Who else gets a cold after flying?

I think Michael Jackson had a good point wearing a face mask when in public.

I flew on Friday evening and promptly suffered a throat infection which has turned into a full blown cold, ok, maybe it had something to do with the belly dancing costume and Turkish Fez that I wore , should have known better really, but now I am on the Lemsips, maybe have a stiff brandy later, well it will be for medicinal purposes.

Strawbs told me in future to place a thin layer a vaseline up my nostril, so will try that next time I fly.

Also, have you noticed that whilst in flight everybody promptly starts sneezing in the seats in front of you?

Does anyone else suffer with cold like symptoms after flying and do you have any tips to prevent catching bugs whilst flying?

Ruby

Sometimes I do and I get a dry throat and earache for a few days but not every time I think a mask could help but people would laugh never heard about vaseline

Did you see the pic of Michael Jackson with the mask on his nose on the trolley? what was the point when he was dead?

Pipxoxo

I pick up colds flying sometimes but no idea why, I think its the germs all in a close space best look silly with a mask instead of feeling crap with a cold and having a rotten holiday, who cares what you look loOk like thats my view

Hope you get well sooon Ruby

Isn't the air in the pressurised cabin recycled throughout the journey? That's what I've always been led to believe.

Ewwww. It makes me feel ill just thinking about it - breathing in the germy air generated by all those skanky strangers. YUK!

I never knew that about the air...makes me feel ill to think you breath in all that dirty germy air from other people yuck............might take a mask next time now I know......

Guveclover wrote:Isn't the air in the pressurised cabin recycled throughout the journey? That's what I've always been led to believe.

Ewwww. It makes me feel ill just thinking about it - breathing in the germy air generated by all those skanky strangers. YUK!

Hi Judith,

Not all the air is recycled in a pressurised cabin - just 50% of it is - about every 2/3 minutes or so. Half of it is recycled through filters, and the other half is fresh air which goes through filters in the engines- so the air is not as bad as people think. It just feels that way because you're in a pressurised environment.

The safest way to avoid germs is to take sanitised gel or wipes and wipe your hands after you've left the loo (having touched the door handle etc). It doesn't hurt to wipe your fold-down tray, too (they're riddled with germs - especially between turn arounds) people leave their dirty napkins, tissues on there - and some people might sling a dirty tissue on there or even a dirty pamper!

Contracting a virus through the air is possible, but less likely. If you keep your nose moist with Vaseline it will stop it drying out and help prevent virus' enetering your body through dry nasal passages, but it's no guarantee you won't catch a cold - it just helps.

There's germs everywhere, though - so it's not worth worrying about, really.

Strawbs

Just a footnote (I was tipsy last night - so am checking to see what I wrote! )

Just in case anyone points it out - the fresh air that goes through the engines is filtered afterwards - the engines don't filter it, haha! Oh, and the reason you'll more likely have a germ-ridden plane on a turnaround is that the cleaners do a VERY quick job of tidying the plane up and wiping down surfaces - all very slapdash! So lots of germs buzzzzzzzzzing about!

I've never caught anything on a flight; probably because I keep my sytem sterilised with alcohol.

Strawbs

Vit c and zinc taken 2 weeks before flying is good I was told today, well worth noting.

What did you drink Strawbs you must of drunk a lot of it

Pipxoxo

Hi Pip,

Yes, Vitamin C and Zinc are supposedly very helpful in preventing colds, so there's no harm in taking extra a few weeks' before you fly; but it's still no guarantee you'll not catch a cold. The most effective way to avoid colds is to wsh your hands regularly, especially after touching door handles etc.

Regarding last night... ....we had a tad too much vino! Very nice it was, too! I can't quite remember how good it tasted, though.

Strawbs

Ah yes Strawbs, I have heard about putting Vaseline around the nose, I'm sure someone told me that when the Swine flu panic was at it's height and I was going on holiday. I was petrified of catching it and I think I spent the whole flight eiher with my top pulled up to cover my nose or breathing into my sleeve!!

I really don't like being in such close proximity to all those skanky types you get on flights - especially the clientele you get going to and fro to Turkey!! I've no fear of flying but some of them just make you

On those flights we always seem to get some old skankers reeking of booze sitting right behind. They start off mouthing off loudly, fueled by alcohol, and then they invariably end up flopping of to sleep and snoring their heads off right in our ears, breathing their horrible dragon breath all over us. YUK! I can't get off quick enough.

Yeh you get some roughs on flights to Turkey tattood tarts,pissheads and slobs I bet they look all posh going to south of France and places like that Its a good point cos I dont remember ever seeing anyone posh going to Turkey on a flight even on the good flights the Turks go on. do posh people go over there? I dont think they do

Maria

Haha, Judith!

It's just as well they've banned smoking on planes! Did you ever have the misfortune of having to sit in th back where the smokers used to sit? And smokers always tend to drink, too. They go hand-in-hand together - I've noticed that. Booze fumes and smoke - that must have been hell for you!

Of course, for the best air you need to sit at the front if you can, but there's no guarantee you won't be sat near a boozer. To be honest, I've never really noticed any drunks on flights (they're not allowed to serve them alcohol if they appear drunk, as you know) but I have seen some who look the worse for wear, and are able to disguise how tipsy they actually are.

I always have a drink on a flight (more than one, too) but I never have too much, and I would never breathe in someone's face! Mind you, I tend to drink either Vodka or Champagne, and they don't have a very strong odour, like, say, Guinness or Whisky. I do remember sitting next to one woman on a flight who had the most awful bad breath. It wasn't alcohol - it was just 'bad breath'. It made me feel sick, and what was so awful was she wanted to keep talking to me! I could barely turn my head as she spoke, and eventually told her I was going to listen to some music and stuck my earphones in. I ALWAYS carry headphones with me, or use the ones on board if I'm stuck next to a bore

I've never really thought about if before, but on the charter flights you don't really see many posh-type people, I suppose. I have seen a few elderly types who look all intellectual and want to go and explore the ruins etc - they look the type if that makes sense - and you can tell by their educated accents that they're not going to spend their holiday in Bar Street!

When I've flown scheduled on BA to Turkey there's very few skanks on there (I don't remember seeing any rough-looking people) but some are flying out on business, or live over there - so they're a different type really. On Turkish Airlines most of them are Turks, but I have seen a few typical-looking numpties and elderly women who look like they could have toyboys.

I'm not crazy about TA - the service is appalling - they even pour coke out of plastic bottles, rather than giving you a small tin! I hate that. I don't even have bottles at home - I only have the tins - or the small glass bottles. Those big pastic bottles go flat (and they're never very fizzy to begin with) so I think it's appalling for a schedule airline to serve bottled coke. I remember seeing one numpty on TL raving about TA (well, it's TURKISH isn't it?!) and she was amazed that you got free food and drinks on there! She obviously didn't realise she was flying schedule - she must have been thinking only about getting to her destination and falling into askim's arms! Oh, and some of the planes are quite old and tatty-looking, I noticed. And the Turks are very messy on the flight, too - they seem to accumulate loads of bags and things all around their seats.

The worst service I ever had was on a Turkish Cypriot flight (schedule) and I think the cabin crew can't be bothered to serve you drinks, because they're free. Anyway, I had a drink and wanted another one, so pressed the button and waited, and waited, and waited until one walked past and I called her and asked her to for a drink - but she never came back! So after AGES I eventually walked to the galley myself and saw the stewardess sitting on a stall in there applying mascara and lipstick. So I told her I wanted a drink, and she told me (in a very haughty way) to sit down and she'd bring it to me. She was so rude! So I told her I had no intention of waiting and I wanted service NOW. She just kept applying her lipstick while looking in her compact mirror, so I asked her if she wanted me to serve myself, and she shrugged (she looked quite pleased!) and said 'OK'. So that's what I did. I opened the drawer and took some bottles of vodka and even found some TINS of tonic water! So that was a result. I took a good few, too.

But it is bad when you have to serve yourself!

Strawbs

get over it. bottled coke not good enough ffs. you have to pay for drinks on flights btw

Steady on there Ladybird, you've exceeded your 10 word limit!

Ladybird,

You're becoming extremely tiresome with your unamusing one liners. I haven't (as yet) had cause to ban you, and I don't like banning anyone simply because they're an idiot. Even idiots are allowed their say on here, however, you constantly make veiled swipes and digs and it's just BORING.

Incidentally, ALL food and drink is free on scheduled flights.

You should sample it some time on TA, and give us an in-depth opinion of the service you had on there.

Strawberry

As we initially suspected Strawbs, this Ladybird must be the nut Ladybird on the Obese site. Obviously she suffers from learning difficulties and a very restricted vocabulary.

Ladybird, why dont you flutter off?

Ruby