There are several things you can do before travelling to minimise risks and hassles if you are separated from your medicines while abroad. Photo / Unsplash, William Hook, Gregory Gall
There are several things you can do before travelling to minimise risks and hassles if you are separated from your medicines while abroad. Photo / Unsplash, William Hook, Gregory Gall
Passengers caught up in a backlog of mishandled luggage have faced weeks without checked bags and important items, including medication.
One family visiting relatives in Tauranga say they have been seven days without personal items or top-up medicine for their 6-year-old’s serious asthma condition.
“Her meds are in the case per the recommendation of the airline and she is in need of it,” said one worried family member.
Since February 11 the family of five, including children aged 17, 14 and 6, have been living in hand-me-downs and op-shop swim togs while waiting to be reunited with their bags. With only a week left in the trip they aren’t sure if the luggage will catch up with them before they are due to depart.
“Obviously we would seek medical assistance if needed but her inhaler is running out and the family have no personal belongings, no clothes.”
To make matters worse, the travellers say they were given conflicting information about whether they should have rechecked their luggage in Melbourne. The airline said the luggage should have been carried into Auckland, but their tickets said otherwise.
“We got three of the bags back on Thursday night. Not including the one we needed‚ unfortunately.”
The Whitrow family say it would be about a hundred dollars for new prescription and appointment, but could be a lot dearer if there were any other hospital calls.
There are still two bags which are unaccounted for, including one containing the prescription inhaler drugs.
The airline was contacted with regards to mishandled luggage rates.
The Whitrow family are still without their 6-year-old daughter's medicine, two weeks into a family trip. Photo / Supplied
Three separate closures of Auckland Airport in the past two months have exacerbated a considerable backlog of mishandled baggage. Weather events including runway flooding on January 28 and cyclone winds on February 13 and 14 have led to a pause in flights and handling operations on the ground.
Prior to this Air New Zealand, which runs the largest ground handling operation at the airport, said they were dealing with almost 10,000 emails regarding lost luggage.
Although the airline said it was making “making good inroads” and had dramatically reduced mishandled luggage rates, the recent disruption has caused further chaos at New Zealand’s main airport.
High winds interrupted ground operations, meaning luggage handling was not available, even for flights that were able to land.
Michelle and Gaelen Cole were surprised to see their luggage heading back to Tahiti on their airTag tracking. Photo / Supplied
Michelle and Gaelen Cole told the Herald that, while they were able to disembark the Air Tahiti Nui service, their luggage was not unloaded and was sent back to French Polynesia.
An Air Tahiti Nui spokesperson confirmed bags were unable to be unloaded due to dangerously high winds.
They had important personal items and prescription medication in their checked luggage and were tracking their luggage with Air Tags. The passengers’ cases contained prescription drugs, including anti-stroke medication.
Most airlines recommend that travellers with essential medication take at least a week’s worth in their hand luggage.
For longer trips this is more difficult.
The CDC says that some countries will only allow a 30-day supply of certain medicines, and require travellers to carry a prescription or medical certificate for any drugs brought to their borders.
Air New Zealand’s customer information says civil aviation rules require medicines to include a “pharmacy printed label”. For syringes and liquids in containers more than 100ml, passengers should carry a doctor’s letter.
Many passengers choose to pack a spare supply of medicine in their hold luggage, with a copy of their prescription, in case they lose their hand luggage.
What if you have lost your prescription drugs abroad?
If you have been separated from your medication or run low on it while abroad, it is important to go to a pharmacist or hospital.
Bring your prescription and doctor’s letter so they can find a suitable prescription, even if certain brands or medicines aren’t locally available.
Most pharmacies will have a global directory of medicines. They can look up a traveller’s medicines in the directory to see if there is a local equivalent, and whether a prescription is required.
Some “over-the-counter” drugs available in shops may need a prescription in another country.
Travellers are advised only to go to licensed pharmacies. The American CDC advises travellers against buying medicine abroad, due to concerns about counterfeit medicine.
Where possible, it advises travellers to “bring all your medicines, in their original containers, with you when you travel”.
