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Original poster

Chicken pox and on holiday. How do we get home?

19 replies

jollyma · 31/05/2010 21:02

Ds2 has come out w chicken pox in Portugal. We are due to fly home friday but easyjet website says 7 days after last spot comes out with a dr's note. I feel terrible that we brought him on the plane here contagious and dont want to do the same on the way home but 7 days seems far too long.

Has anyone got any experience of an airline stopping you from flying? Is the 7 day rule enforceable?

OP posts:
scurryfunge · 31/05/2010 21:05

Is the chicken pox very obvious and is he still very ill with it?

happywheezer · 31/05/2010 21:05

You will need permission from the captain to fly. My husband is a captain with Ryanair and is going to check the manual for you now-bear in mind this is Ryanair though- sleazyjet might be different.

Littlefish · 31/05/2010 21:08

Dd had chicken pox while we were on holiday. We phoned the airline and they said we had to get a Dr's note, and report to the medical officer when we got to the airport. They would then decide whether we could fly home.

At check-in, they kept us waiting for about an hour while they tried to find a doctor or medical officer. Dd's spots had crusted over, but were still quite obvious. They didn't manage to find a doctor, and I refused to let a non-medical person examine dd in the check-in lounge (although I was quite happy for her to be examined by a doctor in a private area.

In the end, they just looked at her arms and legs, which were on show, and decided that she could fly.

Sorry - I realise that that probably doesn't help!

Have you spoken to your insurance company?

happywheezer · 31/05/2010 21:14

ryanair says 4 days until the spots are dry. maybe accepted or travel but ideally in possof a medical cert. if not contact med link 0016022393627 for further advice and make decision based with airlie crew.
So a bit like previous person really. Hope this helps.

Original poster
jollyma · 31/05/2010 21:20

He has 2 really obvious ones on his face so dont think we could sneak him on. Also couldn't say he has had them longer as we only flew out here yesterday. He doesn't seem bothered by it at all.

Cost isn't a prob as we are staying w family but ds1's headteacher is going to skin me alive as he has had 2 weeks off recently, one for ash cloud, the other for chicken pox.

OP posts:
scurryfunge · 31/05/2010 21:43

Oh....my first thought was to sneak him on the plane....possibly not then. If he is ill then he would not be in school anyway and the headteacher will just have to live with any delayed return. Hope he gets better soon.

Original poster
jollyma · 01/06/2010 08:48

Thanks for all the replies, think i need to get a drs appointment just in case.

Its ds2 w chicken pox now, hes only 14months so not at school yet.

OP posts:
silverfrog · 01/06/2010 08:54

The health protection agency advice in UK is 5 days after onset of rash, not until spots are crusted over.

I sympathise, as we had this problem with dd1 a couple of years ago (we were in America, where chicken pox is practically a noticeable disease). We managed to get home, by a combination of the 5 day thing and luck, I think.

You could try going to a doctor and quoting hpa advice, and see if they will give you a note?

MintHumbug · 01/06/2010 09:01

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Original poster
jollyma · 01/06/2010 11:53

I agree minthumbug i'm not planning on taking him on a flight whilst still contagious but dont really want to be hanging around here for 7 days after emergence of last spot. Easyjet policy does seem too strict.

OP posts:
silverfrog · 01/06/2010 12:21

this is hpa advice on exclusion for schools/nurseries etc, based I htink on the fact that cross-infection more than 5 days after onset of rash is extremely unlikely (whether spots have crusted over or not)

7 days after last spot comes out seems extreme after reading that...

zam72 · 01/06/2010 12:36

My best friend had this happen - not sure of the policy guidelines from the airline, but she was definitely out there for at least 4-5 extra days. They were in a villa which was booked for the next week so the insurance paid for a hotel room for her and her son (her DH and other son flew home as planned). I think she had to get a Dr's permission to say her DS was no longer contagious - as judged by the state of his spots. And they did that at the hotel. 7 days seems pretty long for after the last spots scab over - that'd be much longer than exclusion from nursery or elsewhere?

beautifulgirls · 01/06/2010 20:31

Can you speak to the insurer and see if they will pay for a different airline to get you home sooner if the easyjet policy is much longer than other airlines policy on this? (obviously once he is considered safe by a Dr)

Original poster
jollyma · 03/06/2010 19:57

We saw a doctor yesterday and he has given us a letter to say ds2 is safe to travel wednesday so we have re-booked our flights for then. Fingers crossed we dont have any problems because he wont be contagious but is absolutely covered in spots.

OP posts:
wixemgwox · 18/06/2014 18:30

I have been to the Dr today with my 2 year old who developed spots today. She has Chicken Pox. We are due to go on holiday in the UK tomorrow. The Dr advised me, if she's happy in herself (she's happy as usual), then go and enjoy the holiday. I said I was worried about infecting people - he said, 'it's good for young kids to get it and most adults have had it'. Also, 'it can be picked up from anywhere....the supermarket, park etc'. Feeling much happier to hear that from a professional. Thought I'd share as I've seen posts advising Mum's to not leave their houses for 5 days!

DeepThought · 19/06/2014 12:56

Well your Doctor is stupid

Complications from chicken pox though rare can be devastating for healthy people and the implications for immumo-suppressed people are dire.

ilovepowerhoop · 22/06/2014 18:35

I agree the doctor is giving out woeful information. There is a reason the nhs website tells you to stay away from people until you are no longer contagious:

To prevent spreading the infection, keep children off nursery or school until all the spots have crusted over.
Chickenpox is most infectious from one to two days before the rash starts, until all the blisters have crusted over (usually five to six days after the start of the rash).
If your child has chickenpox, try to keep them away from public areas to avoid contact with people who have not had it, especially people who are at risk of serious problems, such as newborn babies, pregnant women and anyone with a weakened immune system (for example, people having cancer treatment or taking steroid tablets).

mousmous · 22/06/2014 18:39

that's what you have travel insurance for (I hope).
congrats to a few more days holidays...

hazeyjane · 22/06/2014 19:38

wixemgwox - your dr is wrong.

Nhs advice is to stay away from others until spots have scabbed over, usually 5 days. Chickenpox can be very dangerous for some.

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