Have you ever vomited during a flight?
 

Yesterday I came very close to vomiting during my flight.

I rapidly noticed that there are a lot less bags on the back of airplane seats than there used to be be.

Thanks to some wet mini-towels from the flight attendant, I was able to avert a major problem.

Have your ever vomited during a flight?

What is the right protocol with your fellow passengers?

Have you ever been on a flight where someone else vomited?

I was on an AA transcon when someone in coach vomited all over his seat and apparently it was a big mess.

This person was feeling very sick apparently and the pilot decided to make an unscheduled medical landing in the nearest airport, Phoenix.

The paramedics decided he was okay, they cleaned up, and we all went back on board and completed the flight uneventfully. Apparently it was a diabetes complication.

What was the reason that you had your problem on board?

[This message has been edited by richard (edited 03-30-2003).]

Not on a plane but the classiest act I ever witnessed was at a banquet for a famous fashion designer. Seated on the dais next to me was a well known lady who was a speaker. It was obvious to me that she was not well, before she was to speak she dropped her napkin, ducked to pick it up, opened her purse and threw up in her purse, snapped it shut, straighted upright, smiled at me, wiped her mouth daintily and was introduced as the next speaker. She never missed a beat. http://www.flyertalk.com/travel/fttr...orum/smile.gif

Not quite but almost. Was on a very turbulent cross country and the lady behind me could not stop vomiting - the coughing, gagging, wretching kind that has you moaning. Poor thing had a completely empty stomach but still couldn't stop.

I have a very weak stomach and almost lost it because of the sound effects behind me. (I was a middle seat and so was she) She was leaning forward most of the flight so even closer to me.

As for etiquette - I think her seat mates knew her - if not - they had iron stomachs. The just sat there and stared stoically ahead. The FA came around and offered her a few extra bags which I think she just left on the floor upon landing.

As for her condition - I think she was on something because in the waiting room she appeared to have the very glazed look and when we had seen her earlier, she seemed very enthralled by the light show in Atlanta Harstfield airport.

Ummm...Unfortunately, given that it was at a high fashion event, it's reasonably likely that there were many more women vomiting that day than you saw. As Margaret Gray (Phil Hendrie) says, "Two fingers to thinner thighs." :-(

My ex- produced a series of technicolor yawns jusr after take-off on our way back from Charleston. Turned out she'd caught a case of labyrinthitis (an ear ailment), and the change in pressure was all it took. Other than feeling a bit tired the day of the flight, she had no forewarning. Fortunately, an airsick bag was in easy reach.

Ever since, I've checked the seat pocket before take-off.

edited to try a different spelling of labyrinthitis.

[This message has been edited by wideman (edited 03-30-2003).]

Have you ever vomited during a flight?

No, I never have.

I am posting here, praying that somehow this thread does not become the subject of a post in this thread...

When I was 17 (a long time ago!) on a flight BNE-MEL on Ansett, (R.I.P.)it turned out there was girl from school sitting behind me and we chatted with me facing backwards as there weren't enough seats to swap and the people around were locked into their headsets. Still chatting while decending until told turn around by the FA. Suddenly I felt very hot and flushed. The closer we come to touchdown, the worse I felt. Landing set me off and thankfully I had the airsick bag in hand, but some still escaped. Mum was on the flight with me and jumped up and started panicing while the plane was still taxi-ing. The FA's started shouting at her to sit down. I don't remember what happened next, but when we got out, my cousin very quickly offered me some chewing gum!

The last time I saw (heard) some one throw up on a plane was 3 years LCY to AMS. It was a Saturday morning flight on KLM and there was about 16 guys in a stag party. They had started early as some seemed worse for wear already. The plane was a propjet and it felt turbulance very easily. The boys were all in the back of the plane, two rows behind me. When the turbulance hit, they were being silly, screaming and oohing etc.

Then I heard him retching.

Cheers, claps and whops eminated from the group. As we had entered the landing phase, the FA's weren't moving to help him. It's the passanger sitting in front of him I felt most sorry for, as the stench was spreading. By the time we landed, I was nearly ready to throw up - but I didn't!!

Sine that time the only time I've come close is when I flew LHR-MIA J class on AA and the the FA kept refilling my G&T while I was watching the movie. I got up to go the loo when I suddenly felt sick. I didn't throw up, but my friend said I had knocked back around 5 drinks while watching the movie and I hadn't realised!

Motion Sickness Prevention Corner

If you ever feel queasy, sick or nauseous due to motion sickness, read this thread - especially the last post.

Additionally, you can divert that nauseous feeling by running ice cold water on the undersides of your wrists, if a sink is available nearby.

As an alternative, ice cubes (whether they are wrapped in a cloth or not) pressed against the undersides of the wrists should also work.

---------------------

Now, if the nauseousness is due to something that was eaten, that is another story...

Im happy to report Im a airplane vomit virgin... http://www.flyertalk.com/travel/fttr...um/biggrin.gif

I once ate something on UA that made me sick. No, I didn't drink too much. It was OAK/DEN/IAH (with a quick connection) - shortly after DEN takeoff, I went to the lav and ... well, I was glad I was sitting up front. I also told the FA - a few mins "after", I felt decent. I had apparently turned very pale white. I was fine in a short time. That said, I didn't eat any more UA food that day.....

As a lurker for months, I finally got the chuckles when I read this topic and had to post my experiences.

As a f/a for a major airline, I have had far too many experiences with vomit other than my own. Several years ago I was the lead f/a working a flight from MCO to ABQ. We were on final descent and the landing gear had dropped. As you may know, it is often quite bumpy during take off/landing in ABQ. I'm just about to take my seat (on the forward jumpseat) when mama runs to the fwd lavatory with her 4 year old. He holds his "vomit" until he gets to the fwd galley and then the poor kid just cut loose with the most vomit I've ever seen come out of one person, much less someone so small. Daddy comes up front to help mama and the kid who are now in the lav. The other f/a who is supposed to sit next to me on the fwd jumpseat starts to "gag" and makes a bee-line for the aft jumpseat for landing. We are rockin' and rollin' making a fast approach into ABQ, and I've got 3 pax standing in the front galley area. I do what I can for them and get them back to their seats ASAP. Unfortunately, I was left to deal with the "remains" which was spread all over the galley--floor, walls, and my jumpseat. I was slippin' and slidin' in this stuff. It was a completely full flight --no extra seats otherwise I would have reseated a pax and used their seat for landing as my duties as a f/a required that I "maintain my exit". I quickly found some gloves and got busy cleaning (Unfortunately, I didn't have time to run to the aft closet to get the bio-hazard suit.) Despite my efforts, I ended up landing standing up and did a nice little curtsey as the wheels hit the tarmac
and received a loud round of applause from the pax. For the most part, pax did not have to step in the mess in order to deplane.
So much for the on-time airline. No delays!

Interestingly, although I realize that mama and daddy had their hands full, they neither apologized nor thanked me.

Futhermore, I cannot tell you how many "barf"
packages we find on the floor or in seatback pockets at the end of a flight. --Not to mention the folks who hand me the bag without a warning of what's inside. I realize that people may be embarrassed or just plain sick, but common courtesy should prevail when at all possible. I am more than happy to assist pax at all times, but some people just don't have a clue.

Another example . . . (pre 9/11) A lady up front was somewhat ill and proceeded to the forward lav. As she was travelling with her child, I offered to entertain the child while mama was in the lav. Shortly thereafter, the captain came out of the cockpit to take care of his business. Mama came out of the lav, and the smell just about knocked us over. I couldn't help but see what she had "left behind" in the sink. Again, no acknowledgement -- NOTHING. (How can people be so GROSS ??) I told the captain to wait just a minute while I cleaned he lav. Bless his heart -- he told me to take a break, and the CAPTAIN cleaned it.

I'm a bit more assertive now when it comes to things like this. Depending on the situation, I often will give the pax the items necessary and suggest that they clean up their own mess. (Diplomatically and tactfully as possible)

Oh the stories I could tell . . .


And one last thing . . . many thanks to all of you -- the fliers -- who make my job possible. This is an extremely difficult time for the industry right now, and as airline workers, our nerves are often stretched thin. For every 100 people who may be upset w/ a situation, it just takes one smile or a thank you to make it all worthwhile. Nonetheless, you pay my bills and I thank you for it.

Never been on the dispencing end ... but unfortunately, I've been the recepient of a 'large, charitable donation' a few years back. Just moments before a mid-summer landing in ATL on an old 737 with no personal air vents ... the guy (middle seat) looks over at me with glazy, deer-in-the-headlights eye and says "Uh oh ... <urrrrrp urrrrrp urrrrrp> and splatters the back of the seat and his seatmates on both sides. Ooooh - the smell! That guy must have eaten rotten eggs for breakfast ...

Needless to say, it was quite a few flights later that I finally regained my castiron stomach during rough air.

GMF

First, Dirty Bird, allow me to be the first flier to thank you for your dedication and hard work. I, for one, appreciate it. I just wish the executive management of the major airlines had your attitude, gratitude, demeanor and generosity.

Secondly, I enjoyed your stories thoroughly, and if you have any more to share based on your invaluable experienced, I would certainly be happy to hear about them.

Thirdly, welcome to FlyerTalk!

Dirty Bird , welcome to FlyerTalk! Thanks also for your professionalism and sharing your experiences. I hope you post a lot!