Coughing and sneezing with uncovered mouth
 

Next time say something. I don't think it is rude to politely say something to someone who doesn't seem to have any social grace at all.

That's a tough one, I think. I don't think I'd have it in me to say that, especially if the person's not even sitting right next to me (ie, different row). Maybe if the person's right next to me, then I might muster up courage to bring that up non-conspicuously so that I don't make a scene and embarrass the poor fellow.

In any case, my first option would be to try to change seats if that's feasible.

I'd be willing to bet that your seatmates would appreciate it if you did say something to that person. :)

It was a full flight,peak summer holiday time.
That's what I was afraid of...creating an uncomfortable scene.The fella was a chinese man who was speaking in cantonese to his neighbouring passenger.I think that they were a couple.If he didn't understand or ignored me,I probably would have become quite irate...I was already seething.Would anyone have involved a FA?

LOL...I just read online about chinese passengers attacking a Thai FA with noodles,hot water and threatening to blow up the plane bec.they were annoyed at not being able to seat all together!

Perhaps it was a good thing that I hadn't involved a FA and should bring an N95 air mask on my next trip!!!!

Sick passengers
 

Some years ago, I travelled on an Olympic Airways flight from Toronto to Athens when I was in the early stages of pregnancy. Those flights stopped in Montreal; a family got on there and sat in the row behind us. They all coughed all the way to Greece and moaned throughout the flight about how sick they felt.

The second day in Athens, I began to run a high fever and developed one of the worst flus I ever experienced. I am sure I caught it from that family, and my elderly mother-in-law caught it from me. It ruined our family reunion in Greece. I wish the airlines were more lenient about allowing sick people to cancel flights.

I was kinda joking about the N95 masks....but now I definitely will bring some.I wonder what the legalities are of the airline forcing obviously sick and spluttering passengers into wearing N95 masks for the protection of other passengers and crew.I don't mean forcing people that have the common cold and cough to wear masks....I mean people who have a fever and are sneezing and coughing.Also,would airline crew be able to legally force a sick passenger into having their temperature taken? Seriously sick and contagious passengers could potentially threaten lives on the aircraft.......

I was flying on an US Airways flight from Charlotte to SFO on 12/22. It's about a 6 hr flight. There was a sick kid behind me that was sneezing and sniffling. He had his hood on from his hoodie but no mask! I got sick Christmas Eve and was sick in bed until 12/26. I was suppose to fly back today, 12/27, but I extended my ticket through 12/29. I bought it through Expedia and I had to pay $200 to change my flight. I don't think that I should have to pay that when they allowed a sick passenger on board that didn't cover his mouth with a mask.

I see. It was Expedia's fault? Or was it USA's fault the child was sick? I assume you have proof that it was the sick kid that made you sick. It wasn't one of the few hundred other people you encountered that day at the airport, in the taxi, at the grocery store, gas station, sidewalk, family member.

You got sick. It's part of life.

Hopefully you have travel insurance that would cover the cost to change the flight bec.you were too sick to travel. If you do,give the insurance company a call asap in case you have to get a doctor's note for any claim.

I wonder if any airline has a policy of suggesting that an obviously sick and coughing/sneezing passenger wear an N95 mask. It almost seems inevitable that the passenger(s) seated in front of a sick person will also become sick.

You all do realize that N95s are to protect people on the OUTSIDE....people with the flu don't wear N95s in the hospital, they wear good old surgical masks.

N95s are to keep particles out, not keep particles in. The unaffected wear them, not the affected.

(I worked bone marrow transplant for five years and spent a total of seven years in oncology. The only N95 precautions are for the people going in the room, not the patient. Not even TBers wear them outside the room - they wear surgical masks. The filter works in, not out. At least, that's what our infection control boards at two hospitals - one nationally ranked and the other a Federal institution - have always told us.)

I understand why people fly sick as I experienced it about 3 months ago.

Was scheduled to fly out on a Sunday AM and I came down with a bug of some sort the night prior. One of those bugs where everything is bad (vomit, fever, diarrhea, etc).

Sunday about 5 hours before departure I knew I wouldn't be able to travel that day. I probably could have but it would not have been fun and would have potentially placed others at risk of catching what I have.

Called Gold desk to change flight to the following day and explained the situation and was charged a $200 change fee.

Anyway, the point being is that some people can't afford to accept a change fee or change fare and will instead travel sick.

Thank you for showing consideration for your fellow passengers by not traveling.

It would be of little consolation to me if I became ill and lost several hundred dollars of income because an obviously sick individual decided to travel in order to avoid the expense of a change fee or fare change. In other words, please don't make your problem mine.

Yup - a few years ago when I was still in college, for example, a $200 change fee would have killed me and I'd do anything not to pay it. Thankfully times are different now!

change fees are ridiculous, and definitely contribute to this problem.

absolutley positively!! $200 is a lot of money to lose!!
Ths is why I dont get too upset when I see people flying sick, although I do think there should be masks supplied at the check in counter.