DeeGee26.2

Now, here's a thing. About four years ago, well into adulthood, I suddenly developed hay fever. This manifests itself, when I'm having an allergic reaction (to what airborne allergen as yet, I don't know) as a mucus filled nose, which generally only comes out one way, usually I can blow my nose, but sometimes I sneeze, sometimes repeatedly for a couple of minutes. I'm not ill throughout the day, basically I get some nasal discomfort which I'm now used to living with..

I never realised, as I don't fly incredibly often, but this has had a knock-on effect on my own health, when flying. Symptoms of congestion in my head get worse in a pressurised cabin environment, especially when descending. I can't tell from one day to the next whether this will result in a constantly running nose, or a bad tension headache, or sneezing. It differs from one flight to the next. Sometimes its worse than others - this may be due to the air conditioning in the cabin environment, allergens on other flyers' clothes, whatever. It's worse in the mornings, and I will almost invariably have a sneezing fit after waking up.

Thing is, this isn't caused by any kind of infection, but is my body reacting in its own way to something environmental. I would not have known about the effects of flying on my nose if I hadn't flown - first time it happened it was a surprise to me.

I've now worked out that I can control it with over the counter decongestants and antihistamines, but as I understand it, certain countries ban some of these products. The decongestant I have found works best can only be bought in the UK under the guidance of a pharmacist, for instance.

Now, all the time this has been going on, I had no idea that there would be people on board my flight wishing that I'd stayed at home, or expecting me to cancel and rebook a leisure flight paid for by myself at my own cost because I was sneezing as a result of nothing that can be caught, but of symptoms actually made worse by flight. I've got good travel insurance, but there's not a policy available anywhere in the UK that would cover me for cancelling a flight due to symptoms of allergic rhinitis.

Of course, though trial and error, I've now found the solution, but as I suggested earlier, developing this was a total surprise after 38 years of allergy-free living, the symptoms varied depending on the flights, could have been caused by allergens being introduced into the cabin environment by other people on the plane, and it's taken me years of testing things to come up with a medical solution that still can't be used every time. And get this - at the moment I catch the flight, I'm absolutely fit and healthy, and often, within a few hours of landing, I'm running a marathon! I'm neither ill nor infectious.

If you leave the house, you risk picking up the lurgy. That's a fact of life. You really can't pin your having caught a cold/flu/lurgy down to a person on a flight who may have been sneezing, it's unfair to even suggest it. If you're that level of germophobe, maybe sitting in an air conditioned box isn't ideal for you and maybe you should make your own arrangements to deal with your germophobia, rather than expecting me to sit with a mask on like a leper.

Badenoch

HMPS

Is this because we are now super trained / tuned into Political Correctness ? If I were OP and had a mask to spare I would have offered the mask with gentle comment about his own well being and care for the others.

purch

It has nothing to do with political correctness (In fact I generally dislike political correctness). I simply believe that sick* people in general should take reasonable measures to not infect others, where IMO reasonable includes things like those I mentioned, and unreasonable includes being forced/asked/coerced to wear a mask or forced/asked/expected to change their flight.

*Note I'm talking about somebody getting on the plane with a run-of-the-mill cold or flu, not ebola.

Touching something infected and then touching your face or your food is more likely to lead to an infection, so what should we do about that? What happens when the sick guy next to you wearing a mask for your benefit touches your armrest on the way to the toilet. Sorry but you will probably end up touching it too. What about every time you handle money? Putting your pin in a credit card machine? Touching the sugar dispenser at Starbucks. As long as someone sick touched it in the last day or so you could also get sick from it. There are so many times in the day that you could potentially get infected, it's just not worth worrying over if your immune system is halfway competent.

Hey, if the mask thing catches on (pardon the pun), I don't really mind. It just seems a bit overkill.

akl_traveller

Re-circ-u-lat-ed air. Confined space. Already dangerous due to the humidity and likely fatigue levels.
It'd be hard to design a space more suited to rapid disease spread than a long haul jet.
And masks WORK. They really, really do. Please guys.

akl_traveller

"Horrible flu weather we're having!" *smile* "Look, I happen to have a spare mask with me if you want it." *look around cabin* "Wouldn't want all those buggers grumbling you're going to infect them"

You're ignoring that?

Segments

Badenoch

Sure. I am under no obligation to talk to you. I might as a courtesy say "no thanks." Anything further and you'd be advised in no uncertain terms where you can stick your mask.

HMPS

You do realize you are agreeing with many of us ? ! I merely said I would offer a mask to 17 D. What is wrong with that, that you would not ? Because afraid of rejection? An argument? Not my business syndrome ? BTW you will need seven life times to see someone foregoing a journey because s/he has a common cold or stuffed nose. Not going to happen.

purch

Typing something out as if you're saying it really slowly (or whatever you are trying to do there to make your point) doesn't necessarily make it true. The air in a typical cabin is made up only of around 50% recirculated air, and the air that is recirculated is extremely well filtered. The entire cabin is basically refreshed every few minutes, which is more than can be said for virtually any other space including hospitals. It's a myth that you are constantly breathing in other peoples germs for the duration of the flight. I'm curious, if it's so easy to catch something on a plane, do you wear a mask for the entire flight for prevention?

For the record, I never said masks don't work.

I wouldn't offer because I think it's a bit of an imposition to expect someone else to wear one.

As a someone on the receiving end of such an offer, I would feel like I have to make a choice between two unwanted scenarios - either I have to wear a mask that I don't want to (and who wants to put something on their face that they don't know where it's been?), or I have to decline knowing that it might make the requestor indignant. Not saying YOU specifically would become indignant, but go read some of the threads about confrontational and passive-aggressive pax. How would I know the rest of the flight isn't going to be made a misery because I dared say no?

HMPS

Yes who knows about the rest of the flight...? However if the choice if for a horrible flight with 17 D and potential of catching something terrible as did the OP, I would gently with proper deference offer the mask. It boils down to what my wife says " it is not what you say, it is HOW you said it" !

Badenoch

The flight would be a misery already because I'm sick and have to fly. Compounding my misery is a presumptuous busybody trying to cajole me into wearing a mask. The remainder of the flight will a misery for him/her because they will be in a fit of anxiety at the prospect of getting ill or worse. Misery loves company. Sharing is caring so they are welcome so share whatever ailment is troubling me.