Can an airline deny boarding if you are sick?

Infectious Diseases
An airline can deny boarding of any passenger who looks unwell, especially if they suspect the passenger might be infectious (infect other passengers).



People Also Ask

Who should not travel by air? Diseases that prevent you from boarding a plane
  • Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)
  • A recent stroke.
  • Infectious diseases, such as chickenpox, influenza or even COVID-19.
  • A recent surgery.
  • A pregnancy of over 28 weeks.
  • Angina (chest pain at rest)


MORE DETAILS

The air pressure while flying increases the risk of blood clots forming, which is not ideal. Heart complications: If you've suffered a heart attack, stroke, cardiac failure or chest pain while at rest, flying should wait. The lower oxygen levels, increased air pressure, high altitude and more could affect your health.

MORE DETAILS

Most airlines oversell flights, and sometimes this leads to airlines having to bump passengers. This can come in two forms — voluntary and involuntary denied boarding.

MORE DETAILS

What to do before you fly with cold symptoms
  1. Take decongestants. Medicines like Sudafed work to reduce swelling around your Eustachian tubes, giving the ear more of a shot at equalizing, says Linder. ...
  2. Try nasal sprays. Really stuffed up? ...
  3. Pack lozenges. Keep hard candy to suck on or gum to chew in your carry-on as well.


MORE DETAILS

Consider wearing a mask in crowded or poorly ventilated indoor areas, including on public transportation and in transportation hubs. Take additional precautions if you were recently exposed to a person with COVID-19. Don't travel while sick.

MORE DETAILS

Frontier Airlines bumped the biggest proportion of passengers of the 15 largest US carriers in early 2023. Of every 10,000 Frontier passengers, 3.73 were involuntarily denied boarding due to oversales, the DOT said. Allegiant, Delta, Endeavor, and Hawaiian didn't bump any passengers in the quarter, per the DOT.

MORE DETAILS

You always get to keep your original ticket and use it on another flight; if you choose to make your own arrangements, you can request an “involuntary refund” for the ticket for the flight you were bumped from, and the denied boarding compensation is essentially a payment for your inconvenience.

MORE DETAILS

All passengers flying in a premium cabin get priority boarding. But the group you'll be assigned to depends on which class of service you're flying. Passengers in the front cabin board with Group 1.

MORE DETAILS

The most important thing you can do if you feel yourself getting sick before setting off on a trip is rest. When you sleep, your body is more able to fight off infections – so get as much sleep as you can!

MORE DETAILS