditions. We are constantly evaluating this and looking into ways we can offer specialised support for more conditions.
Hearing Aids
The best and safest way to travel on a plane with your hearing aids and/or cochlear implant is to wear them.
Not only will this help to ensure that they are not lost in misplaced luggage, but you will be able to better hear the safety instructions of the airline and security personnel, as well as notifications about gate changes or flight delays.
It may be helpful to notify the security staff that you have hearing loss and are wearing hearing technology. This way, they will be aware of any anomalies that may show up on the security screen and will be able to facilitate communication with you.
If you are bringing a spare cochlear implant processor with you on your trip, it is best to put it in your carry-on bag, in the Cochlear Implant case, turned off, with the battery out. It is better to keep it in your carry-on rather than checked luggage because the machine can be much stronger on the checked luggage scanner and may affect map settings.
You’ll be glad to know that airport security devices such as full body scanners, walk-through metal detectors, x-rays, and hand-held detection devices do not affect hearing aids or cochlear implants. With that said, some metal detectors may cause you to hear some unpleasant sounds, so decreasing the volume on your device might help as you pass through these devices.
Hearing loops
To ensure that customers with hearing aids can communicate with staff throughout their journey, we have over 130 hearing loops installed across key areas, including check-in, security, departure gates and border control. All customer service desk telephones and the Assisted Travel are also equipped with the telecoil system.
Autism
The National Autistic Society has some helpful advice on what to do if you're travelling with an autistic adult or child. Please use the autism-friendly guides to travel through London Luton Airport, which will help familiarise you with what to expect at the airport in advance of your holiday.
ADHD
Children and young people with ADHD are very susceptible to anxiety and find any change to their normal daily routine potentially stressful. We recommend that you take time to prepare your child for the journey in advance and bring lots of activities to keep them busy at the airport and on the plane.
Please use our friendly guides to travel through London Luton Airport, which will help familiarise you with what to expect at the airport in advance of your holiday.
Dementia
Airports can be busy and confusing at the best of times. If you have dementia then these feelings are amplified many times and the airport can become bewildering. Alzheimer's Society produces a really useful factsheet with tips and advice about planning a holiday for people affected by dementia, including arranging travel insurance.
We are committed to making LLA accessible to everyone and have been rolling out Dementia Friends to our airport staff. Dementia Friends has enabled staff to understand more about dementia, so that they are able to recognise and offer more support to passengers and their travel companions.
IBD
If you have Crohn’s Disease or Ulcerative Colitis (the two main forms of Inflammatory Bowel Disease or IBD) you may find the thought of travelling quite daunting, whether that’s due to toilet accessibility, going through security with a stoma bag or other IBD-related concerns.
To help with any anxiety and make sure you have a more positive travel experience, Crohn’s and Colitis UK have put together a travel and IBD factsheet to help you feel more comfortable when planning a vacation or business trip.
Advice for guests travelling through LLA with a Stoma – in association with colostomy UK
- You can request not to go through a body scanner, but if you do, you WILL be subjected to a full search. You can request that this search be held in a private room.
- London Luton Airport recognises the sunflower lanyard; these are available free of charge from the Assisted Travel desk located inside the airport entrance doors (on the right). Wearing the lanyard identifies the guests to the staff as someone who may need additional support.
- If you need assistance on your flight, you should advise your airline at least 48hrs before your departure date. You can contact your airline here.
- You can only take more than 100ml of liquids in your hand luggage if accompanied by a prescription or a letter from your doctor.
- You should expect to be treated the same as everyone else. Having a stoma does not exclude you from any security checks.
- Please provide as much information as you feel comfortable providing, in order for the security staff to best assist you.
- The radar key is not required for any accessible toilet or changing places facility located within London Luton Airport. This ensures access is available for all who may require to use the facilities.
- To help ease some anxieties that may occur when travelling, you may wish to bring along a travel certificate, which will assist in explaining to the travel authorities, their staff and security officials, that you have a medical condition and are wearing a stoma bag. It also advises them that you may have an urgent need to use the toilet facilities. You can obtain a travel certificate from the Colostomy UK website here.