For the second time in a row, I’ve come home sick after air travel. I know every one and his brother was hacking up a lung on the plane, but seriously? Give me your best tips.
Also what is the deal with tsa pre check? We’ve had it the last 2 out of 3 trips, is it random? Maybe I shouldn’t ask and just be glad for the seemingly random gift I’ve received ;).
There are always those medical masks that people use during allergy season. What I have found is that end seats are generally better because you have more leeway to move away from the sick person around you. Also, first class generally gives you more room and there are fewer people around and that should reduce the amount of contagions around you.
If the mask is not an option, walk with a scarf. My mom brings a scarf with her wherever she goes so that if she’s around a sick person, she can just bury her nose into the scarf without offending the person.
I’ve gotten precheck randomly and once when I was forced to get a first class seat.
Ok, I will always fly economy and I was not next to a overtly sick person. It was spring break and lots of kids on the trip but thankfully none near me.
Times like this make me so happy to be away from that. Our flight home was delayed 4 hours. We waited an hour and a half after the plane arrived for the crew to get there. Felt terrible for the hordes of families with little children in a terminal that was packed with 2 few seats.
I’m not interested in wearing a mask either.
The other thing to remember is that every surface in the airplane cabin is covered in germs. As soon as you sit down, use a Clorox wipe to wipe off the arm rests, the seat belt buckle, and the tray table.
Also, every surface in the airport itself is also covered in germs. Carry Purell and use it liberally.
I read an article recently that claimed the most germy place in an airplane is area where you rest your head, more so than the bathrooms or other areas. Makes me miss the old days when they had those little cloth like things that velcroed on that they changed with each flight.
Wash your hands like crazy.
Bring a bandana of some sort and put it on the top of the seat where you rest your head.
Keep your nasal passages hydrated; on the plane the humidity is low so you are more susceptible to catching a cold or other germs. use salt spray in your nose or spray a cloth and inhale the humidity periodically.
I do the scarf trick, carry a mask for the obvious bad case scenarios, wash my hands, etc. Have only been sick at all twice in the past 10 years, both times very long lasting, severe viruses after 6+ hour flights. After the one last month that sent me to bed for over a week, I might wear two masks.
Don’t forget to avoid using the seat back pockets. Very dirty and in some cases worse that that. Wasn’t a long standing CCer unsure if their electronic device would be usable after it met up with errant contents of the pocket? No water bottles should rest there.
I did see somewhere that using the fan above the seat is a good idea, as it filters the circulated air. Any thoughts?
I’m enjoying the tips.
Thanks great tips.
Some of the germs are unavoidable, because the plane isn’t getting very much fresh air (I think it’s about 55% fresh, based on an article I read a few years ago), so it’s just recirculating the same dirty air. But a lot of illness is transmitted via the hands, so if you keep yours clean and don’t put them near your face unless they are, you can go a long way to avoiding sickness.
The Lysol wipes tip is great. Especially use them on the tray table, which is usually visibly dirty. Bring Purell as part of your allowable gels and liquid, and use it frequently, but especially before you eat or apply eye drops or lip balm.
A saline mist for your nose is great because it actually helps your own nasal membranes do their job keeping out bacteria and viruses. Drinking a lot of bottled water is also very helpful, because it keeps you hydrated and flushes you out.
And speaking of flushing, every time you use the lav, Purell your hands when you return to your seat, even if you did a great job washing them.
How timely - I’m starting a 16 hour flight to Asia tomorrow.
I used to get a cold/sore throat/congestion or some variation after every overseas flight until I figured out that I needed to use a saline nasal spray. Knock wood, no such problems since starting the spray routine about 4 years ago. I also started getting an annual flu shot around that time. That probably doesn’t have any impact on the cold-like symptoms, but it makes me feel like I took some sort of preventive measure. I think it also helps me to be relaxed and well rested when I board a flight longer than 5 or 6 hours.
A friend and I went to Paris a year or so ago. She was meticulous in wiping down every surface for us - I’m sure that’s also a good preventive. I do travel with both wipes and Purell - I’m going to be more conscious this trip of the surfaces thanks to this thread.
I’m enrolled in the program, but Hubby has been randomized even when not traveling with me. TSA was catching flack recently for super long lines. Maybe they’ve increased the randomizing. As you say, don’t complain!
I stopped getting sick every time I got on an airplane when I started wiping down the surfaces with disinfectant. I’m also very careful in the airport. I try to avoid touching escalator handrails, and if it does happen, I head straight for the restroom and wash my hands. I like to take a very lightweight, long-sleeved hoodie, which I wear with the hood up. And I never, ever, ever put anything in the seatback pocket–in addition to the reasons mentioned in post #8–if you don’t put anything in there, you can’t forget to take it out when you leave.
" I never, ever, ever put anything in the seatback pocket"
– Amen to that. I can’t begin to tell you how many forgotten tickets, books and reading glasses it took me to learn this lesson.
I have to admit that I think I did everything wrong. Including reading the brochure in the seat back. After 4 hours of waiting with a bunch of cranky travelers and whining children, I thought I needed a cocktail ;).
You know after they made us wait an hour and a half waiting for the crew to show up and said crew saying they were going to make that long wait up to us. I was hoping for a free drink, but nope got nada!
Bringing my wipes and wiping everything down next time.
TSAPrecheck is worth the $80 for 5 years. We were getting it much of the time and then didn’t once! We signed up right away. No shoes off, no computer out of bags, usually short lines…
You pay for a background check for TSA pre. It is definitely worth it. Shoes and belt stay on and shorter lines usually.
If you do overseas travel, even a few times in 5 years, consider Global Entry, $100 for 5 years, including pre-check and expedited entry thru customs into US.
We use the Lysol wipes on the armrests, seatbelt, and most especially the tray table. Also use Purell quite a bit. Another tip I received from a doctor was to rub a bit of Neosporin ointment in your nasal cavities. It keeps them from drying out. We were just using Vaseline for that, so I’m not sure if it needs to be Neosporin or not, but good to keep them moist.
We have Global Entry, too, but I’m not sure how it helps with germs.