to not want to sit next to this man on a flight

[ShouldHAVE]

Flew back yesterday from holiday with my family. When we were checking in, there was an older man checking in with his wife. The man was in a wheelchair, being pushed by airport staff. He had towels over his head and was making lots of moaning noises and obviously being sick under there.

Lucky old me only ended up sitting next to them! The wife apologised, saying he started throwing up earlier that afternoon and was very ill (was not disabled - only in the wheelchair as he couldn't stop puking). Now, I just can't get my head around how he was allowed on that flight. The poor man should have been in hospital! He spent the entire 4ish hour flight vomiting and moaning in agony. The smells (coming from ends) were horrific. God knows how many sick bags he filled, but no-one was taking them away - he was just collecting them at his feet.

I spent the whole flight lightheaded from trying to hold my breath. I've complained to the airline this morning, I even paid extra for the privilege of booking my seat next to them.

Were the airline out of order to let him fly?

Are you actually this thick in RL or is this a wind up?

I had no idea people with Cancer weren't allowed to fly. FACT. Someone had better get the word out because I think they do all the time.

Jamy Please let the door hit you on the way out. It might knock some sense into you

Oh god. I don't know who I feel more sorry for, you or him. That would have been just my luck too. Poor man though.

Actually I'm going to backtrack a little and say if I was being sick like that I wouldn't have got on the flight.

Should not have been allowed to fly. Air in planes gets recycled. If he has a bug you'll all get it.

Your wrong Jam, people with compromised immune systems do fly, my SIL who has Lupus flies, as does my friend,

OP hoping you haven't gone down with the sickness

Childish of me but at Christ Oh Mighty.

Lol etc.

Sorry, carry on.

That's gross. There is no way he should have been on the flight. I hope you have written to complain.

Another recovering emetophobe. This would be a total nightmare for me. I cannot believe anyone would get on a flight after repeatedly vomiting especially if it was clear the vomiting would continue.

What would I expect him to do? NOT GET ON THE FLIGHT. Lol.

Comparing somebody vomitting on a flight, emitting germs and bio hazard on the, with banning people with learning disabilities and illness . Sorry, I don't think anybody wants to sit near a vomittity person in a confined space, with very limited cleansing facilities. Yes if there were a vomiting person next to me or near me, I would make a complaint about them. This is what travel insurance is for, or book a few days in the hotel to recover, and re schedule your flight.

Christ this thread and my morning sickness is not mixing well at all. Why did I keep reading!

Please name and shame airline.

It was Balkan (the airline). OP said in her second post.

*@GoldenOrb I guess I say recovering as years of dealing with my children has inevitably lead to more exposure. I think exposure generally helps reduce phobic reactions but most people don't ever put themselves in a position to be exposed IYSWIM. I have learnt better coping mechanisms, mostly through being physically rather than mentally prepared.

This kind of situation could well mean I wouldn't be able to travel for a long time.

Sounds like you're okay, OP. So move on.

Sounds awful OP name and shame the airline. There is a difference between getting ill on the flight and getting ill before getting on the flight. Bang out of order of the airline, bang out of order of the man (although I do pity him) they should never have got on the flight.

Awful. The man should not have been allowed on plane in that condition. His wife perhaps knew what was causing his actions but if she didn't he could have been spreading goodness knows what. Totally different if someone actually takes I'll on board. Hope you get at least an apology from airline.

Balkan was the airline (as the OP said in her second post and just posted above too!!)

The OP hasn't been back on today so she may not be OK?

I looked up the airline and quite alot of negative comments. Safety, basic etc.

I would hopeba more reputable airline wouldn't let them on.

He shouldn't have been allowed to fly, that is so unfair to everyone else on the plane without sounding melodramatic that's exactly how epidemics start. Poor you it must have been awful, but saying that it must have been awful for him as well although that's not saying it was right to allow him to fly

I'm transfixed with horror by this thread, never experienced vomitting neighbours on a plane - I don't think I could cope. It's bizarre they let him fly and bizarre that he would attempt to, surely it would be more comfortable to wait a couple of days- travel insurance would surely cover it. If it was something like norovirus there is a good chance that most of the plane, including the crew will come down with it. And people are wrong to assume food poisoning can't be transmitted this way, it can! Airborne droplets of vomit can contain the virus or bacteria and if you ingest it you may be infected. And the op said it was happening at the other end as well! The air in a plane is recirculated with as little fresh air allowed in as possible as this increases fuel consumption so they are great places for spreading illness.

The air in a plane is recirculated with as little fresh air allowed in as possible as this increases fuel consumption so they are great places for spreading illness.

Not quite. The recirculated cabin air only amounts to about 40-50% of the air on board. About 60% of the air onboard a plane is bleed air. This is air obtained from the atmosphere via the engines which has been cooled.

So you are bleeding a percentage of recirculated air and a larger percentage of bleed air that has been pulled from the atmosphere through the engines.