Air travel

Woman with trolley at airportIt is usually advisable that you carry all your medicines with you in your hand luggage, in case your checked luggage goes missing or your medicines are damaged in the baggage hold.
However, during current tightening of security and hand baggage restrictions, the Department for Transport has advised that you can only take all essential prescription medicines for the duration of your flight (up to 100ml of liquid creams or gels and up to 50g of powder or tablets).

Essential medicines may be permitted in larger quantities above this limit, but will be subject to authentication. You must have obtained the prior agreement of the airline with which you are travelling and your departure airport. You must also bring supporting documentation from your doctor or other healthcare professional.

Most asthma inhalers do not specify how much liquid medicine is contained within them (they are often measured in puffs or doses), but as a guide most inhalers contain approximately 10–20ml of liquid.

Before you leave

  • Find out how you can get further supplies of your asthma medicines at your destination, in case your asthma medicines are damaged or some of your baggage goes missing.
  • Find out how you can get medical help (local ambulance or doctor) at your holiday destination.
  • Take out travel insurance and check that it will cover your asthma.
  • Draw up a written personal asthma action plan with your doctor or asthma nurse before your holiday.

Hand luggage

  • Always carry your reliever inhaler (usually blue) with you.
  • When you are travelling you should also always carry a spare reliever inhaler (usually blue) in your hand luggage, in case you run out or your checked-in baggage goes missing.
  • If you have been prescribed a preventer inhaler or other add-on inhaled therapies and you are taking a longer flight you will also need to take these in your hand luggage.
  • You can also take up to 50g of prescribed tablets (or powder) in your hand luggage, so always carry your steroid or preventer tablets if you are prescribed them. Ensure they are in their original packaging.
  • All asthma medicines taken on board an aircraft should have the prescription label and contact details of the pharmacy clearly shown.
  • All medicines in your hand luggage should be placed in a clear plastic bag.
  • When checking in, and at the security check, inform staff of your need to carry your asthma medicines with you and in your hand luggage.
  • You may be asked to taste your asthma medicines in front of airport staff in order to verify that they are genuine. Taking a one-off extra dose of any of your asthma medicines is not a problem. However, this does not replace your next dose and you should continue to take your asthma medicines when you normally would.
  • If you can, carry a note from your doctor explaining why you need to take the medicines on board or, if this is not possible, carry a prescription of each of your medicines with your name on it.

Checked in luggage

  • Ideally you should carry all your asthma medicines in your hand luggage. However if you do need to pack some of your asthma medicines in your checked-in luggage, inform check-in staff that your luggage contains asthma medicines that can freeze at altitude and become less effective. Ask check-in staff for your luggage to be placed in the heated area of the hold.


For more information visit the Department for Transport website dft.gov.uk and the BAA (the UK’s main airport company) website
baa.co.uk

Or for further information, call your airline directly.


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