How ill is too I'll to fly?

[Islandsadness]

I'm sat in my hotel room with a horrible cough and ear ache, and diarrhoea (what a combo). I've had no sleep and my transport comes in 5 hrs for a 4 hour flight home.

What do I do? I've never claimed on insurance before, and all my documents just talk of hospital stays (and death 🙃).

Do people just suck it up and fly?

Nobody’s going to thank you for boarding a plane if your cough is likely to be infectious but the real question is whether you could feasibly sit for at least a couple of hours if not more, depending on turbulence, without needing the loo.

It sucks to be ill away from home. You have all my sympathy. I’ve never done it but assume you’d need a Dr certificate to state you were too ill to fly. Hotel reception should be able to assist with finding one. Then rebook on a later flight.

Some immodium should get you through the flight home. Wish you better.

A delta flight had to return mid air because of a passenger having diarrhoea where there was an accident in the cabin. Be careful, I take Imodium.

You'll need a medical certificate to claim on insurance so need to see a doctor.

Hope you feel better soon

I understand you probably want to me home. Please don't board a plane so ill. Think of the person you'll sit next to!

You'll need some proof you're ill. Hotel doctors can issue certificate in my experience but your hotel should be able to help if they don't have one.

Get well soon.

I'd see a doctor. Ear ache could mean an infected and / or inflamed ear drum which is a no-no for flying.

If you have an ear infection don’t fly. Otherwise if you are up to it take Imodium.

Personally i'd try and fly back. I had food poisoning (i think) -but managed to dose up on immodium to make it home. I was very worried (16 hrs flight) initially but actually felt a lot better as the day progressed versus how i'd felt in the hotel ( a couple of hours lying in the airport drinking flat lemonade helped)
But may depend on what your options are- eg where would you stay otherwise/anyone with you etc.
I think airlines stop you flying if you are vomiting- i remember a friend of mine in similar circumstance having to get to a certian time (an hr?) since she'd last been sick to be allowed on

Don’t end up a sequel to this news story 😂😩 https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-66716531.amp

It would be very selfish to fly when you could be passing on tummy bugs and other things to vulnerable people. Get a doctor's note, claim insurance, recover, then fly.

Could be an ear infection. I always get the runs with any infection, just seems to be how my body deals with it (which is fucking hilarious when its coupled with a UTI). And if it is an ear infection it would be a REALLY bad idea to fly, you know how uncomfortable it can be when the air pressure changes......

Do not fly with an ear ache. The pain will be unbearable and you risk a perforated ear drum.

Contact your travel insurance company and see a doctor. Contact the airline and let them know you are too ill to fly. They should change your booking for free if you can give them a doctor’s note.

I don’t know why you’re even asking this. Just why would you do it yourself as well as others? What will you do if you need to go to the bathroom and they’re full already?

If you have a bad cough and diarrhea, have you tested for Covid? I’ve had a bad stomach every time I’ve ever had it.

How bad are the cough and earache? Likely to be an infection or more of a cold? I wouldn’t fly with an ear infection but cold you probably won’t get insurance to cover. The diarrhoea could be linked but could also be a separate bug. Again how bad is it? Could you wait for a little while if you needed to go but the seatbelt sign was on for takeoff or the toilet was occupied?

Had a flight a couple of years ago where the lady who sat next to me was obviously unwell and coughed the whole flight. It was grim. It’s incredibly selfish to other passengers to fly whilst probably infectious

Covid presents with diarrhea at the moment. Please don't fly and infect everyone else! If you really have to fly, please please wear a tight fitting KN94 or better yet, N95 mask, so that you minimise the risk of infecting others, and keep it on at all times.

I also wouldn't fly with an ear infection, the pressure could make things much worse.

See if you can change your flight.

Ear infections will become absolutely unbearable with the cabin pressure

You need to see a doctor. No I wouldn’t fly.

I thought I had it bad sitting at our gate with a mild fever and lethargy. Good luck whatever you decide to do.

You should definitely not fly back when you have tummy upset. This would be extremely inconsiderate to all the other passengers and staff that you could infect.

Obviously don't fly back. Rest recover and fly later and claim on your insurance.

Anyone know what are the rules if you are seated next to someone who is obviously unwell? Do you think you can ask to move if there's a spare seat? Airlines have a legal duty of care so should deny boarding to someone obviously sick with a communicable disease. However I guess if someone just takes immodium and tries to hide their cough at check in and the gate it isn't necessarily that obvious.

There aren’t any rules. If there’s a spare seat you can request to move for any reason but they don’t have to say yes. If someone is obviously too I’ll to fly then they’ll get stopped at check in or boarding but no one is going to get stopped for having a cough.

@WTF475878237NC there is nothing to stop you asking. Some airlines (long haul at least) have reserved rows at the back for 'quarantine' of ill passengers, they can move the sick person.

You can also request the obviously sick person wear a mask (the airline should have some in stock) and you should definitely wear one when you are flying because airports and airplanes are prime spots for getting infected. Airplanes don't run their air purification systems while they are on the ground, only in the air, so my advice is to board the plane last to minimise time breathing in unfiltered air. And try to sit near the front to exit as fast as possible once landed.

Your best bet for a mask is an N95 e.g. the 3M Aura, can be reworn multiple times if you air it out between uses. Make sure it fits tightly on your chin and around your nose.

I was once very ill in an airport, my young son went and found a Thompson rep (this was 10 years ago!) who took me off to a medical room, where I proceeded to vomit into a bin. She magicked up a Dr who gave me an anti sickness jab and told me not to tell anyone boarding I was ill! I think a lot of people fly ill if they can because of the stress and expense of alternatives. For me it would come down to whether I could physically sit in my seat for the length of the flight.