How to travel with medicines on European flight

You just put the medications in your hand luggage. No need for a doctor’s letter unless you’re carrying controlled medications. Even then you don’t really need a letter, just the medicine in its original box and your prescription showing the medication was prescribed for you.

I take enough medication that I would rattle if you shook me.

I was worried about a trip to the US, but I took advice to keep them in original prescription boxes, and I kept them in hand luggage so they could be easily questioned if needed.

Nobody cared.

Hi from Australia, I travelled 9 weeks Europe this year, and we are advised by customs before leaving Aussie to have letters and original packets with name on and chemist name, I was stopped in Berlin and Greece as I hard hard core pain meds, showed letters and packets no problems,good luck

I’ve had the letters from the GPs over the years and no one asks to see them. I always take pills etc in my hand luggage in case my suitcase gets lost, as they are wont to do over this way from time to time. Sleeping pills seem to be the ones they need a letter for, not anything else.

You should have a letter from your GP to show if necessary keep it in your passport.
Never ever pack medication in your suitcase always have it on you.
When we traveled for a year we took a years supply of medication with back up information of the countries we were traveling too and airline tickets. Never had a problem.

We have bought a small bag like a bum bag from M&S today. Husbands meds bag fits in it and lots of pockets for phone, passport etc. He feels happier.
The problem was the airline company saying he couldn’t travel without a doctors letter, signed and stamped on letter-headed paper.
He has the regulation bag to go under the seat and wanted a small cross body bag for his meds.
People we have spoken to have said it’s the customs who will be looking at it.
He won’t be using this particular airline again that’s for sure.

Wow!
There was me thinking I would not get ONE reply!
All interesting to read, thanks.
Ok, I will try to explain without going on too much
This is for you grandmas who have very young grandchildren.
When I was 4 yrs of age I had a high temperature with measles as this was before there was any injection preventing the illness. When 8yrs I started to get seizures which I have had on and off ever since although over the last 27 years they are minor. no falling. no shaking just day dreaming if I get any at all.
For this reason I still have to take my AEDs regularly.

I went to Australia and only got a GP letter as I was transiting through Dubai and Singapore. European never had a GP letter,ever. Just the current prescription and a GHIC card. Enough in hand luggage to cover a few days rest in suitcase

Prescriptions are on the NHS app just to be safe I've got the parts of each box that shows the label with my name and the name of the drug etc. I've been to 3 countries this year but not been asked to show anything but I'm ready.

Make sure that you have your prescription and doctor's letter .
Some countries take a dim view if you have opioids such as codeine in your hand luggage .

I’m on meds now for the first time ever, I don’t see a prescription it’s sent electronically from my GP to pharmacy and then I pick them up - I wouldn’t have a prescription to take with me.

I have travelled the world with all my many medications ! always take original a=packagine, my prescription etc ...never been asked for a Drs letter so far ...this includes the US and Canada, plus many other, as well as Europe. There are regulations airlines must adhered to in allowing a customer to carry medication (look online !) mine cannot go into the hold so they must be in my hand luggage ! Never had any trouble apart from a UK airport, who took my insulin to test it !!!!

Friend who has to use regular medication for heart, blood pressure recently travelled to and from EU country and needed a Drs letter. Takes it all in hand luggage. This came up in our coffee morning group and seems to be the norm now. Of course had to pay for letter.

I take all my meds in my hand luggage, in the original boxes together with the prescription. For my Pregabalin (class C drug) I have a signed doctor's letter. Never had any problem at Leeds/Bradford, Newcastle or Manchester.

If the rucksack would count as "a handbag sort of thing", then he can use it but he might be better to get man bag handbag, which could include cross body or small rucksack type bags.

In short, a rucksack might be too rucksacky! if you see what I mean.

The rules must have changed sine 2019 as my husband only needed to make sure they were all in their original Packaging and took a copy of his repeat prescription.

Yes, had to have them all still in the original boxes with printed label on, which can take up quite a bit of room, but you would have to check with airline for if rucksacks are allowed as handluggage.(i think those 'back packing' must take them though?)

Ive taken all my tablets with me with them in a clear plastic bag, but included a current prescription then put that inside my hand luggage many times over the years,and sons meds & inhalers, been fine in european countries and even New york in 2017- yes was surprised the JFK airport was nearly empty, on arrival, and after a brief check & digital fingerprints taken, we were expecting to go somewhere else as thought there'd be more security checks- i asked the guy where now and he waved his arm theatrically towards the OUT section and said "freedom ma'am" smiling at us.

I worried about medication when I flew to Dubai last year. They have a strict list of banned drugs so I found that and all my meds were ok. But I take a weekly injection of ozempic which has to be kept chilled. I phoned the airline who said it was fine to wrap it with a frozen ice pack in bubble wrap and keep in hand luggage with all my other meds. The only trouble I had was at Heathrow where I was kept for ages while they scanned the ice pack! Coming back from Dubai no-one batted an eyelid! I carried a copy of my repeatprescription to prove I needed everything.

My worry was always losing hold luggage if my meds were in it. Everything goes in hand luggage.
My injections alone cost £1000 monthly and as for opiods, imagine the withdrawl symptoms if they went missing.

The original packing should have your name label (from the pharmacy) still represent.

DH was on around 20 meds and never had any trouble travelling within Europe or worldwide. They were always carried in hand luggage together with the GP's prescription print out showing they were prescribed meds.

I usually fly from Birmingham, and I’ve had no end of stuff fished out of my hand luggage and binned by Security, including expensive emollient cleansers for my skin condition. So unless I had specific permission for my essential meds to be in hand luggage, I wouldn’t risk it. Maybe your GP would know?

I should add, my big (300ml) bottle of liquid morphine is in my checked-in luggage.

One of my medications is oramorph which is morphine liquid. I decant a small amount into one of those tiny 'holiday size' shampoo bottles and put it in my carry-on luggage with my toothbrush etc and a copy of my prescription in my handbag.
I've been all over Europe and North Africa (Morocco etc) with no trouble.