Article: Should Airlines Rebook Sick Passengers for Free?

[JohnK]

We had a thread on this recently and it's a tough one.

I'd hate to catch a virus/bacteria off someone but if a person has booked a flight and has cold symptoms at the last minute should they cancel all travel until they are better?

Covid is more serious but this is what happens when there is no control. Keep wearing masks even if people around you don't show any symptoms.

P.S. This is now week 6 of me coughing. Sometimes cough starts and does not stop. I don't know what I've got or whether I'm infectious. It could be stress/anxiety, allergy or some viral/bacterial infection that has done some damage. Due to leave Thailand and back to Brisbane in 5 days. Should I stay here until cough goes away?

 

[Blinky]

Unless the PAX disguised the cough (hard to do if ill because coughing is usually involuntary) she should have been stopped from boarding. It’s happened to me. Are staff taking a less strict approach post-COVID?

 

[Blinky]

P.S. This is now week 6 of me coughing. Sometimes cough starts and does not stop. I don't know what I've got or whether I'm infectious. It could be stress/anxiety, allergy or some viral/bacterial infection that has done some damage.

That was me until fairly recently! My doctor believes I had a viral infection (usually nasty but short) which bacteria took advantage of. And the bacterial infection hung on. The antibiotics eventually took care of it, but it did take weeks. Fortunately I had no flights over that period.

 

[kpc]

I carry N95 masks...if I feel "fluey" or others sound so, I wear a N95 mask for the duration of the flight...and keep sanitising my hands in partic. Not much else that can be done!

 

[Forg]

I can’t tell the difference between my permanent state of allergic-reaction & the 2-3 days or so before properly coming down with something.

The eye surgeon I’ve been taking my mother to see still has a “mask on” rule, and wearing a mask is a surefire way to get me coughing for a few hours … which is kinda embarrassing when you’re somewhere with a mask mandate so they’re worried about coughing more than the average.

I had a cold when we went to the UK in 2018. Pre-COVID so different attitude in general, but for the sake of the chance of spreading a cold I can’t see I’d have given up a week of a month’s holiday & either the J travel or the $10k extra it’d have cost to re-book a week later & the hard-to-get bookings etc (eg. The Fat Duck on my better-half’s birthday, popular nice accommodation in June).

 

[JohnK]

Unless the PAX disguised the cough (hard to do if ill because coughing is usually involuntary) she should have been stopped from boarding. It’s happened to me. Are staff taking a less strict approach post-COVID?

We come across them regularly.

March 2023 Scoot flight SYD-SIN child in same row but not next to us coughed for entire flight.

Have encountered them on domestic flights often. I think they turn a blind eye. You must have been unlucky.

 

[RooFlyer]

Wondering what others do in this scenario?

Just what you did - get out the N95 that lives in the top flap of my carry-on. Make sure the air vent is blowing away.

--> My question is: what would be the best way to arrange the seating when flying with a communicable disease? I tried to do it with a real person at the airport check-in desk and on-board but effectively ended up being next to others on all flights.

To be honest, I'm very surprised they let you fly but I commend you for declaring it. But if you are allowed to fly, you just have to rely on the staff/crew to do what they see is best.

When in South America over Christmas, I picked up a cold and, as usual, it left me with an awful cough. After 2 weeks, I still had a few minutes of deep, awful sounding cough if something brought it on, but I certainly wasn't contagious (certainly not with covid, having tested a couple of times). I knew the 14 hr flight back to Oz would be difficult, given the dry atmosphere. To prepare, I went to three chemists in Santiago seeking cough medicine/lozenges and proceeded to dose myself.

Upon boarding, I introduced myself to those J pax around me and explained that I had a cough, that I wasn't contagious and I would be using the pillow to cover it if it started. Ditto to the CSM. Sure enough, I opened up about 4-5 times, but all but suffocated myself in the pillows. Fortunately, I didn't see a dirty look from anyone. In Y it would have been a lot more difficult for everybody, but being certain I wasn't contagious, I still would have flown.

 

[UP4014]

Unless the PAX disguised the cough (hard to do if ill because coughing is usually involuntary) she should have been stopped from boarding. It’s happened to me. Are staff taking a less strict approach post-COVID?

No mandated rules around COVID these days. Up to the individual to decide if they should isolate or go about normal life even though still many dying front it.

 

[ellen10]

My daughter in law is a high school teacher.
She went to a conference in Melbourne and came back with Covid. She only works part time, I said so off work this week? She said no, school policy is to come to work. Only stay off if you are really sick. There is such a shortage of casual teachers.

 

[Forg]

No mandated rules around COVID these days. Up to the individual to decide if they should isolate or go about normal life even though still many dying front it.

COVID has become basically the same as influenza, including illness & the chance of death.
People are a lot more aware of COVID ... well der, we all lived through the uncertainty & stress & strangeness of it ... but as it is now, influenza is as much a threat. Yet we didn't particularly worry about the 'flu before 2020.

 

[Blinky]

COVID has become basically the same as influenza, including illness & the chance of death.
People are a lot more aware of COVID ... well der, we all lived through the uncertainty & stress & strangeness of it ... but as it is now, influenza is as much a threat. Yet we didn't particularly worry about the 'flu before 2020.

Well, as I said earlier, I was denied boarding before COVID. It was VA boarding in Brisbane.

 

[Forg]

Well, as I said earlier, I was denied boarding before COVID. It was VA boarding in Brisbane.

That's got to be extra special ... I was pretty clogged-up (yet runny) for my 2018 flight, it may have been a VERY cheap flight for J but I felt really "ripped off" not getting to enjoy it. Yet no probs for boarding with both legs, the guy with the really red eyes & the red nose was allowed onboard no wuckas.

 

[Scooty]

Unless the PAX disguised the cough (hard to do if ill because coughing is usually involuntary) she should have been stopped from boarding. It’s happened to me. Are staff taking a less strict approach post-COVID?

This person should have been stopped from boarding, obviously unwell and making no effort to stop potential spread. I think a few others in seats behind and ahead also asked for masks or had them on their person and put them on.

Post automatically merged: Jun 30, 2024

Just what you did - get out the N95 that lives in the top flap of my carry-on. Make sure the air vent is blowing away.



To be honest, I'm very surprised they let you fly but I commend you for declaring it. But if you are allowed to fly, you just have to rely on the staff/crew to do what they see is best.

When in South America over Christmas, I picked up a cold and, as usual, it left me with an awful cough. After 2 weeks, I still had a few minutes of deep, awful sounding cough if something brought it on, but I certainly wasn't contagious (certainly not with covid, having tested a couple of times). I knew the 14 hr flight back to Oz would be difficult, given the dry atmosphere. To prepare, I went to three chemists in Santiago seeking cough medicine/lozenges and proceeded to dose myself.

Upon boarding, I introduced myself to those J pax around me and explained that I had a cough, that I wasn't contagious and I would be using the pillow to cover it if it started. Ditto to the CSM. Sure enough, I opened up about 4-5 times, but all but suffocated myself in the pillows. Fortunately, I didn't see a dirty look from anyone. In Y it would have been a lot more difficult for everybody, but being certain I wasn't contagious, I still would have flown.

Oh I also had the vent blowing a gale, even turned hers on facing me too - but she turned it off

 

[JohnK]

No mandated rules around COVID these days. Up to the individual to decide if they should isolate or go about normal life even though still many dying front it.

And this was always going to be a problem post-Covid.

It should never be an individual choice. That includes any sickness not just Covid. An individual should never be able to decide where there's a chance to infect someone else. People may want to get on with their lives but everyone is affected differently. I almost died from chicken pox at 46 years old. Infection shouldn't have to be a cough shoot. If it was at some point then we got it totally wrong.

In saying that I totally understand when it comes to airfares where there is no refund or ability to change and its more than likely not just airfare but hotels/tours etc. I also understand that some people do not have sick days or leave so they feel they have to go to work while they are sick.

Businesses have to step up here. My company has strict policy. Sick stay home. In fact if you're too sick to work in office you should not work from home either. Take the day off to get better. I'm 60 years old. I'm hoping this is my last job. Another 6-7 years. I will never return to office.

 

[RooFlyer]

It should never be an individual choice. That includes any sickness not just Covid. An individual should never be able to decide where there's a chance to infect someone else. People may want to get on with their lives but everyone is affected differently. I almost died from chicken pox at 46 years old. Infection shouldn't have to be a cough shoot. If it was at some point then we got it totally wrong.

I hope for your sake that the airline doesn't take your advice when you intend to fly back to Australia in a few days, with your current "Some sort of viral/bacterial infection with lingering cough." (GMI thread)

 

[Blinky]

I'm 60 years old. I'm hoping this is my last job. Another 6-7 years. I will never return to office.

Ha! That’s what I said. Worked to 72 full time (didn’t need to). Still working if you count my part-time school crossing job.

 

[JohnK]

Ha! That’s what I said. Worked to 72 full time (didn’t need to). Still working if you count my part-time school crossing job.

I may want to work until I'm 72 years old too. I've just been approved another 12 months to work from home. Daughter wants to finish Grade 6 in Brisbane. That's another 4+ years. After that I will ask for approval to work from Sydney. I think the answer will be yes.

I'm not returning to working in an office. Too difficult with degrading health issues.

 

[Blinky]

I may want to work until I'm 72 years old too. I've just been approved another 12 months to work from home. Daughter wants to finish Grade 6 in Brisbane. That's another 4+ years. After that I will ask for approval to work from Sydney. I think the answer will be yes.

I'm not returning to working in an office. Too difficult with degrading health issues.

Sorry to hear of the health issues, but good for you.

 

[drron]

Yes I said I was going to retire at 60 and did so 3 weeks before my 60th birthday. But when that birthday came I was already back working part time. Finally retired 3 months after my 75th birthday because I loved it. Would have liked to have worked longer but knew I had started the down hill decline. Retired when people still thought I should have stayed on.

 

[Blinky]

Yes I said I was going to retire at 60 and did so 3 weeks before my 60th birthday. But when that birthday came I was already back working part time. Finally retired 3 months after my 75th birthday because I loved it. Would have liked to have worked longer but knew I had started the down hill decline. Retired when people still thought I should have stayed on.

Yeah, knowing when to go can really be tough. There is an interesting story about how I came to retire, but I suspect it will be off topic here.