I'm so conflicted about this story!

At least things turned out ok, can't really ask for much more than that.

This whole swine flu scare is out of control. People just need to stop already. It is no different than the normal flu which kills tens of thousands of people every year.

People = stupid.

I think I saw an episode of Doctor Who about this.

At least they weren't in mid-air, I could see passengers building some altar to sacrifice the poor sod to the dark gods of homeopathy if they hadn't been able to eject him from the plane.

Perhaps James might want to consider rebooking himself the next time he's sick, swine flu mania or not. Speaking as someone with a crappy immune system, I would be pissed as hell if someone sick with a cold got on the plane and sat next to me. Last time that happened, the cold I picked up from a thoughtless traveler ended up as a case of pneumonia that lost me a month of work.

No sympathy for people who travel sick (especially in a sealed, shared tube with recirculated air) or for people who come to work sick.

jaydez
Yes exactly. CNN said something like 15,000 people had died from a general flu since January. Why are we making such a big deal out of this, especially when the cure seems to be just a regular flu shot?

I mean really, I live between DC and Baltimore. I'm much more likely to get SHOT than die of the sniffles.

@Merujo: Geez - nothing like a stubborn-headed traveler.

Don't you realize there are just times when that can't be avoided - for instance, you travel somewhere and get sick while you're there - and you have to get home. You can't just not fly home just because you have a cold. It would be silly for someone to change their travel plans just because they have a cold and COULD get someone with a crappy immune system sick in the process.

Maybe you just need a good dose of vitamin C. (And don't argue that I don't know what it's like to have a crappy immune system - I do. I just know how to keep myself semi-healthy or take preventative measures when I could get sick)

@Merujo:

So, what if he got sick while on vacation and was on his way home? What should he do then, rent a car? I'm sorry you get sick often (I do too), but I don't believe that justifies inconveniencing others. Perhaps you should be the one who doesn't get in the "sealed, shared tube with recirculated air", if you really are that susceptible to falling ill?

People really need to quit panicking over this stupid swine flu! I had some woman look at me like I had some deadly disease while I eating a sandwich at Subway. I was actually sneezing because of seasonal allergies.

This isn't any worse than the regular flu people. Chill out!

This is great because I have a cough and am getting ready to fly . . from IND to JAX

IIRC, they either diverted/kicked off/quarantined a flight b/c they though some passengers had swine flu, but they were hung over/drunk. You're sober enough to fly, but not sober enough to not be confused for a flu victim.

@Merujo: Perhaps you should try improving your immune system (change diet, exercise, more sleep) rather than asking everyone else to cater to your weaknesses.

I took a fair bit of hell from a customer at work recently because of a cold, apparently I cough wrong and thus am some sort of menace to public health. As I understand it now the news is telling people to cough into the inside of their elbows, the problem with that is that if you aren't wearing sleeves it just kind of directs the cough directly in front of and below you.

@TinkishDelight:Lets see what's between Baltimore and DC. Do you really think you have a high chance of getting shot in Columbia Md?
Anway, the reason swine flu was such a big deal compared to regular flu, is because normal flu usually kills off he very old, or very young, or those that are already sick. When something spreads like the flu, and can kill off normally healthy people, it is a big deal.

Why are we making such a big deal out of this...

@TinkishDelight: Because they think that this could become a pandemic. They (CDC, WHO, etc.) are worried that everyone will get sick at once (not that it's extra fatal).

I wish they'd say WHY they're worried about this becoming a pandemic. Is it extra contagious? Do people not have any resistance to this particular strain? I've been searching the CDC's web site and they refuse to say.

The question I ask is was the passenger considerate enough to cover his mouth when he sneezed and coughed and washed his hands? I yell at people regardless of swine flu or not for practicing poor hygiene. What is so difficult about covering your mouth when you cough? Sorry folks, whether or not my immune system is healthy I don't want what you have.

I hope you contact United directly and let them know how these two employees treated you. They deserve a little more recognition than what the Consumerist et. al. can provide.

@PLAAND88: reply button doesn't work, but

I always cough into my shoulder. However, on the occasion that some phlegm flies out, it makes for a gooey mess. And how exactly does one clean that up without being obvious? I guess that's why old ladies always keep tissues up their sleeves - hock a goober and just toss it away!

Good thing no one in the world has allergies.

@PLAAND88: Yeah, but if you do it while sort of leaning down, that's still better than either 1) coughing straight forward into the air at face height for anyone near you, or 2) coughing into your hand and then touching a surface (on which I believe cold viruses can survive in exposed air for quite a bit, and if touched by someone else who then touches their nose or rubs their eyes, could infect them).

It's what they teach kids these days, too, and I'm really all for it (and I'm not at all a germophobe).

I love the swine flu panic. On a crowded bus all I have to do is a give a few little fake coughs and I suddenly have plenty of personal space.

@TinkishDelight: I think you're confusing things. The regular flu shot is an immunization, and it doesn't work against this strain. Two of the usual antiviral remedies do seem to have some effect, but they're not flu shots.

It's getting attention not just because it was initially perceived as being so deadly (and I'd still like to see a little explanation of the difference between the WHO figures and others) but because it's a new strain that's a hybrid of three sources. That makes it considerably less predictable. It also seemed to have a mortality pattern that's different from the usual seasonal flu strains, which is call for concern right there. (I don't know if the reconsideration of the death numbers has changed the death pattern or not.) It's also managing to be extremely contagious out of season, which is irregular for flu as well.

So the epidemiologists would be paying sharp attention even without the initial death toll reports.

@waggkri, @HIV 2 Elway: Did you two ever think that maybe it is a condition he was born with or a disease that he has that prevents his immune system from being strong?

@Merujo:
I've got a nice pair of tissue box shoes and the Spruce Goose fueled up for you, Mr. Hughes.

@HIV 2 Elway: Your nick must be ironic. I agree with Merujo. If someone has, say, an auto-immune disorder, they should have to stay barricaded in their home because inconsiderate people decide it's ok to impose their illnesses on the rest of us? Sometimes those people don't have a choice about traveling, either. James got more than he deserved--I would have rebooked him in the baggage cabin.

@PLAAND88: That's going to happen regardless of where you cough or sneeze, though. Doing so into the crook of your arm at least reduces the likelihood of hand contamination, which tends to be a huge factor.

The news media has really blown the swine flu all out of proportion. Just to put the numbers in perspective:

41,059 people died in car accidents in the US in 2007.

An estimated 36,000 people in the US die annually from the regular seasonal flu. (250,000 to 500,000 worldwide according to the same article.)

The swine flu is just media hype trying to make ratings. There are times I wish the media would spend more time concentrating on regular everyday disasters. Maybe then something would be done to reduce the number of accidents and resulting fatalities on our highways.

@Sockatume: 'I think I saw an episode of Doctor Who about this.'

I think I did, too. And now we know the real reason for the hysteria -- swine flu paranoia! He was obviously at risk, what with the time the Daleks exposed him to that pig/human creation of theirs.

this should also be above and beyond - he got upgraded and got a good flight time AND got a direct flight...

@ForrestWhitakersLazyEye: Ha!

An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure, right?

I'm talking, of course, about the employees who made things right BEFORE bad PR forced their hand, and not the jerkknob passengers who think their shit don't stink.

@Merujo: Wow, so admittedly YOU're more susceptible to catching a cold/flu, but you want to enforce your own standards on EVERYONE ELSE. I have really bad seasonal allergies - are you going to ask to have me kicked off the plane?

Pregnant women shouldn't get on the roller coaster. People with nut allergies probably shouldn't eat at Joe's House of PB&J and Pecan Pie. People with compromised immune systems probably shouldn't fly, or at least not fly coach.

@Rectilinear Propagation: Because they think that this could become a pandemic.

Do you know what pandemic is? This will be determined pandemic most likely this week and nothing will change because pandemic just means its widespread across the globe.

The flu strains are a pandemic every year, and this is just a nasty version of the flu.

For those saying the death pattern is different I don't think that it is true. Look at the American numbers vs Mexican numbers, last I heard comparing the two is like apple to oranges due how they were determined and counted. I expect the Mexican numbers to be shown to be overblown as it has not shown any difference compared to regular flue in mortality patterns in any other country.

@Rectilinear Propagation: Well, the why is because this is NEW virus where no one has any natural immunity yet, so it has the ability to spread pretty quick.

I don't think we'll hit phase 6 as long as infected people don't go spreading their germs around, and at least the majority of people infected show only mild symptoms, so it's not like we're dealing with some new version of ebola or anything, so many of the problems can be mitigated by the same precautions you'd take with the normal flu virus.

@jaydez: I was watching a little bit of CNN this weekend and had something BLOW MY MIND

segment 1: Wolf Blitzer talking about "the deadly swine flu virus can it mutate and become worse"

segment 2: Jack Cafferty "Is the swine flu epidemic dangerously overblown by the media"

segment 3: Wolf Blitzer "Where is swine flu going to show up next and why its spreading so fast"

un=freaking-believable!

PS, maybe those on UA938 read this:
[www.cnn.com]

kingofmars
I've never even been to Columbia, Maryland so, no.

Rectilinear Propagation
Like I said, they are simply combatting the strain with the flu shot. It would be one thing if there was no cure and people were dropping like flies, but that's not the case at all. There has been what, 30 deaths? Most of which coming from Mexico which is notorious for crowding and bad healthcare. The media is creating unnecessary hysteria and even if this wasn't to just go the way of anthrax or the bird flu, freaking everyone out the way they have been doing doesn't help anybody.

Also by defintion it already is a pandemic.

and kansas city was never heard from again.....

@Adrienne Willis: So, if you have an admittedly compromised immune system, do you really think flying commercial coach is the way to go?

You don't have a right to a plane ticket. Sure, if someone is knowingly sick, they should stay home. Even if everyone who knew they were sick stayed home, though, someone with a weak immune system could still get sick on a plane. Why? Because often you don't even know you're sick for several days.

But why stop with the immune system? Let's say I just went on a scuba-diving vacation and got a mild case of the bends. I know that if I get on a plane, my condition could get worse. So, since I have a condition that prevents me from flying at a normal altitude, I'll just demand the pilot keep it to 3,000 or 4,000 feet, so I don't get any sicker. That's reasonable, right?

So you can't even have ALLERGIES any more? Half the nation would be unallowed to fly!

Like I said, they are simply combatting the strain with the flu shot.

@TinkishDelight: Well, like I said, they're not saying it's extra fatal. A large percentage of people being ill at the same time could be bad even if people aren't dying from it:

During a severe pandemic, such as the one that occurred in 1918, there would be large surges in the numbers of people requiring or seeking medical or hospital treatment, temporarily overwhelming health services. High rates of worker absenteeism could also interrupt other essential services, such as law enforcement, transportation, and communications.

I'm not saying I agree with the media freak out. But you asked 'why are we worried' and that's why.

@Adrienne Willis: Thank you.

@Todd Fernandez: remember SARS, bird flu, west nile? the country freaked out about those too (and i don't think any americans died from those... maybe 1-2 each)

@Merujo Do you really think the world should stop because of COLDS? Really?

If YOU are concerned about catching swine flu, then YOU should be the one to stay home.

@waggkri: I see where you're going with this, but I can't get entirely on board. I have a weak immune system due to genetic defects and medication. No amount of vitamin C or changes in diet will ever change that. I hate it when people who are clearly sick get on a plane. But, sometimes it's unavoidable so I take precautions so that I don't get sick.

@HIV 2 Elway: Some people have conditions/medications that weakens their immune system and no amount of changing diet, sleep, exercise, etc. will improve that. However, you shouldn't have to cater to me because I get sick easily.

@Kogenta: I guess since the WHO's phase system only indicates how the virus is spreading instead of things like severity we could goto 6. They really need two systems, one for severity as well. You can bet that at least some people will panic as soon as they announce level 6 thinking it means the virus is suddenly more deadly or something.

@utensil42
That's exactly my point. If you/I/she has a weak immune system, then you/I/she needs to take precautions to not get sick. You're the one aware of the weak immune system, and therefore should be taking care of yourself....not blaming others and expecting others to bow down to you.

@utensil42: Yeah, all that open air out in the middle of the boondocks where they kick you off for causing a panic among the other passengers...