Llandudno, Wales – January 10, 2026 — An 81-year-old woman says a routine airport security check at Manchester Airport left her feeling “humiliated” and “exposed” due to the way staff handled the discovery of her colostomy bag. Phyl Oliver alleges she was treated like a suspect, rather than a traveler with a medical condition.
Airport Security Scrutiny: A Sensitive Situation
New security scanners are raising concerns for passengers with medical devices.
- New CT scanners are designed to improve security, but can flag medical devices.
- Passengers with stoma bags report feeling singled out and embarrassed during screening.
- Airports are working to refine procedures and training for staff.
- Advocates are pushing for a more uniform and sensitive approach across UK airports.
What’s the best way to navigate airport security with a medical device? Passengers with conditions requiring stoma bags are advised to carry a Medical Device Awareness Card (MDAC) and to discuss their needs with airport staff.
Oliver, a resident of Llandudno who underwent surgery around 25 years ago, explained that when she passed through the scanner on two separate occasions in 2025, her colostomy bag appeared on the security monitor as a “big orange blob.” “I was horrified when they began shouting out, ‘colostomy bag!’” she said. “For some bag wearers in a public queue, this could be embarrassing – imagine if you were a 14-year-old boy who’s just undergone surgery, you’d be mortified.”
The incident, first reported by North Wales Live, highlights a growing concern as UK airports upgrade to computed tomography (CT) scanners. These scanners, while offering more detailed images for threat detection, are also flagging medical devices at a higher rate.
Following the scanner alert, Oliver says she was escorted to a private room where she was asked to reveal her bag, requiring her to partially undress. She was then asked to feel under the bag as part of explosive trace detection (ETD) testing. “Although the testing was relatively quick, I felt humiliated,” she stated. “And for what purpose? I’m an 81-year-old woman while my husband is aged 84 and carries a sleep apnoea machine – what are the chances of us being international terrorists?”
Manchester Airport maintains that these inspections are conducted with the intention of preserving passenger dignity while ensuring safety. Airport personnel emphasize the need for thorough screening, as stoma bags could potentially be misused to conceal prohibited items.
Oliver, who previously worked as a section head at the former Royal Insurance operation in Liverpool, believes the new procedures are overly intrusive. She recounted a similar experience shared by a Cornish mother battling cancer who also encountered issues at Manchester Airport last summer.
The introduction of CT scanners across the UK has been uneven. Smaller, regional airports have led the way, while major hubs like Manchester and Heathrow have faced logistical challenges due to their larger scale and more complex security lanes. Complaints have surfaced at airports in Belfast, Luton, and Cardiff as security teams adapt to the new technology.
The Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) confirmed that individual airports are responsible for designing upgrades and training personnel, in response to inquiries from the Ileostomy and Internal Pouch Association (IA).
Oliver, a member of St Paul’s Church, Craig Y Don, has held a MDAC for 25 years. She expressed skepticism about participating in a learning session with the airport without assurances that improvements would be consistently implemented. “They said I could attend their VIP terminal – the one they use for celebrities, stars and dignitaries,” she explained. “I don’t want to be plied with champagne and fobbed off – I want to raise awareness and improve airport checks for all stoma bag passengers.”
Wallasey MP Dame Angela Eagle is supporting Oliver’s case, and Baroness Tanni Grey-Thompson, the disability rights campaigner, has also voiced her outrage. The Department for Transport stated that airport security measures are being strengthened due to “multiple attempts to attack aviation using devices concealed on the person.”
Aberconwy MS Janet Finch-Saunders has also intervened, arranging a Zoom meeting between Oliver and the airport and even offering to drive her to Manchester for a training session. “I’m very supportive of Phyllis’ situation,” she stated. “But I’ve also been reassured Manchester Airport is taking her complaints very seriously, and is intent on implementing precautions in response to my constituent’s concerns.”
The IA is campaigning for a standardized approach across all UK airports to protect the rights of passengers with medical devices. They are collecting testimonies from those who believe they have been treated unfairly.
A Manchester Airport spokesperson said: “We are committed to making sure all passengers feel respected and supported throughout their journey while at the same time meeting necessarily strict security standards. Although these two priorities can sometimes be hard to balance, it is never our intention to make passengers feel uncomfortable.”
Approximately 200,000 people in the UK currently live with a stoma bag, representing roughly one in every 335 people, according to Colostomy UK. Oliver added: “Nobody wants to endanger anyone and we want to feel safe when flying. But my experiences have shown there are still too many uncertainties about airport security. I will not give up.”
