Airports and planes may seem noisy and overwhelming if you wear hearing aids, but there are steps you can take to get through security and enjoy your flight without stress or discomfort.
What to Do Before You Go
Visit your audiologist before your trip to have your hearing aids adjusted and cleaned. Your audiologist can also answer questions and provide tips for traveling with hearing aids.
Consider packing the following essentials:
- Extra hearing aid batteries: You’ll likely use your hearing aids more than usual if you have a long day of travel and your destination may not have the necessary batteries. Pack hearing aid batteries in your carry-on or personal bag so you’ll never be without power.
- A cleaning kit: Your hearing aids may be exposed to increased wear and tear during your vacation, so a cleaning kit will help you maintain your devices.
- Extra wax guards and hearing aid domes: Those replacement items will help keep your devices protected and functioning.
- Bluetooth hearing aid accessories: You may require a Bluetooth microphone to hear your travel companions or a nearby flight attendant.
- Drying kit or dehumidifier: Place your hearing aids in a dehumidifier overnight to eliminate trapped moisture. These items are especially helpful if you’re traveling to a humid climate.
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Getting Through Security
The good news is you don’t have to remove your hearing aids to go through airport security. Modern hearing aids are made with a small amount of metal, so they aren’t affected by metal detectors and X-ray machines.
Never put your hearing aids on the security conveyor belt because you could lose or damage your devices. You can always ask security personnel if you’re unsure about taking your hearing aids through the metal detector. They will check your devices by hand.
Airports are noisy, but it’s important to keep your hearing aids in as much as possible so you don’t miss announcements.
While You’re on the Plane
You won’t need to turn off your hearing aids once you’re on the airplane. However, you will need to switch your devices to airplane mode if you have Bluetooth hearing aids. You may need to adjust the volume on your hearing aids once the plane engines turn on, but don’t remove them. Taking out your devices increases your chance of dropping or misplacing them. Talk with the flight attendants about your hearing loss, so they can provide you with clear safety instructions.
Using Hearing Loops
More airports are providing hearing loops, which use a wire to produce electromagnetic signals for telecoil hearing aids. Hearing loops allow you to hear better in places with lots of background noise but are only compatible with certain types of hearing aids. If you have telecoil hearing devices, you’ll need to turn on the t-coil setting to connect to a hearing loop.
Visit Hearing Associates and get your hearing aids adjusted before you travel so you can enjoy all the sounds of vacation. Call 888-760-2032 or contact us online to schedule your appointment.