Yes, You Can Be Deemed Too Sick to Fly by an Airline
If you have the flu, stay home.
What does going to the movies, dining indoors at a restaurant, and flying in a commercial airplane have in common? You really shouldn't do any of these things if you're sick.
While there isn't a technical rule that systematically prevents you from flying if you're ill (not even if you have COVID, though you really shouldn't do it, according to a public health expert), airlines have health and safety policies that could keep you from hopping on that flight.
On Reddit, a post ranting about sick fellow plane passengers recently went viral on r/Delta. "[...] Boarding this flight, as I ask to slide into my window seat, [a 65-year old man] says with goopy eyes and red nose, 'If there's other seats on this flight I suggest you switch, you don't want what we got', as [he] points to his wife sitting in the middle seat."
According to the poster, the couple was very sick and refused to wear masks. "I don my N95 and offer them each a brand new surgical mask. 'No thanks, I can't breathe,' [they] both [say.] Why do people suck so much?"
Generally speaking, airlines can deny boarding or remove passengers from a flight if they are considered too sick or contagious, but because there is no federal rule governing this aspect of flying, each airline has its own policy and ultimately makes the choice at its discretion.
Delta, for example, states in its Contract of Carriage that it "may refuse to transport or may remove passengers from its aircraft [...] when the passenger has a contagious disease that may be transmissible to other passengers during the normal course of the flight [or] when the passenger is seriously ill, unless the passenger provides a physician's written permission to fly."
American Airlines' policy isn't that different. "We may not let you fly (temporarily or permanently) for any reason, including if you have a communicable disease or virus, or if we suspect you have a communicable disease or virus," reads the airline's Contract of Carriage.
The same goes for United Airlines. According to its contract of carriage, the carrier will remove "passengers who appear to have symptoms of or have a communicable disease (or there is reason to believe there was exposure to a communicable disease) or other condition that could pose a direct threat to the health or safety of themselves or others on the flight, or who refuse a medical screening for such disease or condition, whether suspected or actual."
In short, if you're sniffling and feel like you're burning up, it's better for all involved to play it safe and reschedule your flight. Traveling while sick isn't any fun for you or the other passengers, after all.
Looking for more travel tips?
Whether you need help sneaking weed onto a plane, finding an airport where you can sign up for PreCheck without an appointment, or making sure you’re getting everything you’re entitled to when your flight is canceled, we’ve got you covered. Keep reading for up-to-date travel hacks and all the travel news you need to help you plan your next big adventure.