Hypothetical - Would You Take Sick (Puking and Pooping Lol) Kiddos on an Airplan

Updated on December 16, 2011
H.M. asks from Boulder, CO
27 answers

Ideally - no.

However - what if you've booked your holiday travel WAY WAY in advance and can't really change your flight without incurring lots of extra expense and MISSING the big holiday functions?

Would you venture onto a plane with your family in this situation or suck it up, lose the money for the tickets (like over $1000 dollars) and call it a day?

Just curious - asking cause my bff has sick kiddos that are puking/pooping and I'm worried mine will catch it with the unfortunate timing of the day we are supposed to leave. :-)

Thoughts?

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So What Happened?

Thanks everyone - i don't think I would do it either - and that stinks if hte situation arises - but I"m going to remain hopeful that we don't catch it. We were at her house on Sunday - the entire family - for a Christmas brunch but her son didn't come down with the bug until today - so hopefully we'll miss it. I am already pretty fanatical about hand washing (make my son wash is before snack once he is off the bus) and it seems to have helped keep them healthy. Keep your fingers crossed! :-)

Featured Answers

F.H.

answers from Phoenix on

No, never. And if I were a passenger on that plane, I would be livid. And if I were the family you were coming to visit, I would be even more livid!!!

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J.✰.

answers from San Antonio on

I agree with Hazel. NOT fun for the kids, for the passengers, nor for myself.

If I were you, I'd be pumping my kids full of good vitamins right now to help build up their immune system. Fresh fruit, fresh veggies, very little processed foods.....

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S.G.

answers from Norfolk on

I don't think I'd want my puking, pooping kids (a) on a plane, (b) at ANY big holiday functions.
But sick kids on the 15th of December could be perfectly healthy in time to catch that flight, depending on when they're flying out.
I wouldn't decide until the last minute. If the kids were still that badly ill, I would not go. I would try to change my plane tickets. Even if there was a penalty, at least the money wouldn't be a total wash.

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☆.H.

answers from San Francisco on

No way, the trip would be hell. Being pooped an puked on during a flight - no thank you! Plus, every time my son gets a stomach virus I know I have 48-72 hours before I start puking, so I'd miss the main events anyway - and having to be that sick at someone else's house - ughh.

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C.W.

answers from Santa Barbara on

I would never take my daughter on a flight if she were sick like that!! An enclosed metal tube with other passengers?? Not in a million years. Even if it were $1000.

I had to cancel a trip to Hawaii (non refundable tickets) because I was busy getting blood transfusions from an ulcer. I even called after I missed the flight and that's a big no-no with United. I sent in documentation and I believe we got 90% of our money back.

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H.W.

answers from Portland on

No. I do not hate myself that much.

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H.H.

answers from Indianapolis on

As a former Airline Pilot I can say there is no way I would subject the rest of the cabin to that experience let alone how horrible that would be for the sick little one! When I buy a ticket.... I ALWAYS buy trip insurance! It is worth the few extra dollars so that they tickets don't go to waste, just incase!

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G.T.

answers from Redding on

not on your life. nope, nada, no way.

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K.C.

answers from Philadelphia on

I would not. And you should be able to at least change your flight with a doc's note, or get a voucher for a future flight. Probably the one thing I would NOT do would be to take my sick and contagious child on a flight with a few hundred other people and make them all sick right before the holidays. I'd rather miss my fun than ruin it for that many other people. Plus, the thought of my pooping and puking child DURING the flight itself is nightmare enough to keep me from traveling. And the gate agent might not even let you board if someone in your travel party is that ill. Call your airline and ask them what their "sick" policy is, just in case.

I would, in the meantime, COMPLETELY avoid your friend's kids, and make sure your own kids obsessively wash their hands if they DO hang out with the sick kids. They'll probably be just fine, but take precautions now. Hope you don't have to give up your holiday plans and that your friend's kids feel better soon.

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A.H.

answers from Chicago on

No chance! Not to mention the people your kids will infect by being in a closed space...most stomach viruses are airborne. Sorry I'd contact the airline now and ask about your options. Crossing my fingers it's a non-issue and you guys get to go. Don't hang out with your BFF until her kids are better or you have to see her!

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D.B.

answers from Charlotte on

All I can say is "Just shoot me" if that were to happen to me. Do so much to help keep your kids from getting it - it IS a lot of money!

Glad this is still hypothetical so I don't hafta cry for ya!

Dawn

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E.H.

answers from Orlando on

I would not and I wouldn't appreciate another parent doing that either. We all strive to protect our kids' from those horrible colds that cause them such discomfort--even pain.

I would see if you have an alternatives at all to protect other children AND even the airline employees that may have to clean up any such nasty bodily fluids.

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J.L.

answers from Chicago on

Heck no!! i am getting sick thinking about that hypothetical LOL!

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R.J.

answers from Seattle on

Even for nonrefundable tickets, most airlines will change them with a doctor's note. Not refund them, but either give you vouchers or the same in miles.

It happened once on an airplane I was on (10 hour flight from asia) that a child got sick with what was probably the stomach flu. The pilot came out before landing and told the entire plane that if anyone said a word the entire flight would be put into quarantine for 2 weeks. TYPICALLY if it's happening during boarding or taxi-ing, the flight will be taxi'd to the side and the sick family will be escorted off the flight. SOMETIMES the entire flight will be cancelled, and rarely, the entire flight will be put into quarantine for 10-14 days.

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J.M.

answers from Philadelphia on

ussually stomach bugs are over fairly qquickly and not contageous after a day of no symptoms...so if they were good by the flight for 24 hours I'd go, if not I'd try my hardest to change

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S.A.

answers from Chicago on

I want to say I would never, but $1000.00 is a lot of money...

Try to do everything you can do stay healthy between now and then. Make your kids go to bed early, lots of Vitamin C, Vitamin D, probiotics, wash hands constantly.

Good luck!

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C.B.

answers from Boston on

The airline will not let you on if you are visibly ill. Always buy travel cancellation insurance. On a ticket total of $1,000 it is probably about $25-$40.

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C.O.

answers from Washington DC on

Nope. I'd rather eat the cash than put my kids through that...not just my kids, but myself and the other passengers.

If I can't reschedule - if I called the airlines and said - okay - we are flying tomorrow - however, I have a toddler who is having exploding diapers and vomiting - I'm not really inclined to put her on the plane - what can you do for me? I THINK or HOPE they would work with me.

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P.D.

answers from Detroit on

I would also say never, but $1,000 is a lot of money. I think I'd have to be in that situation first before I made that decision. I sure hope you or your kids don't get sick!

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☼.S.

answers from Los Angeles on

Oh, man, that would suck to lose the money spent on tickets, but no I would absolutely not put my kids or fellow passengers through that. I don't know if the airline could do anything for you should it come to that, but I wouldn't hesitate to call and see what they could come up w/ in terms of a credit, etc.

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R.M.

answers from Cumberland on

the only way for your children to catch "it" would be to somehow digest the organism that is causing "it"-a little well- placed hand washing is all that is necessary. Further-no one has to be that ill in the United States-for more than a day-a little medical intervention may help.

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K.D.

answers from Denver on

You don't say how old you're kids are, but it sounds like a pretty miserable day for you if you do go. I heard in the news yesterday that the CDC type place in San Juan County just released findings that the stomach virus going around this area is Nora virus, which is the virus that is so bad on cruise ships. I guess it's one of the more highly contagious viruses. My facts may be a bit messed up, but I think I'm close to right, at least. Anyway, you probably would feel bad passing that on, as well as having a miserable day yourself. I'm pretty sure some vitamins and good hand washing and house cleaning is all that it'll take to have a great trip. Stay healthy!

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R.W.

answers from Denver on

You could see if the airline would accept a doctor's note if you all get sick and they would then allow you to rebook your flight for a later time. I am not sure if this is possible with littl bugs that go around. That is a lot of money to lose, but I can't imagine it would be much fun taking them on a plane that way. Out of respect for travelers like myself who are going through chemo, if you did travel I would have your child or anyone showing symptoms wear a mask. This would allow them to travel, but they would not be breathing their germs all over the airplane. This is a hard decision b/c there is so much money invested and you want to be with your family at Christmas I just will hope for the best that nobody gets sick and you all have a Merry Christmas.

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J.K.

answers from Missoula on

We had a similar experience last year, but it was our return flight and we had to get back for school and work. We stopped about 3 times on the way to the airport for pooping and throw up stops so we were really concerned that our day would be terrible. We all felt really yuck, but the rest of the day there was nothing else coming up. If we would have canceled, it would have been a waste of money. We did really try to keep to ourselves and not touch lots of stuff. We may have stayed home if it was the start of our trip, but we were on our way home.

J.S.

answers from Jacksonville on

Last year at Christmas time my daughter came up with some really weird virus. She would wake up throwing up, and would throw up four to five times. But, during the day she was perfectly fine, not sick at all. We took her to the doctor and he was completely stumped.

We did go ahead and take the flight. She didn't get sick on the plane, but did end up having some tummy cramps that made her cry for a while. That was the first time she had shown any signs of pain...and of course it was on the plane.

Then she caught a sinus infection from my dad....two days before we went home. Uggghh. We took her to the doc and put her on antibiotics, but she was still congested and miserable. We debated back and forth about whether or not to take the flight back. My husband had to go....he works for the military so there was no option there, but I could stay and go later.

In the end we went ahead and made the flight, we gave her some benedryl (which the doc told us to) and crossed our fingers. The flight went really smooth. In hindsight I was glad that we made the flight, her sinus infection lasted two weeks! Ugh and it was nice to be home so I could keep her pretty isolated so she could get better and not spread it.

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G.L.

answers from Salt Lake City on

I would call the airline and find out exactly what my options are. I would politely explain to them that my options are to bring children on the plane who would puke and poop and likely infect half of the plane including their staff, or to be given other options, and see what they say. Also, if you bought your tickets with a credit card, check with your credit card company and see if they have any guarantees, refund arrangements, travel insurance that you aren't aware of.

Personally, I would not want to put my kids through flying under those conditions, so I really hope that yours did not catch anything from the bff's kids. I would pray and bathe them in hand sanitizer. Just kidding. Sort of. Good luck.

I did once have an airline give us credit to spend later for was supposed to be a no changes no refunds ticket because between booking and my travel dates I ended up grounded due to a high risk pregnancy. I did need to provide a note from my doctor, and once I did so the airline folks were both kind and helpful. In this case, if your kids do end up sick, a doctor's note to the airline might give them reason to be more flexible, so that at least you don't lose your money.

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T.W.

answers from Denver on

It really depends on the severity of it all. I have had kids puking where it is coming out every 10 to 20 minutes. I have no idea how you would manage that on a plane. If they puked only once and then just feel yucky or just a manageable amount of pooping, go for it.

My guess is you will be fine and no one will get sick. = )

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