What shall I do about this holiday?

[1981m]

Not AIBU but need speedy reply with advice.

Ds (5) was sick on Monday in the night (now Wednesday here in Uk), lots of sick. Kept him off school yesterday and had a sofa day. He was fine in himself mostly. Up and down. Lying down sometimes but also jumping around. Saying his heart was hurting. No other symptoms except being sick.

Wasn't sure what to give him food wise. He had toast with butter for b fast and no lunch. Bacon sandwich for dinner with bread and butter. Dh thinks silly to give this. Was a bacon sandwich wrong?

Anyway, ds sick again last night, tiny amount of sick. Then a further three times with just water and bile. Again no other symptoms.

The problem is we are going on a long haul holiday tomorrow morning. We are meant to get up at 5 am, drive for two hours to the airport, then do 7 hour flight! We don't know if we should cancel holiday or still go. We would loose the total price of the holiday to cancel £6,500. Or £200 per person to try and change dates on it with hotel provider. The flights look like they are non- transferable and we would loose the cost automatically. We don't have travel insurance.

Dh wants to go and reckons its just a stomach bug. He reckons if we stave ds today and on the flight it will be ok. Reckons its a 24 hour bug.

I am reluctant as worried he will be sick again in the night. Worried about having strange food in a hot place will just make him sick again and he will just want to rest all holiday. Think the holiday will be ruined with moany ds. Don't want to risk taking him on long flight if he's ill, could be a nightmare. But we stand to loose £6,500 if we don't.

I don't understand all the people banging on about "losing £6.5k"...the money is already gone! Whether OP goes on the holiday or not that money has been spent.

I wouldn't drag a poorly 5 year old on a long haul flight to a hot country, risking DH and I starting with a sickness bug mid flight, not to mention infecting a load of other people because I was determined to get my money's worth. If you go and it ends up being a miserable experience due to illness then surely it's just as much a waste of money as if you'd stayed at home?

I would go unless he is sick again.

Can I ask all those who wouldn’t - what would you do if you/one of your family caught a bug on holiday, would you not catch your return flight and stay for a few more nights until the end of the 48hours? I very much doubt it

(and Tbh I doubt travel insurance would even cover this unless you went to the doctors to prove he was ill)

Of course you need to see a doctor.

@ceeveebee

From experience you contact your insurer who get a DR to you. The DR then certifies you unfit to fly and then when fit to fly they arrange flights.

If it happens before you are supposed to leave for holiday you claim on the insurance you bought when you booked the holiday.

You don't get on a plane shitting and puking.

Ceeveebee has a good point.

Yes I know how it works - point is op is saying she will make a decision as to whether to cancel and claim on the new policy she’s bought before her 5am flight tomorrow morning - but she won’t be able to do that then as won’t be able to see a GP then...

And he’s not shitting and puking. He was last sick 15 hours ago

Taking the moral high ground OP? Put it bluntly if I got on a long haul flight with you as dc and he started puking and you make any sly comment to your OH about knowing you shouldn't go.... I would be fricking fuming.... if I get the bug then watch out on the return flight I will have more than a hello how was your holiday???
Don't go unless he's been clear for 48 hours ? Surely you can see that is the logical thing ? Do you go to work when your puking?

Very likely he'll be fine and it was just a common tummy bug. I call absolutely bullshit on everyone saying they would forfeit a 6.5k holiday for that!!

Bazzle but none of us would forfeit a £6.5k holiday we would just be moving it as no one sensible would have spent £6.5 k then it spent £60 on travel insurance!

He's not got the shits, he's been sick and that was 18 hours ago. If he had the shits and being sick we would not be going, full stop.

We would try and change flights to May half term if he's sick again rather than cancel to try and not lose all the money by cancelling. Don't know how it works. Guessing I can just ring up in the morning, looked up airline help line opens at 5.30am and cancel existing flights and ask to have them changed. Same with the hotel. Is that right?

I wouldn't worry about the food in Dubai. Anything and everything is available. There's even a Waitrose in mall of the Emirates.
He's been sick 3 times over 2 days, last time was early hours of the morning. Hardly sounds like he's gone down with cholera.

I can't believe how harsh people are being on this thread. Constant D & V and yes the OP would be being completely irresponsible in even considering going on holiday, but sick three times and the last time being 18hrs ago is hardly norovirus.

I'd go in your circumstances OP.

Would we need a doctor to look at ds if we didn't claim on the insurance and wanted to change flight/hotel dates? Is that only if your claiming?

If he hasn't been sick again all day, I would go tomorrow morning. If he does get sick in the night, then try moving to May before cancelling.

My kids nursery have a 24 hour exclusion for sick, 48 for d. You are almost there. I'd be going!

Just go on the holiday, if he was sick 18 hours ago and hasn't been sick since just do it.

Yeah everyone is just taking the moral high ground.
I've always had travel insurance but I always only book it the day before anyway like you now have!
I had 2 siblings growing up and we never once got sick at the same time or passed bugs on to each other! I wouldn't mind sitting next to DS on plane!
I would definitely still go on holiday! I'm sure DS will be fine!

There are some scary Marys on here. Go on the holiday. It sounds like a bug that’s run its course. DD had something similar recently, I kept her off school for two days and she was fine (and nobody else in the house got it including her little brother who slobbers all over her). You’ve paid loads of money. I always get travel insurance at the last minute. Take out a year’s policy so you don’t have to think about it again.

I've always had travel insurance but I always only book it the day before anyway like you

Do you now understand what a bad idea that is?

I remember a trip back from Disneyland Paris on the Eurostar two Christmases ago. There were two children (different families) who were puking their guts up before boarding.

I will not lie and say I wasn’t gutted to see them get on to our carriage and proceed to puke all the way back. Even worse that to get to the toilet they have to walk past us each time.

We all came down with it 24 hours later - thank god it was on the way back home and didn’t affect our holiday. It turned out (I found out on one of the FB groups) our carriage was deemed the plague carriage and pretty much all the people on that carriage came down with it.

Last minute travel insurance means your risk is limited to the cost of the holiday. Not normally a goodbye house and pension job, although obviously foolish as buying insurance at booking doesn't cost more.

It is hopefully clear from this what the consequences of actually leaving without it can be.

All those who are saying "Ah fuck it and go" Read Tinks post and imagine the situation in a plane on the way. It is selfish and irresponsible. As is not bothering with travel insurance due to never having needed it before. The idea of all.insurance is that hopefully you will never need it. Most people don't use it. But the premiums of many pay out for the unfortunate few who do need to claim. And that translates to all insurance policies not just travel insurance

For goodness sake, you don't need to cancel. I don't know anyone in RL who would cancel or even suggest cancelling in the situation you're now describing. Don't worry about food either, every UK or US restaurant you could imagine is there and the hotels ALL have options from all over the world as do the supermarkets and malls. You'll be fine.

Please think about all the other peoples holidays you might ruin by passing on a vomitting bug.

Go on your flight. All will be good. Just give your boy plain food when he is hungry.,
Go and enjoy yourself. I am sure you have all worked hard to pay for your holiday. It will be fine. Have faith. 🙏🏽x