Air travel FAQ

• What will happen to my speech processor when I walk through airport security metal detectors?
• What should I do with my spare speech processor when I fly? 
•  If the metal detector alarm goes off, what should I do?
• Should I tell anyone aboard the plane about my cochlear implant or my hearing loss?
• Will my implant transmit signals that can interfere with the plane’s navigational instruments?
• Like other electronic devices, should I turn off my speech processor during take off and landing?
• How can I use the audio jack so I can listen to music or watch a movie during a flight?

What will happen to my speech processor when I walk through airport security metal detectors?
Usually, nothing will happen. If your processor is set on the telecoil “T” setting, you may hear some buzzing as you walk through. This is harmless electromagnetic interference. It’s smart to leave your processor turned on when you walk through, just in case the security guard needs to speak to you.
 
What should I do with my spare speech processor when I fly?  
 Always pack a spare processor inside a carry-on bag, and place the carry-on onto the conveyer belt at airport security. Never place your processor directly onto a conveyer belt. Static electricity may build up on its surface. This can corrupt a MAP.

Switch off the spare processor. The x-ray machine should not affect your MAP when the processor is turned off.

Note: A low-level x-ray is used to screen carry-on luggage. The x-ray will not harm your processor or the MAP. Remember to never put your spare processor into bags you plan to check in. 

If the metal detector alarm goes off, what should I do?
 If for some reason something causes the alarm to go off, don’t worry if security needs to use a handheld wand to screen you. The handheld wand will not harm your cochlear implant, but it will beep when it passes over your speech processor. Show security your Nucleus ID card, and explain you have an implanted medical device for hearing. Tell them that the speech processor is a hearing instrument that you must wear with your implanted medical device.
 
Should I tell anyone aboard the plane about my cochlear implant or my hearing loss?
 If you are traveling alone or have difficulty understanding the on-board announcements, it’s usually a good idea to tell an airline attendant. The attendant should then make sure you understand all safety instructions. Many attendants know basic sign language. 
 

Will my implant transmit signals that can interfere with the plane’s navigational instruments?
Your implant cannot interfere with the plane’s navigation or communication systems. Although your implant transmits radio frequency (RF) signals, they are very short range and would be limited to a distance of less than five feet from the external coil.   
 
Like other electronic devices, should I turn off my speech processor during take off and landing?
 In the U.S., passengers are required to switch off computers and other electronic devices upon take-off and landing. However, medical devices are exempt from this rule, so cochlear implant speech processors can remain on.
 
When taking domestic flights within other countries, be sure to check their policy about medical devices.

How can I use the audio jack so I can listen to music or watch a movie during a flight?
 There are a lot of ways to access a plane’s audio system.

Most airlines provide flat, foam headphones to use with their system. You can place these headphones directly over your implant’s microphone. The problem is that these headphones often fit loosely, making background noise from engines and people talking a problem.

Bringing your own closed headphone, one with a hollow earpiece to fit comfortably over speech processor components and to help block out noise. Or you can try a telecoil-compatible headphone, but sometimes these don’t work well on planes. A plane’s engine and other aeronautical electronic components may interfere with a telecoil’s signal. 
 
The best option might be a TV HiFi Cable. This connects directly to your speech processor and has surge protection feature. (See your processor’s user manual for information about connecting the TV HiFi Cable to your processor.) Remember that your processor’s microphone will remain on when you use the TV HiFi Cable. To avoid picking up the background sound from your microphone, turn down its volume or sensitivity. Reducing the microphone’s volume will have no effect on the level of sound coming through the TV HiFi Cable.