Do pilots fly with a cold?

Flying with a cold or the flu can be a flight hazard If a medical condition inhibits your ability to safely operate the aircraft, you must stay grounded.



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The safest rule is not to fly while suffering from any illness. If this rule is considered too stringent for a particular illness, the pilot should contact an aviation medical examiner for advice.

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If a pilot gets ill before the flight, he has to refuse the duty. It's his responsibility to show up fit for duty and he should be conscious enough that the safety of a few hundred innocent passengers plus crew depend on him being capable of doing his job properly.

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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).

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  • Cabin Air Quality.
  • Cancer.
  • Circadian Rhythm Disruption (Jet Lag)
  • Communicable Diseases.
  • Cosmic Ionizing Radiation.
  • Job Stress.
  • Musculoskeletal Disorders.
  • Noise/Hearing Loss.


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Generally, you should also bag a trip if you have a fever higher than 100 degrees Fahrenheit and symptoms such as coughing or sneezing, says William Schaffner, M.D., a professor of infectious diseases at the Vanderbilt University Medical Center.

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When an airline pilot calls in sick, the airline will first try to find a replacement pilot who is qualified to fly the same aircraft and who is available on short notice. If a replacement pilot cannot be found, the airline may have to cancel the flight.

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There are many studies and debates around whether pilots have a shorter life expectancy because of their occupation. According to a study in the U.S., the average life expectancy is 70 for males and 75 for females, while this drops to 67 for pilots.

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We average 11-14 days off per month and most pilots will fly several weekends and most holidays unless you are senior. This usually means four 4-day trips (for me) with 2-4 days off between trips. Some senior pilots can get weekends off and choose to only fly 60-70 hours with 16-17 days off.

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The most labor-intensive schedule might place a pilot out of base for 12-15 nights in a month. An entire month's schedule for a line holder commonly includes four 4-day trips. Three of these nights are spent away from home, while the fourth day of the trip lands the crew member back in their domicile city.

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if you suffer from or have had:
  • angina or chest pain at rest.
  • an infectious disease (e.g. chickenpox, flu), including COVID-19.
  • decompression sickness after diving (sometimes called 'the bends')
  • increased pressure in the brain (due to bleeding, injury or infection)
  • infection of your ears or sinuses.
  • recent heart attack.


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Do not travel if you are sick. If you are sick with flu-like symptoms, do not travel. Stay home until you are fever-free for at least 24 hours without using a fever-reducing medicine, such as acetaminophen.

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Personal Issue - Consumers who purchase nonrefundable tickets, but are unable to travel for a personal reason, such as being sick or late to the airport, are not entitled to a refund.

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As an example, a pilot using Sudafed to help control mild nasal congestion should clearly not continue flying while using it if that pilot develops an adverse reaction such as dizziness, headaches, or irregular heartbeats.

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The FAA encourages pilots to seek help if they have a mental health condition since most, if treated, do not disqualify a pilot from flying.

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