Security Screening | London Gatwick Airport (2024)

Carrying medication

Medicines over 100ml, supported by a doctor's note or prescription, are allowed through security. There’s no limit on powder or pills. All medicines are subject to additional security screening and must be kept in a transparent, re-sealable bag.

You need a medical certification letter or a named prescription label on the item to carry:

  • Security Screening | London Gatwick Airport (1)Insulin
  • Security Screening | London Gatwick Airport (2)Insulin pumps
  • Security Screening | London Gatwick Airport (3)Epipens
  • Security Screening | London Gatwick Airport (4)Hypodermic needles
  • Security Screening | London Gatwick Airport (5)Medicines
  • Security Screening | London Gatwick Airport (6)Children’s medicine

Please check with your airline if you have special requirements before travelling. If you have a genuine medical condition (supported by a letter from your GP/hospital or a named prescription label on the item), there should be no problem taking such items on board.

You may carry medicines that need to be kept cold in a cool bag and include one ice pack in the bag if your doctor's letter states this is necessary.

Non-prescription medicines for children and adults can be purchased in the departure lounge.

Advice for medical conditions

We recommend carrying a signed letter about your condition from your GP or medical practitioner.

Inhalers are allowed in hand luggage, but you must remove them and place in a clear plastic bag to go through the scanner separately. You must pack spare canisters in your hold luggage. You’ll need prior approval from your airline to carry essential medical equipment unless it fits within your hand luggage. Please clearly mark it as ‘essential medical equipment’.

Pacemakers and metal implants

Our security technologies have been assessed by government health regulators as safe for anyone with medical implants. If you have concerns, please speak to a member of our security team.

If you have a pacemaker or any other medical device that may be affected by walking through an archway metal detector, please tell our security officers before going through security. Make sure you have your medical card to state that you are wearing a sensitive medical device.

A hip/joint replacement or metal implants are likely to set off metal detectors. If this happens, you will need to be searched by a security guard. There is no need to bring proof of metal implants with you but letting our security guards know may be helpful.

Medical equipment

Inhalers are allowed in hand luggage, but you must remove them and place in a clear plastic bag to go through the scanner separately. You must pack spare canisters in your hold luggage

If you have specific medical equipment that can’t be X-rayed, tell our security team. They will be happy to carry out an alternative security check.

Please carefully pack any equipment that you need to minimise the likelihood of security team incurring puncture wounds. Please let our security team know that your hand luggage contains your equipment when you present it at security control.

Medical device awareness

Passengers with special medical requirements should not be unnecessarily deprived of items which they may need to ensure health or survival during their trip, so passengers should not be asked to remove any medical devices from their person when passing through security. Any passenger that selects not to go through the scanner for medical reasons and can provide evidence of their condition (e.g. a letter from their GP, possession of medication, or devices such as an insulin pump), must as an alternative be subject to a hand search. Where the passenger would prefer privacy, a private search may also be conducted.

To alleviate any potential anxiety and in the interests of good customer service, hand-held metal detectors should not be used around the chest area for pacemakers, the head for cochlear implants, or the abdomen for pregnant females. All medical exceptions which prevent a person from going through the scanners will be subject to shoe removal; however, where a medical condition precludes this, then the CAA have advised that footwear can be screened visually. They have also provided a Medical Device Awareness Card on their website, which can be downloaded and printed prior to traveling. The card also acts as a reminder to our security officers that alternative processes to screening by security scanner and spare devices by x-ray must be undertaken. Note, however, that the card is not intended to act as a document to provide evidence of your medical condition. You can download and print the Medical Device Awareness Card from the CAA website.

Security Screening | London Gatwick Airport (2024)
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