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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Passenger travelling whilst really ill

473 replies

Notjustanother · 28/10/2023 09:56

Took a flight to Berlin last week. Woman next to me was coughing the entire flight; deep phlegmmy cough and spitting stuff up. Clearly should have been in bed. It was grim. As a minimum she should have been wearing a mask.

Five days later I felt very ill, and tested positive for Covid. A former colleague who also happened to be on the flight, sitting in front of this woman, has also tested positive.

Since then I have lost half a stone in weight, been horrendously ill and am having difficulty breathing. Today we were supposed to be going away for a much looked forward to half term holiday, we have had to cancel and pay the £200 insurance excess.

The woman was on a mini break with her husband, but did some work on the flight. She works for a law firm.

Would I be unreasonable to contact the law firm and complain - especially as she was working for them during the flight. I have her name.

I am furious that her rank selfishness has made me (and others on the flight) so ill. There could be no doubt that she was going to infect others on the flight, and must have known that there was a high risk that she had Covid.

I think she needs to be made accountable for her actions, or at the very least be made aware of how her actions have affected others. AIBU?

OP posts:
CeciliaMars · 28/10/2023 09:58

Technically, she's done nothing wrong. I would be so upset and annoyed too, and would be tempted to email her company. But I don't think there is actually anything they could or would do.

Bloodsweatntears · 28/10/2023 09:59

Morally she has been a complete cow, but I’m not sure her company would care. Can you email her directly and tell her?

SquashedSquashess · 28/10/2023 10:00

The problem is you’re no longer prohibited from travelling with COVID. She may have been on a work trip, and work for the sort of law firm where you’re expected to “just get on with it”. Honestly, I’d be surprised if your complaint to her employer came to anything

DisforDarkChocolate · 28/10/2023 10:00

I understand your feelings but these are the rules now despite the consequences for others.

I still carry masks and hand gel with me for just this situation.

Sometimeswinning · 28/10/2023 10:01

She’ll just say she didn’t have Covid and it was a big coincidence. Ive had a cough that’s still about and has lasted 3 weeks. It’s still made worse if I go into certain places. Cold to hot etc.

You could have moved? I know I would have done.

Wakemeuuuup · 28/10/2023 10:02

Same thing happened to my husband on a flight in September. Man behind him coughing all flight. Husband got covid and now has a very bad case of long covid including heart problems

Cheeesus · 28/10/2023 10:02

Phlegmy cough could well be not covid.

DisplayPurposesOnly · 28/10/2023 10:02

I think her company would be more concerned about a breach of confidentiality, from you being able to see her work.

You can't prove that you caught covid from her. I know several people who have had horrible covid-like symptoms, off work for a week etc, who tested and were negative.

You can catch covid from asymptomatic people too. It's everywhere.

Woahtherehoney · 28/10/2023 10:02

@Sometimeswinning Curious where you’d move to if the flight was fully booked?

Torganer · 28/10/2023 10:04

You don’t know she had Covid, you could have got it from anywhere. Yes, she shouldn’t have travelled when ill, but you don’t know the circumstances despite managing to get her name and her company details! Don’t email the company, they wont do anything. If you really want to let her know, email her directly as you have her name.

Hbh17 · 28/10/2023 10:05

You have no idea if you caught Covid from this person.
Whoever may have had Covid is not prohibited from travelling.
It would be completely ridiculous to complain to this person's employer.
Oh, and you do realise that masks don't work.....

MadamVastra · 28/10/2023 10:05

Oh my actual days do not email her or her company how ridiculous! You cannot prove you caught it from her. She may not have even had covid. She has not broken any rules, a cough does not mean you are very ill or infectious.

Westfacing · 28/10/2023 10:05

I can understand how you feel but not sure if there's anything you can do.

When you're obviously ill with a productive cough most people wouldn't go into work never mind on a plane - but some are just very selfish.

Original poster
Notjustanother · 28/10/2023 10:06

Flight was full, I did ask to be moved but there were no free seats.

Woman was on a mini break with her husband. Not on an essential work trip.

OP posts:
Runnerduck34 · 28/10/2023 10:06

Very selfish , I would feel very cross too.
But she didnt do anything against the rules.
Possibly under pressure by her firm " to get in with it"
Maybe she didnt know it was covid. But either way does sound like she shouldnt have been on an aeroplane and at very least wear a mask.
Email her employers if it makes you feel better, and just in case they put pressure in employees to continue to work, but I wouldnt expect anything to come of it.
Hope you are better now

Monetm · 28/10/2023 10:06

I’m really sorry it’s made you so ill.

Were you wearing a good quality (i.e. FFP2 or FFP3) mask? My attitude basically is to assume that other people will travel knowing they have Covid, there aren’t any regulations in place any more to stop them, so if I want to try and protect myself it’s up to me.

GladysHeeler · 28/10/2023 10:06

What could you say? People are seeing patients in hospital with covid now.

KimberleyClark · 28/10/2023 10:07

DH and I were in a check in queue at Athens airport. The man behind us sneezed all over us. We both got ill a week after getting home and tested positive for Covid.

Greenshake · 28/10/2023 10:07

This can’t be serious. You have absolutely NO evidence this woman was responsible for your illness.

Sometimeswinning · 28/10/2023 10:07

Woahtherehoney · 28/10/2023 10:02

@Sometimeswinning Curious where you’d move to if the flight was fully booked?

Edited

Well I wouldn’t be able to. In my made up scenario there is a seat for me!

user1483387154 · 28/10/2023 10:09

I hate it when people travel like this when they are sick, however you can not be sure you got COVID from this lady. Im also not sure how you can 'make her accountable for her actions' when there are no restrictions regarding covid anymore.

Clarich007 · 28/10/2023 10:09

Don't be daft, Covid is still everywhere.You can't prove that you caught it from her.What do you expect her company to do ?
I do hope you are feeling better though now I've had it twice, and it was really awful.

Monetm · 28/10/2023 10:10

Hbh17 · 28/10/2023 10:05

You have no idea if you caught Covid from this person.
Whoever may have had Covid is not prohibited from travelling.
It would be completely ridiculous to complain to this person's employer.
Oh, and you do realise that masks don't work.....

Oh, and you do realise that masks don't work.....

Oh not this again. Shit masks don’t work, or don’t work very well. There is evidence to show that good ones do.
https://www.cam.ac.uk/research/news/upgrading-ppe-for-staff-working-on-covid-19-wards-cut-hospital-acquired-infections-dramatically

Upgrading PPE for staff working on COVID-19 wards cut hospital-acquired infections dramatically

When Addenbrooke’s Hospital in Cambridge upgraded its face masks for staff working on COVID-19 wards to filtering face piece 3 (FFP3) respirators, it saw a

https://www.cam.ac.uk/research/news/upgrading-ppe-for-staff-working-on-covid-19-wards-cut-hospital-acquired-infections-dramatically

HomeBird43 · 28/10/2023 10:11

What on earth do you want her employer to do about it??

Having worked in a few law firms, they will (rightly) laugh at you as one of those loons who send in shite from time to time.

forjustnow · 28/10/2023 10:13

You have no evidence the lady gave you Covid.
You being ill has nothing to do with the woman's place of work.

Yes, your situation is unfortunate, frustrating and expensive but it's also just unlucky and the reason you have travel insurance.

If you contact her company you will come across as utterly barking mad but it will give them a good laugh.