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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:
CaroleSinger · 28/10/2023 15:32

This was how I caught COVID. I'm vulnerable and knew straight away who I was infected by because it was obvious. I know they infected me and feel it was incredibly selfish to put other more vulnerable people at risk when it wasn't essential that they had to travel to work. They chose not to go sick knowing they were really ill, as a result I ended up needing oxygen. Thanks for that. Not. 🙄

WrongSwanson · 28/10/2023 15:33

Katrinawaves · 28/10/2023 14:57

There may be no onus on a random member of the public not to read a confidential document but there certainly is an obligation on a solicitor not to do so. The SRA requires us to act ethically in such circumstances and the correct response in such circumstances is to stop reading and let the other solicitor know that you have seen it. Same would apply if you were sent a document by email in error. You can’t just decide to read it and then use the contents for your own benefit (or even the benefit of your client). OP has certainly committed professional misconduct in her own right here.

Show quote history

Quite.

I have received a number of emails in error. I politely advise the other solicitor and delete the email without reading it. It's clear that's the professional standard I should hold myself too.

If I was on op's situation I wouldn't look at the document and if necessary would politely advise the individual it was readable from where I was sitting

Daz2424 · 28/10/2023 15:36

I'm just recovering from covid came down with symptoms 4th Oct.
I had been to a charity night 4 days prior and I'm thinking that's we're I picked it up but I will never know.
If you go back on previous covid cases back in 2020, we were told that the incubation period was 2-14 days.
So realistically I could have caught it prior to the date. and the same for you.
However my husband slept next to me every night and my 3 daughter were in and out my bedroom also.
None of them have caught covid from me.
I suppose you will never know how you caught it and who off.

Poudretteite · 28/10/2023 15:36

You want to email a woman's work because she was coughing on holiday and now you're ill?

I hope for your sake this is a wind up

Nopenopenopenopenopenope · 28/10/2023 15:39

I wear a mask on flights/trains/tube etc. And I'm extra careful about hand washing/sanitiser. Nobody else cares to do it so I look after myself and control the thing I can control. I've not contracted COVID from transport yet. It's not right but I don't think you really have any recourse here.

Minimoto · 28/10/2023 15:43

Ultimately if you spend time with other people in confined spaces then you run the risk of getting Covid. That’s life from now on. I got it last year, I think on the flight out to Palma and spend 4 or my 10 day holiday in bed.

TentChristmas · 28/10/2023 16:07

They would probably be more interested in the fact that you were able to find out her name and her company and she has brought them into disrepute that way. So I would send the email based on that.

SurprisedWithAHorse · 28/10/2023 16:22

Katrinawaves · 28/10/2023 14:57

There may be no onus on a random member of the public not to read a confidential document but there certainly is an obligation on a solicitor not to do so. The SRA requires us to act ethically in such circumstances and the correct response in such circumstances is to stop reading and let the other solicitor know that you have seen it. Same would apply if you were sent a document by email in error. You can’t just decide to read it and then use the contents for your own benefit (or even the benefit of your client). OP has certainly committed professional misconduct in her own right here.

Show quote history

She would have, if she were a solicitor.

Katrinawaves · 28/10/2023 16:25

SurprisedWithAHorse · 28/10/2023 16:22

She would have, if she were a solicitor.

Show quote history

Agreed we don’t know if OP is still practising in any area of law or intends to go back to it. She did though state she knew what the document was because she was formerly a corporate lawyer herself, so she should have known better than to read it in the way she did.

Movinghouseatlast · 28/10/2023 16:32

Katrinawaves · 28/10/2023 14:57

There may be no onus on a random member of the public not to read a confidential document but there certainly is an obligation on a solicitor not to do so. The SRA requires us to act ethically in such circumstances and the correct response in such circumstances is to stop reading and let the other solicitor know that you have seen it. Same would apply if you were sent a document by email in error. You can’t just decide to read it and then use the contents for your own benefit (or even the benefit of your client). OP has certainly committed professional misconduct in her own right here.

Show quote history

She hasn't said she is currently a solicitor. She said she used to be a corporate lawyer, not currently is one. So she is just a random member of the public.

The onus is for the person working on confidential documents not to do it in a public space where it can be seen.

SurprisedWithAHorse · 28/10/2023 16:34

Katrinawaves · 28/10/2023 16:25

Agreed we don’t know if OP is still practising in any area of law or intends to go back to it. She did though state she knew what the document was because she was formerly a corporate lawyer herself, so she should have known better than to read it in the way she did.

Edited
Show quote history

She has never been a corporate lawyer. She wouldn't need to be told any of this stuff if she had been. She wouldn't be asking about contacting the woman's employer.

If she really has emailed this woman personally, that's insane.

cansu · 28/10/2023 16:36
  1. You have no proof you caught covid from her.
  2. Her work have absolutely nothing to do with whether she gets on a plane with a cough.
twostraws · 28/10/2023 16:53

@Notjustanother I agree with you that this woman was an absolute twat. It's selfish travelling in a metal box without ventilation when you're knowingly ill.

However, the law isn't on your side and this country is full of people who have no morals, so you wouldn't even have public opinion on your side either.

I'm not sure there is much you can do other than quietly fume. I would be just as upset in your position.

As for reporting her for being stupid enough to have confidential working papers visible to random people - I don't think I would. It wouldn't lead to an outcome where she, her husband or her employer would take passing on germs seriously. All it would do is punish her. She wouldn't change her behaviour in the way you want it to be changed.

I hope you make a full recovery in time.

Shimla999 · 28/10/2023 20:48

Notjustanother · 28/10/2023 11:08

Thanks for the advice. I also happen to be a former corporate lawyer, and I’m not convinced that is the case.

Especially if I were to explain that I knew which firm to contact as I read every word of the draft settlement agreement she was working on, including the parties, terms of settlement and strict confidentiality clauses.

Its the classic case they warn trainees to avoid.

Show quote history

Really, I just am trying to imagine the situation and have come to the conclusion that OP either:

a) has amazing eye sight
b) was using a telescope/binoculars
c) was bending over her neighbour's laptop

Or maybe all 3!!!

Because how else could she get all these details and read the entire document - AND remember the e-mail address, names, etc.? Maybe she has a photographic memory?

In any case, what was she doing snooping like that? It's totally inappropriate and rude. I'm no legal expert, but if indeed it could have been a serious problem for her neighbour, why didn't she either look away or tell her neighbour to be more discreet as she could read everything?

RhymesWithTangerine · 28/10/2023 20:53

You shouldn’t have done that,OP.

But I think you’ll find out.

Sometimeswinning · 28/10/2023 21:13

Notjustanother · 28/10/2023 12:54

Thanks everyone, this has kept me amused whilst I’m not able to get up.

I’m amazed at all the people who defend to the hilt someone’s right to fly with Covid (because it’s legal, you know!). Even though they do so with the certain knowledge that it will make others on the plane ill.

But are morally outraged at the idea of me reading text on a computer openly on display right next to me (also not illegal).

I guess there are a lot of entitled “Women with a cough” types on MN who hate the idea of selfish actions catching up with them.

I’m not going to email her work. I have however emailed her to let her know that I could read her document and also that I and the passenger in front of her are both ill with Covid. She can make of it what she will, and self-report if she feels the need.

Hopefully it will make her more aware on both fronts.

As to the weight loss, I think 50 hours of spin classes would be preferable to a day of bad Covid. Although crack on if you want to try it.

I think this is brilliant! You have nothing to lose. I think you got a majority of replies who have obviously done exactly the same thing (as have I) Or have never stood up for themselves a day in their lives!

dicedicebaby · 28/10/2023 21:13

You can't be serious 😂😂😂

Pollynots · 28/10/2023 21:20

How do you have her name@Notjustanother ?

I'm sorry to hear you been so very poorly, and I do sympathise but I'm not sure what contacting her employers will achieve much, if anything. Her travelling on a plane (for a non work related trip) with potential Covid/flu isn't anything to do with her job.

TheLeavesAreTurningBrown · 28/10/2023 21:25

I was in France and I know it's a snap shot but not a single person around me coughing or sneezing made any effort to catch it.

Not any merest ventilation in large packed rooms.

TheLeavesAreTurningBrown · 28/10/2023 21:26

Unfortunately world also usually forces people to feel obliged to go in when ill.

PeloMom · 28/10/2023 21:27

Honestly, I’d contact them. That’d really piss me off. I understand you can get it from anywhere but when it’s obvious when someone should be in bed due to sickness I’d be mad. And it might be her job that was unreasonable and not let he have a break so she was forced to fly.

saltinesandcoffeecups · 28/10/2023 21:32

Notjustanother · 28/10/2023 12:04

Some of the responses on here are very odd.

Woman is not at fault for working on a confidential document in public. Apparently I am in the wrong for not policing her professional conduct and reminding her not to do this.

Woman is not accountable for travelling when clearly very unwell. It’s my fault for not moving (even though there was no space elsewhere).

At what stage do people take any responsibility for their own actions?

Show quote history

At what stage do people take any responsibility for their own actions?

Pot: You’re Black
Kettle: 🤔

🤣

GreenWheat · 28/10/2023 21:34

What a ridiculous thread. How on earth do you know you got covid from her? You don't even know if she had it and you could have caught it from anywhere. Get a grip.

PinkSparklyPussyCat · 28/10/2023 21:50

I agree with you that this woman was an absolute twat. It's selfish travelling in a metal box without ventilation when you're knowingly ill.

So people are expected to lose money on flights, holidays etc.?

WrongSwanson · 28/10/2023 21:53

twostraws · 28/10/2023 16:53

@Notjustanother I agree with you that this woman was an absolute twat. It's selfish travelling in a metal box without ventilation when you're knowingly ill.

However, the law isn't on your side and this country is full of people who have no morals, so you wouldn't even have public opinion on your side either.

I'm not sure there is much you can do other than quietly fume. I would be just as upset in your position.

As for reporting her for being stupid enough to have confidential working papers visible to random people - I don't think I would. It wouldn't lead to an outcome where she, her husband or her employer would take passing on germs seriously. All it would do is punish her. She wouldn't change her behaviour in the way you want it to be changed.

I hope you make a full recovery in time.

There's no proof she was contagious though.

People have given ample examples here of non-contagious causes for coughing