Flying and travelling with period products

A period does not check the calendar before a trip. Neither does a security line. This Column covers airport screening first, then packing by format, then the plane and the road, then cleaning reusables when you are away from home. It ends with time zones, because wear times are counted in hours. It describes every format. It does not rank one against another. Two travellers with the same flow pack differently, and both are right.

Through security: what CATSA and the TSA say

In Canada, the Canadian Air Transport Security Authority (CATSA) screens passengers at airports. CATSA’s rule pages do not list period products by name. One CATSA page does mention them. It is a packing story on CATSA’s blog, and the traveller’s carry-on holds “Personal hygiene products: Toothbrush, tampons, pads, deodorant and other necessary items”. The same story says: “While rules are consistent across Canadian airports, it’s always smart to check with your airline for any additional restrictions.”

Liquids follow one rule. CATSA says carry-on containers of liquids and personal items “must be 100 ml/100 g (3.4 oz) or less”. They “must fit in one clear, resealable plastic bag no more than 1L in capacity.” CATSA allows wet wipes in carry-on and checked baggage.

In the United States, the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) screens passengers at US airports. Its page on tampons says “Carry On Bags: Yes” and “Checked Bags: Yes”. It adds: “The final decision rests with the TSA officer on whether an item is allowed through the checkpoint.” The TSA’s liquids rule allows containers of “3.4 ounces (100 milliliters) or less per item”, in a quart-sized bag. The Editor found no TSA item page for cups, period pads or period underwear.

The body scanner. CATSA says its full body scanner is “used to reveal objects, including weapons and explosives that could be concealed under clothing.” The screening officer “sees a generic figure that has no identifying features.” If the scanner alarms, “you will have the opportunity to remove any objects in the area(s) of concern and be rescanned. However, if the alarm cannot be resolved, a physical search will be conducted.” If you are unable to undergo a full body scan, CATSA says you may request a physical search, and that “In most cases this is permissible, although some limitations exist.” CATSA’s scanner page does not mention period products.

A physical search. CATSA says a physical search “is always conducted in the most professional and respectful manner possible.” On its page for transgender passengers, CATSA says passengers can ask that “The entire search be conducted by either a male or a female screening officer”, or ask for “A split-search”. Passengers “can also request that their physical search be conducted in a private room”, and “may bring a witness of their choice”. The page also says: “Passengers are not required to reveal that they are transgender”.

What readers describe. Some travellers report that period underwear or a period pad set off a body scanner at a US airport. A traveller flying from Canada to the US asked about wearing a cup. In the replies, some said they were patted down after a cup or disc showed on a scan. Most said it never happened to them. These are travellers’ stories. No screening authority we checked says what a scanner shows for any period product.

A note on words: CATSA’s packing story says “pads”, and a National Defence guide says “sanitary pouch”. We keep sources’ words so we report them accurately. In our own words, we say “period pads”. The Reading Room is for everyone who menstruates.

Packing, by format

In the fixed order of the Reading Room. One or two lines each. None is better for travel than another.

Period pads and liners. CATSA’s packing story lists “pads” in the carry-on. For used ones, a National Defence health guide, written for the military, describes carrying them in “a sanitary pouch or sealable waterproof bag… until disposal containers are available.”

Tampons. CATSA’s packing story lists “tampons” in the carry-on. The TSA allows them in carry-on and checked bags. Here is what health bodies say about how long to wear one, in hours:

• Health Canada: “Change your tampon every 4 to 8 hours, and do not use tampons overnight.”
• Canada’s Society of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (SOGC): “Tampons should be changed frequently – every 4-6 hours – to reduce the risk of developing Toxic Shock Syndrome (TSS).”
• The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA): “Change each tampon every 4 to 8 hours. Never wear a single tampon for more than 8 hours at a time.”

Of these three, only Health Canada speaks to nights: “do not use tampons overnight”. The FDA and SOGC pages quoted have no overnight statement. Periodica takes no position.

Cups. No CATSA or TSA page names cups. CATSA’s list of exceptions to the liquids rule does not include cup wash, so a liquid cup wash in a carry-on goes in the 1 L bag, in a container of 100 ml or less. The instructions for your own cup give its wear time.

Discs. As for cups, no screening page names them. One maker says its disposable discs “cannot be flushed or recycled”, and to wrap them before the trash. The instructions for your own disc give its wear time.

Period underwear. No screening page names it. The same National Defence guide says reusables “need to be stored and carried in a sanitary pouch or sealable waterproof bag until it is possible to clean them.” The instructions for your own pair give its wear time.

Reusable period pads. The same guide’s line applies: a sanitary pouch or sealable waterproof bag until you can wash them.

Comfort and care. CATSA allows wet wipes in carry-on and checked baggage. So does the TSA. The National Defence guide says that when washing in water is not practical, “non-scented body cleansing wipes can be used externally”.

On the plane and on the road

Cabin pressure. Some travellers say they leaked during a flight and blame the change in pressure. They advise packing a backup. We found no official or clinical source on this, so this Column does not explain it.

Aircraft toilets. The National Defence guide says: “No period products should be flushed down a toilet.” The guide’s line makes no exception for aircraft. Airline rules for aircraft toilets are not described in the sources we checked.

Carrying used products. The guide names two cases. Disposable products can go in “a sanitary pouch or sealable waterproof bag… until disposal containers are available”. Reusables stay in one “until it is possible to clean them.” The same guide, written for the military, notes that disposal can be difficult in settings such as “air operations, field exercises”.

Camping and the backcountry. The guide says: “If you’re engaging in prolonged physical activity, such as hiking or camping… carry extra supplies”. Where used products go when there is no bin is in “Where to put used period pads and tampons”.

Cleaning reusables on the road

Reusable formats only, in the fixed order. Your maker’s instructions come first.

Cups. The National Defence guide says cups “should be rinsed out between uses and need sterilizing between periods”. It lists “Sterilizing fluid, boiling water or access to a microwave” and adds “(check manufacturer recommendation)”. It also says: “Reusable microwave steam bags for baby bottles and breast/lactation pump parts may be an option for sterilizing silicone menstrual cups between periods.” One maker’s instructions say to boil a cup “for 5-10 minutes before using”. Another maker describes what to do in a public washroom: wipe the cup with toilet paper or a damp paper towel, or carry water. It says: “If washing isn’t possible, it’s totally fine to reinsert your cup and clean it thoroughly later when you have access to water.”

Discs (reusable). Makers give their own steps. One says to boil its disc for 10 minutes “once every month or so”. Follow the instructions for your own disc.

Water abroad. The sources we checked do not say which water to use to rinse a cup or disc abroad. Your maker’s instructions come first.

Period underwear and reusable period pads. The guide says they “must be rinsed out by hand, using running water until the water runs clear”. It adds: “Most have a longer lifespan if they are washed in cool water… and allowed to air dry. Most industrial or group laundry facilities are likely to use hot water and tumble dry which may reduce the effectiveness of the products.” The guide does not mention hotel laundries. Your product’s care label comes first. Full care steps are in “How to wash period underwear, any brand”.

Time zones

Crossing time zones changes the clock. The tampon times above are counted in hours. For cups, discs and period underwear, the instructions for your own product give its wear time. For disposable period pads, the SOGC says they “should be changed every 4-6 hours”.

What this is not

This Column reports what screening authorities, health bodies, a National Defence guide and makers say, in their own words. It does not tell you what to pack, or which format to travel with. It does not say what a scanner will or won’t show. It is not legal advice about security rules in any country. Rules can change, and airlines may add their own.