Air Travel Tips when wearing Hearing Aids

Embrace the sounds of a life with hearing aids

Journeying can be anxiety-inducing for everyone, but for those with hearing impairments, the fear of missing crucial announcements or vital details at the airport can be overwhelming! The level of experience you have as a traveller might even prevent you from visiting destinations you’ve longed to explore, so here are my top advice for air travel when you have hearing loss.

• Put on your hearing aids! If you have hearing aids, ensure they’re fully charged and operational, and pack your charger in your checked-in bag. If your hearing aids rely on batteries, ensure you’ve got spares in your checked-in bag. You’re allowed to wear your hearing aids through security – there’s no requirement to declare them or take them off for the metal detector or full-body scanner at the security gate.
  
• Enrol in text message notifications. Most airlines provide text message notifications for updates on gate changes, flight delays, and other crucial details on the day of your journey. Make sure to activate these notifications either when you reserve your flight or when you log in to check-in 24 hours prior to your departure. I’ve relied on these notifications for a long time, and the airlines have never sent me messages after my travel date, so you shouldn’t encounter bothersome notifications after your journey! During my latest trip, I received a notification about a gate change just a few minutes before the announcement was made at the airport!
  
• Seek assistance from the security personnel. Should you not be well-versed in airport security or feeling uneasy about the procedures, inform a TSA Agent about your hearing difficulties and request additional support during the security screening process (the best moment to make this request is right after presenting your boarding pass and identification at the start of the security line).
  
• Speak with the flight crew. After you’re seated on the aircraft, activate the call button located above your seat (it resembles a person symbol). When the flight attendant approaches, inform them that you have difficulty hearing and ask them to inform you of any significant announcements throughout the journey.

And that’s it! You’ll arrive at your destination quickly, ready to experience everything the world has to offer.

If you’ve been putting off getting hearing aids, get them before your next trip! Travel will have a whole new dimension and depth when you can fully hear all the sounds around you. Book a free ear health check at Kilmarnock Hearing Centre today.