Giggleswick

For an ORD-SFO flight, that would be about 24 times. An amazing feat.

Austin787

The flight crew and the captain were in an uncomfortable position of making a judgement call about whether someone is healthy enough to fly, and they probably don't have the medical expertise of doctors. The choice was between inconveniencing one person vs potentially inconveniencing 200+. So they chose the solution that impacted the fewest people. But the OP would be more comfortable resting in a hotel than on an airplane - even in business class.

Once, I was on an AA flight LAX-AUS. During boarding the guy sitting behind me threw up, in an airsick bag. A FA talks to him and I expected she would tell him to get off. But she hands him a garbage bag and allows him to stay on the flight. He threw up a few more times during taxi and the first 30 minutes after take off. Oh, and that same FA was serving snacks and drinks - hope she washed her hands before the service.

In The 216

Quite.

ptc8329

You're right. I made the whole thing up because I had so little else to do in my life. Roll
your eyes all you want! In typical un-constructive fashion, the broader point is missed.

For the record, it was no less than 15 times. I guess that makes the situation alright from
a passenger perspective. And if I were the parent, I would have taken my child to the hospital, not on a plane.

GUWonder

For various stomach viruses that cause vomit, the break between one burst of vomit and another can be days and days. Even a 4 day gap between vomit bursts happens. You can pretty much bet that many such virus-infected, infectious people have been on flights and yet not been deemed "unfit to fly" by the flight crew. And yet flights aren't being commonly diverted due to such people even if they vomit on flights.

And it's not that rare that some such persons are even told by the airline reps that if they don't fly as booked they will have to buy a new ticket and/or pay substantial penalty fees. Airlines encouraging sick people to fly? It happens way too often.

prncess674

In no way do I doubt that people are flying with all kinds of contagious viruses. In the OP's case, there were visible signs, so the pilot made a judgement call. As other's have stated, this was a long trans-pacific flight and if the plane got sick, or even a small fraction, got sick could you imagine the awfulness of that scenario? It would be like the vomit scene from "Stand By Me"

LarryJ

The gate agent, dispatcher, or flight crew can use MedLink for medical support on boarding an ill passenger as well as the more typical use for inflight medical issues.

theddo

I don't think you should be required to talk to medlink before determining someone who is throwing up is unfit to fly.

LarryJ

They are not. I was just pointing out that the resource is available.

BBSHOPSINGER

I got quite sick about 2 hours into a TATL flight a few years ago and spent most of the rest of the flight in the bathroom. In my case I managed to get home, but I would have preferred the treatment given to the OP - get off the plane, get the illness taken care of, and come home the next day.

The difference for me is that I felt fine when we boarded.

IAH-OIL-TRASH

It would be hard to diagnose the cause of vomiting via MedLink. A lengthy list of causes from innocuous to serious could be generated w/o in-person questioning/examination/tests. Vomiting, in itself, generates stomach-turning smell to those nearby and can linger in a lavatory. Captain made right decision.

LarryJ

That is what they do. Nobody else is better equipped to make those decisions.

IAH-OIL-TRASH

MedLink can definitively rule out or diagnose Ebola w/o a test? MedLink is better equipped than an in-person visit with a doctor, an examination, and tests??? I think our national health situation has just been solved

Martina70

Glad you got your wallet back with the continents intact .

I took the remark about being beaten as a joke in reference to the now infamous incident in regard Dr.Dao being forcefully removed from the flight and how in their view, they were also 'involuntarily removed' from the flight.

More so, how the Dr.Dao situation created a lot of focus on air line policies about compensation for IDB, which probably why the OP is wondering if they are entitled to anything , although in this case..it doesn't apply.

LarryJ

That's not what I said.

This kind of situation is exactly what MedLink is for and why airlines pay for the service. The MedLink doctors are prepared for these situations and know how to make decision best decision with the information available.

None of us (pilots, agents, F/As, etc.) have medical training nor other expertise for making these decisions. Sometimes it's obvious. Most times it's not and that's when MedLink can be consulted.