I travelled from Miami to LAX yesterday on a packed plane. There were apparently a number of international mis-connects and so the adjacent seat stayed open until a few minutes before departure when the gate agent upgraded an elite flyer to the window seat next to me, 2F.
All was well until about 10 minutes after take-off when my new seat mate decided that she felt sick and needed to go to the bathroom. Seat belt sign on, but the crew let her go. She returned a few minutes later, feeling cold and asking if she could have my blanket and pillow (of course I agreed). 10 minutes later, just as I was napping (It was a 20:30hrs departure), she poked me to ask to get to the bathroom again. However, it was occupied so the crew had to supply her with one of their large plastic sacks as ‘sick bags’ seem to have gone from American. She sat on the crew jump seat for 20 minutes or so retching, just long enough for me to doze off.
Returning to her seat I was again awakened.
Over the next 5 hours, I had alternating ‘pings’ as she called for the crew – more club soda, more ginger ale, a thermometer …more…more…more. And of course, endless visits to the bathroom.
I got no sleep.
Now, I might be being a sleep deprived and cranky flyer today, but I know it was wearing the crew down too. They were considering a medical diversion at one point, but she then felt better. Again, the offer of a medical team on arrival was turned down as she wasn’t that bad.
Halfway through she asked if I’d like to switch seats – as she had to go to the bathroom more often. Again, not sure if she really wanted an aisle but got a window as the only upgrade available, or I’m just being cranky.
So I wonder what you think, am I going to come down with some awful disease today, or did AA in Miami simply upgrade a drama queen?
nice of her to offer to switch seats, it at least stops you from being further disturbed.
Sick? sharing germs in a metal tube for over 5 hours? Why would that go wrong…
There is so much wrong with this report that I don’t know where to begin.
If you see someone throwing up for 20 minutes sitting in a jump seat how in the world can you label this for being drama queen.
If it was me on her first visit to the bathroom and noticing that she is sick I would have offered to switch seats.
Tale – there’s no way I can sit in a window for 5 hours. Hence my choice of an aisle.
She could have returned to her coach seat if she’d liked, it remained empty.
If it was as bad as she said, I wonder why she suddenly felt better when the crew offered to divert or have paramedics at the gate?
Try sitting next to ‘constantly coughing Constance’. Heard her in the departure hall, heard her in the boarding lounge, sits next to me in biz. Cough, cough, cough.
I offered her a cup of lemon tea, she is offended and refuses it. Cough, cough, cough for 12 hour flight. Cough, cough, cough in arrival line. Says to a doctor behind her in line, “I have had this cough for two days, do you think I have some disease?” I hope you have a terminal disease, Connie!
I agree with Tale, there is so much wrong with this report that I don’t know where to begin….so much wrong with how it was handled and with this lady in general. OF COURSE SHE IS A DRAMA QUEEN! The airline personnel have a responsibility to all the other passengers on the plane, not just this woman. If she were truly feeling ill to the point where she was “throwing up” prior to take off, the crew should have removed her as a procaution, 1-so she doesn’t give whatever she has to anyone else, 2-so that she doesn’t get worse in mid flight and thus causing the plane to be diverted. If she were truly as sick as she claimed and needed to go to the bathroom so often she should be moved to a seat directly across from or next to the bathroom, that my friends would have been the correct thing to do. Again, if she was truly so ill, she shouldn’t have been given the option, medical personnel should have attended to her upon landing.