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Airlines not taking any swine flu risks - bumping sick passengers
Yesterday, United Airlines passenger Mitra Mostoufi was kicked off her plane when the flight crew suspected she may have swine flu.
The 50 year old from Hawaii was questioned in front of her fellow passengers, and pulled from the plane.
United Airlines said that they do allow their staff to determine whether someone is too ill to fly, and this is obviously done to protect the other passengers and crew on the plane. Especially on a plane, the air circulation system can spread germs to everyone on board in a matter of minutes.
According to Mostoufi, she had thrown up in the airplane bathroom due to a reaction to a restless leg syndrome medication. When she asked for an air sickness bag, a United Airlines staffer ordered her to gather her belongings and leave the plane.
Even though the airline bumped her, they refused to rebook her on a different flight that day, so she had to spend the night with relatives.
I'm torn on this issue - obviously, airline staff are not trained physicians, so they have no way of making a 100% accurate judgment on our health. However, if they notice someone with flu-like symptoms, I'd be quite happy if they asked that passenger some more questions. Throwing someone off a flight just because they are puking does not seem very fair though.
What do you think? Should airlines abandon passengers with (swine) flu like symptoms?
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Joe Nov 12th 2009 6:51AM
Almost a decade ago I got really sick right before a flight and stayed with my friends. I showed up a few days later with my ticket and a physicians note. The agent waived the reticketing fee.
In the current climate I wouldn't chance it. Even if I was at death's door I still would try to get on the plane. I have no confidence the airline would show any sympathy this time around.
Sara Nov 12th 2009 11:49AM
In my experience at my airline if a passenger appears to be too ill to fly and a flight attendant red flags them, the passenger may be removed but at that point the agents will call paramedics and make a decision based on their diagnoses...and if they decide they are healthy enough for flight the agents will rebook them on a later flight. The airline doesn't delay the original flight.
Kevin Nov 13th 2009 8:20PM
I think the airlines are taking to many liberties these days. Two years ago I booked a flight and was asked to show I.D. when I got my ticket which I had no problem doing. When I got to the counter at the airport to catch my flight I was pulled out of line and questioned. the TSA agent demanded to know what country I was from and what was my reason being in the United States. I looked at him asked if this was a joke, the agent again asked me what country I was from ... I looked at her and said America then asked where she was from. She was not an American by birth ... granted I grew up in the north east and have spent over 20 years living in the south I have a mix of 2 different accents. She said because my accent wasn't American I must be from another country. My last comment to her before I boarded my plane next time you question anybody born in this country make sure you can prove he or she is not from here ... then said by the way you pronounced America wrong it doesn't have a D in it ( Amedica )
Laurie Nov 17th 2009 11:11AM
Kevin, You are confusing airlines authority verus the TSA which is not an airline entity but the Federal govt. Your experience was not with an airline employee but a federal govt employee. Believe me two entirely different things.
chris Nov 13th 2009 8:25PM
My take on this : Currently airline employees have too much power over travelers. They make decisions and it is up to the passenger to prove them wrong. As opposed to innocent until proven guilty. We have seen in the news countless times where flight attendents crossed the line and had passengers ejected or arrested over "bad day" attitudes.
bpridgell Nov 13th 2009 8:30PM
Isn't that practicing medicine without a license ?
Marshall Nov 13th 2009 8:37PM
Another one of United's patterns of bad PR. I always thought that they have gone down
hill over the last 38 years. Bad image and bad treatment of passengers in general.
If United refused to book her into a hotel at their expense and never bothered to rebook
any of her flights, that says alot about the attitude of that airline.
S.B Nov 13th 2009 8:42PM
I was the bad one on a flight just today. Woke up feeling terrible...but needed to get home. So I coughed and sniffled all the way home. No one said anything at the airport. I made it home...and surprise....I have the flu (not H1N1, but still).
I would have stayed a couple of days longer, if I knew I could get re-booked on another flight. But the way airlines are, I just couldn't afford to change flights.
Sorry to everyone on that plane!
airline worker Nov 13th 2009 8:42PM
As an ariline worker, we have many duties to perform.
If a passenger seems too sick to fly we will remove them from the flight. We do not want to make an emergency medical landing. This is a judgement call, but it sometimes has to be made.
The FAA says inebriated passengers may not fly. If a passenger appears drunk or smells of alchol we must remove that passenger. If we don't there are huge fines haded out by the FAA. We have no lienency on this issue.
If someone is Malodorous (has bad B.O.) we are to remove them for the comfort of other passengers.
If a passenger is too obese, taking up another passengers seat, we must remove them. Again for the passengers who's seat they are using in addition to their own.
These are not fun conversations. We don't enjoy doing it. It is very uncomfortable. Before you criticize the Air line worker, think twice about why we do what we do. We have and will make mistakes, but not intentionally!
Karrie Nov 13th 2009 8:44PM
I was removed from a flight for trying to help a woman with 2 infants sit with her husband. The crew was saving the whole last row for themselves which is against any airline regulations. Flight attendants should not ever be given this kind of authority.
bill Nov 13th 2009 8:45PM
When it gets to the point that employees are wondering whats wrong with this woman then its time to give her the boot. While we can sit here and criticize the airlines for having too much power (CHRIS) I'd rather be safe than sorry. You have to be pretty bad off to be removed from a flight. Good job airline!!!!!!!!
Karrie Nov 13th 2009 8:49PM
You'd think but not always
Clint Nov 13th 2009 9:04PM
Since when does a stewardess have the training, experience or RIGHT to derail someone's travel agenda? Too many people with too much authority over other people. And too many paranoid sheep are comfortable with letting them get away with it.
twila Nov 13th 2009 8:52PM
THE U.S SHOULD DO WHAT JAPAN DOES.... MAKE EVERY PASSENGER WALK THROUGH A HEAT SCANNER AND IT WILL DETECT IF THEY HAVE A FEVER. IF FLIGHT ATTENDANTS OBSERVE ANY PASSENGER THAT APPEARS TO BE ILL, IT IS NOTED ON THE DOCUMENTATIION THAT IS TURNED IN TO OFFICIALS UPON LANDING. THAT PERSON IS DETAINED AND CHECKED OUT BY MEDICAL PERSONNEL. WHEN I FLEW TO JAPAN THE HAZMAT TEAM CAME ON IF FULL PROTECTIVE GEAR AND SCANNED EVERY PASSENGER FOR FEVER. IF THEY FOUND YOU, THE ROWS IN FRONT, BEHIND AND ACROSS FROM YOUR ROW WAS QUARANTINED AND THEY WERE DETAINED FOR FURTHER TESTING BEFORE ALLOWED TO DISEMBARK. THEY WEAR FACE MASKS IF THEY ARE SICK TO HELP WITH THE SPREAD OF ILLNESS. HELLO USA ......STEP IT UP;!!!!
nana7 Nov 13th 2009 9:16PM
Sorry, but I'm on airlines side with this one. Just the thought of someone puking and no place for me to go to get away from sound and smell... I have RLS, an 81 yr. old woman showed me an exersize yrs. ago that takes minutes to do and relieves it. No side effects and I have it less often now. It can even be done in those tiny restrooms.
Sick people belong at home, not on planes, not in stores, resturants, banks, and other places where they can spread their germs. People just don't have respect for others.
Alyson Nov 13th 2009 10:57PM
I like the idea of the airline protecting me and all the other passengers from swine flu, but an attendent is not a doctor. and swine flu isnt the only thing i can catch on a plane. I would rather they had a doctor on board or atleast near the terminal so if someone does seem sick, they can be looked at and treated accordingly. If the doctor says they shouldn't get on the plane, then that's fine. But I don't think throwing up is enough to constitute swine flu, nor something to get kicked off the plane for (especially since airplanes ALWAYS have air sickness bags available. Guess what? people throw up on planes.)
hellermama Nov 13th 2009 10:37PM
Here's the deal, airline management is very strict when it comes to calling in sick. They actually refer to it as a "dependability" issue. Flight attendants aren't even allowed to wear protective gloves to pick up garbage on international flights without running the risk of getting written up. So, if a crew member sees a passenger who is displaying signs of being ill, the only responsible thing to do is to make sure the purser and agent are aware of this passenger. The passenger is then questioned about their symptoms and well being. Then a decision is made by the agent, purser and captain if need be. The risk to all passengers isnt worth taking a chance that could result in diverting a flight , contaminating other passengers and crewmemebers and worse getting stuck in quarantine because a passenger arrives ill to a foreign destination.
If we can nip it in the bud, prior to take off, this prevents potential problems inflight where medical resources are limited. Flight crews are required to report passengers showing signs of being ill prior to arriving as a result of the new H1N1 virus. Trust me, it is not their intention to inconvenience anyone, just trying to do their jobs and protecting themselves, when they can from catching illnesses that arrive onboard.
AIRLINE CREW MEMBER Nov 16th 2009 3:18AM
A few points to consider in this situation:
1. If you were scheduled to fly on her flight, would you like to sit near her knowing she was ill when she boarded the plane?
2. Would you like to breathe the same re-circiulated air for the next several hours?
3. If it is a communicable disease, or contagious, would you like to be exposed to it? possibly quarantined upon arrival?
4. Would you be willing to wait for her to be examined by a medical professional even if it would make you late for your arrival or connection to your next flight?
5. Would you appreciated it if her condition worsened inflight and consumed the time of two other flight attendants and they wold no longer be able to tend to other duties for the other passengers? possibly no food or beverage service due to the minimal staffing?
6. Would you be willing to be patient and understanding if this person's conditioned worsened inflight and the plane was diverted to get her to the nearest medical facility? This would mean we would land somewhere not scheduled and be at least a few hours late to our scheduled destination if we are able to take off again given the time of day, airport regulations, staffing etc?
7. If you were in the business of running an airline, would you be willing to absorb the cost of expensive landing fees (in thousands of dollars) at a non-scheduled airport and possibly incurring the cost of providing food and accomodations for approximately 200 or more other passengers in the event you didn't make it to your scheduled destination?
These are just some of the considerations made when faced with this situation by the airlines....