tracys2cents

Is this a co-incidence or a phenomenon or what? My last 4 trips, a day after arriving at my destination I come down with a sore throat, then a full blown nasty cold/flu thing. (And I've been flying mostly west-coast - not in cold climates!)

Don't you just hate that person who sits next to you with their nose running the whole time...blowing and sneezing away? Well, that's ME!

Come on Southwest...whatever you are recycling that "recycled air" through needs a new filter!

fdecarlo

It's no coincidence. The three worst colds/flus/whatevers I've ever had were all caught during airplane flights.

The airline industry could fix this problem tomorrow if they wanted, but the "cost benefit analysis" doesn't justify the expense (at least in their opinion).

prue

This has happened to me but after international flights from Europe to Australia - the worst flu like illness I have ever had - and it has happened twice.

ParrotMom

As a pre-caution, and it does work.... several days before coming home I start taking an anti-biotic...For several years i couldn't figure out why I would be sick (bronchtis) a few days after arriving home from a trip....now I know..it' the recycled air..

jnn1964

This happens to me all the time. It's very annoying. For me, it usually starts in my sinuses and works its way down to my throat.

Maybe we should get a class-action law suit together.

ParrotMom, how do you get your doctor to give you an anti-biotic rx if you're not sick yet? I don't think my doctor would do it.

Austin

The only time I got pnuemonia was 2 days after a flight. I've always blamed SOMEONE on that flight!

Johanna1

This has happened to me so much, that I was actually surprised when I DIDN'T get sick on our last trip to Arizona, which happened to be on Southwest. Truthfully, it's one of the reasons why I think twice before traveling to destinations that require me to fly there.

indie

Thought antibiotics kill bacteria not virus - so I doubt that antibiotics would really help. Also it is believed misuse of antibiotics causes proliferation of strains of resistant bacteria - so use with caution.

I find a combination of zinc and echinacea is helpful. In previous years - I found myself highly vulnerable to colds after long runs(15+ miles) - presumably from a depressed immune system. This year - so far so good and I did not take a flu shot.

Cicerone

The notion of planes being flying germ factories is very overrated and over hyped.

Bronchitis is very rarely caused by a virus, so anti-biotics would not work. Ask your doctor about this. To be very specific, only chronic bronchitis is caused by a bacteria, and chronic bronchitis takes years to develop. Most people get acute bronchitis, which is almost always viral, not bacterial.

Antibiotics do not work on viruses like colds either. They only work on bacterial infections.

If you are trying to "prevent" a bacterial infection, there is no proven efficacy in taking antibiotics as a prophylactic measure. In addition, take antibiotics without an actual illness is (1) dangerous for you as you could develop and immunity to the antibiotic which means it would not work for you when you really need it., and (2)selfish as this is one of the main ways in which virus develop immunity to antibiotics, which means new ones have to be developed all the time, contributing to their already high cost. I question the ethics of a doctor who is willing to prescribe an antibiotic to a patient who does not have an illness, or who does not have an illness which can be cured by antibiotics. I lived in Asia for 10 years and doctors there would routinely prescribe antibiotics for colds, which is not only silly but dangerous and selfish for the reasons noted above.

A lot of sinus problems caused by flying are the result of dryness and changing air pressure. The former can be greatly reduced by using a saline spray before, during and after a flight. You can buy these over the counter.

Stephanie

Tracy:

About a week before a trip take Echineasea(not sure of spelling). It can be bought in any store and usually is displayed around the vitamins area. Since most people don't have anti-biotics around this is a good choice. My Mom got sick 2 x this yr and took this on and off all season and never caught the cold.

JohnD

Reply to Cicerone,
Good food for thought & agree about consulting a physician before taking meds, however my physician has indicated that viral infections may weaken one's immune system to the point that nasty bacteria normally found in the body may proliferate and contribute to illness, and so taking an antibiotic with a viral infection may prevent existing bacteria from fluorishing and speed recovery time.

SoBeTraveller

Does this involve health of the attendants, or their hygene standards? They come into contact with everybody, including the pilots. And what about the people who clean and service the planes ... do they have current health certificates? And what about the people who work in the terminals ... is the person who sells newpapers safe? And what about the taxis, drivers, etc.? My goodness, what we have here is a major health issue. Can anyone travel safely these days!

Cicerone

JohnD, I agree with you that this may help a situation where a bacteris is also associated, but this should only been done AFTER you have contracted a viral infection and your doctor has confirmed this. Taking an antibiotic will NOT prevent the viral infection, as they don't work on viruses.

LilyLace

The recycled air might cause some problems. IMHO though, I would guess it be more likely that other than airplanes we all don't spend so much time sitting that close to strangers. It's kinda like the "daycare crud" little ones get - especially those who spend more than 20 hours a week in daycare.

carrolldf

This sort of problem is discussed regularly on the European boards (and probably other international boards as well).

The dry air causes your sinuses to dry out and the normal defense mechanisms in your body don't work properly. Among things you can do to help are be sure to drink plenty of water when you fly and use a saline nasal solution to keep your nasal tissues moistened. I start using the saline solution before I get on the plane and re-dose every hour or so.

Anonymous

Here's some guidance from a website for transplant patients. So this would be extreme for those of us who aren't immune-compromised, but at least it's an idea of the max that can be done.

I think that wearing a mask would not only help filter out airborne germs, but would encourage other passengers to keep their distance, fearing that you were wearing the mask because you were carrying some dread disease.
****

Health experts say you can do a few simple things to keep germs at bay when flying.

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Wear a mask.  It may seem drastic, but masks are perhaps the best way to filter out viruses in the coughs and sneezes of seatmates. 
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Don't touch a thing. With hundreds of people cycling on and off planes every few hours, it's inevitalbe that germs will be everywhere on board. Try to minimize contact with tray tables, windows, overhead bins, etc. and because you probably will get germs on your hands despite yourself, avoid touching your eyes, nose an mouth in flight ( wipe all surfaces, including the tray table, seat belt buckle, control buttons, with an alchohol pad, or with an antibacterial wipe.) Also, if possible eat and drink when not on plane to avoid removal of mask.
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Stay moist. Aircraft cabin air is incredibly dry: 10-20 percent humidity. Low humidity makes it easier for germs to spread.Use a saline spray to keep nasal membranes moist and to sweep away germs. Drink lots of fluids, some say a glass of water an hour.
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Move. If youre pretty sure the person next to you is sick ask to be moved, or if there are plenty of open seats, move yourself. Your proximity to someone spewing germs is the biggest factor in getting sick yourself.
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Relax. Experts say stress is a huge factor in whether you get sick, so try to make your travel day go smoothly.  Pack ahead of time, leave for the airport early and build some slack into your schedule.

FainaAgain

Echinacea is good, it should be taken 2 weeks before the flight, I think. Also vitamin C, take 1,000 mg on a flight day, 500 before/after. Just keep in mind, if you have a weak stomach, it can cause a mild diarrhea.

suzanne

The ONLY time I get sick is when I fly. I think it's the dry air, like someone else mentioned, not from being in a small space with lots of people (because I ride the subway every day).

nytraveler

While its true that ecycling the air deos spread some germs - they're just aslikely to be picked up somewhere else on the plane or in the airport. One of the problems is fairly mechanical. Since the air is so dry the mucous membranes in the nose and throat - which help protect by keeping germs from adhering - dry out and yuo lose the protection. So staying well- hydrated and drinking enough is at least a partial solution.

fdecarlo

Cicerone: I'm not sure where you get your first claim, but it's absolutely incorrect. In fact the first question my doctor asks me when I go in to him with a bad cold or the flu is, "Have you been on an airplane flight recently?".

It IS a major problem, and the industry has known about it ever since they switched to closed air recycling systems on commercial aircraft.