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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Going on holiday tomorrow but poorly kids!!!

328 replies

Asvan · 17/04/2019 22:12

Hi everyone

We are due to go on holiday to Turkey tomorrow but two out of my three kids have fallen Ill today. They both have sore throats and temperatures and have not eaten or drank much today. One of them has just complained that he feels sick.

We have been looking forward to this holiday for six months but I really don't want to take them in this state. Our flights are at 2pm tomorrow and I really don't know what to do. I need to think of a plan b just incase we have to end up cancelling.

Our flights are booked with easyjet and we do have travel insurance, what could my options be if I do cancel? I have only paid for one nights hotel stay and the rest would be paid on arrival.

Will my insurance company pay out? I feel like they both have some kind of virus but the last thing I want to do is take them abroad and be stuck in a hotel room.

OP posts:
Vargas · 18/04/2019 00:21

So Princess - in your perfect world - it’s the day before your flight home from a week long family holiday in Greece. Your child tells you they have a sore throat and you find they have a mild fever. Do you stay in Greece for a week while they recover?

WaxOnFeckOff · 18/04/2019 00:22

OP, sounds like you don't want to go and wanted us all to justify that. If you don't want to go then you don't have to go, i think you'd be unlikely to be covered under your insurance though - is that what you were really asking?

Bexta147 · 18/04/2019 00:27

This thread is ridiculous.

Your children probably have colds. Either that or the excitement/nerves could be getting to them. I have a son like that who is always ‘ill’ before we go but as soon as we land he is fine.

Unless they are vomiting I’d get up and go. Give them some calpol if needs be.

If you do decide not to go good luck getting any money back from the insurance. My brother struggles to get anything back when he couldn’t fly even though he had the flu which caused a huge asthma attack and put him in hospital. I can’t see them going out over a cold.

Original poster
Asvan · 18/04/2019 00:28

I'll be honest, I'm a very nervous traveller but that wasn't why I was asking. I asked because I am genuinely concerned about my children and also because we don't want to lose our money, as we saved for this holiday for a very long time.

OP posts:
likeridingabike · 18/04/2019 00:37

Vargas I'm sure Princess1066's child is sufficiently wrapped in cotton wool that germs are unable to penetrate, so it simply wouldn't happen.

WaxOnFeckOff · 18/04/2019 00:39

Obviously I'm not a clairvoyant, but my bet is that they have a cold they'll be a little under the weather for a couple of days and then will bounce back and enjoy their holiday. Take some stuff from the chemist before you go, take them into the chemist too and get some advice and then go and enjoy your holiday.

BigChocFrenzy · 18/04/2019 00:51

asvan If you are worried about losing money ....

Easy decision if they have D&V, or spots in the morning.

However, just for a cold, the doctor / insurance company may consider that the symptoms do NOT render them unfit to fly,
in which case you wouldn't get a refund, but instead would have paid an extra 30-50 quid to the GP

imo, a cold on a vacation is much easier to cope with than during than school / work
because you set your own pace and can spend a day just lounging if you want

I'm on vacation now, had a cold for the first few days, so I just took it easy, enjoyed ice cream and I'm fine now.

I'd not have gone into work, because I can't put my feet on a lounger and snooze in the sun there,
but I certainly didn't consider postponing my holiday

64sNewName · 18/04/2019 02:00

Taking an otherwise healthy child with mild cold symptoms on a family holiday is not anywhere near abusive. That is a breathtaking level of hyperbole. Totally shameless manipulation of reality and ugly misappropriation of the term “abusive”, just to make a point on a bloody MN thread.

Grim.

WhyTho · 18/04/2019 04:29

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Decormad38 · 18/04/2019 04:35

Its a sore throat not an appendicitis! Calpol and brufen and some sun will work wonders. I would never cancel a holiday due to common colds.

GirlRaisedInTheSouth · 18/04/2019 04:49

FGS, just go! Can’t believe you’re thinking of cancelling the holiday for a couple of sore throats. Dose them up with Calpol and get on with it. They’re probably be fine when you get there.

notsodimwit · 18/04/2019 04:51

Fingers crossed they are feeling better when they wake up op xx an

LoudJazzHands · 18/04/2019 04:55

Ds2 and DH have both had this virus.

Sore throat and raised temperature. So what virus, exactly, would that be then?

Alicewond · 18/04/2019 04:59

Without a medical cert you aren’t getting your money back via insurance. I’m hoping they’ll/you’ll be fine in the morning

ThroughThickAndThin01 · 18/04/2019 05:05

Every other person has a sore throat at the moment. I’d go.

canadianbanana · 18/04/2019 05:19

If you want to know what your options are, contact your insurer and ask.

Fightthebear · 18/04/2019 05:28

*Taking an otherwise healthy child with mild cold symptoms on a family holiday is not anywhere near abusive. That is a breathtaking level of hyperbole. Totally shameless manipulation of reality and ugly misappropriation of the term “abusive”, just to make a point on a bloody MN thread.

Grim.*

Was going post similar but you put it much better.

Also don’t see any moral problem with flying with a common cold, wouldn’t take a vomiting child on a plane though.

Longdistance · 18/04/2019 05:34

You’ll be on a flying Petri dish, it’ll make no difference. Best place to pick up germs is the toilets on a plane 🤢 a plane is just germ ridden, imagine how many people have sat in your seat before you, touched the arm rests, table, overhead locker?
A sore throat or sniffle is nothing.
In my first year of flying I was ill loads, and had to build up an immunity to all this sharing of germs.

Alexkate2468 · 18/04/2019 05:43

Abusive??? How insulting for those who’ve actually suffered abuse!! There are some ridiculous comments on this thread.

If it does turn out to be nothing but s cold, go and enjoy your holiday. Those who are complaining about spreading illness to others - there will be ill people in the flight who have no idea they’re ill yet. If you go to public places you just cannot completely avoid coming into contact with viruses.
Life can’t stop for a common cold.
If coming Into contact with someone with s common cold poses a genuinely serious health risk to you, then perhaps it’s not the best idea to fly.
I hope it all works out for you, OP.

Bifflepants · 18/04/2019 05:47

Planes are incubators for disease. I get sick almost every time I fly. How many adults cancel flying because they have a sore throat - almost none.

Alicewond · 18/04/2019 05:56

“ Maybe I am overreacting just a little bit as I am a nervous traveller. However, I can't think of anything worse than being ill in an unknown country and being confined to a hotel room. ”

Please don’t cancel just in case, likelihood they’ll be fine by tomorrow

youwouldthink · 18/04/2019 05:58

Your insurance will not pay out for a common cold.

The doctor has to fill in a detailed report for the insurance claim team and they then assess
I get the feeling from when you first posted of panic. . You said you were nervous/anxious about travel. Could it be this that's causing you to think about cancelling rather than your DC having a cold?

Cherrysherbet · 18/04/2019 06:12

I hope they are feeling better today op. I totally understand where you’re coming from. It’s so disappointing that there are kids unwell when you’ve looked forward to this for so long. With a bit of luck they will wake up feeling brighter 💐. If you decide to go, hope you have a great time.

onemorecupofcoffeefortheroad · 18/04/2019 06:13

You must go. Can't believe you're thinking of cancelling - they'll be fine. Some sunshine, a complete change of scene and some rest will be just what they need. They'll be so disappointed if you stay home and will never forget it. They've only got colds.

And as for other people catching it - make sure they cough and sneeze into hankies and they wash their hands regularly. We are surrounded by germs and viruses every time we step outside the house - you can't avoid it but you can minimise cross contamination.

Dose them up for the journey - just go and enjoy your holiday.

Pppppppp1234 · 18/04/2019 06:44

Does them up with calpol, they will be over it by tomorrow. Sun will help. Insurance company won’t pay for a cold... chicken pox yes, a cold no. It’s inconvenient but not a reason to cancel