Chris Walton and his wife, Kristi, planned a long weekend in Maine to get away from Denver and gawk at fall foliage.
The trip, scheduled for Oct. 14, was interrupted before it began when influenza apparently infected Kristi. Out of concern for Kristi, who couldn’t get out of bed for more than 24 hours, and for their fellow Delta Air Lines passengers, Walton said, they backed out — and paid.
Travelers like the Waltons, who get sick while the nation is on edge about swine flu, face a tough choice. They’re advised not to travel, but canceling without a doctor’s note incurs extra fees. At the same time, state health officials say that only those with severe symptoms should seek medical care.
The Waltons’ round-trip tickets, for which they paid $330 each, ended up costing a total of $200 more to change.
“There is no obligation on the part of an airline to waive the change fee,” said Walton, “but it seems like this kind of airline policy puts public health at risk.”
Walton said he and his wife made an ethical choice, “but there are people who won’t make the same decision.”
A survey released Thursday by appears to prove Walton’s contention. Of 2,300 travelers questioned, 51 percent said they would fly even if they had the flu to avoid a costly change fee, while 49 percent said they wouldn’t.
Fees to change a ticket range from $50 to $150.
Delta’s policy about passengers with illnesses and change-fee waivers differs little from those of several other airlines.
Spokesmen for United, Frontier, US Airways and American said they require a doctor’s note to substantiate the illness, though they will work with passengers on a case-by-case basis.
If there is a doctor’s note, there is no charge to reschedule, said Delta spokeswoman Susan Elliott.
“I understand there are going to be customers who abuse the system, and there needs to be some sort of threshold for airlines to require,” Walton said.
But Delta “wanted me to drag my sick wife out of bed to prove she is actually sick,” Walton said of the airline’s desire for a doctor’s note.
Ironically, if a passenger ill with flu tries to get on a flight, the rules are different.
“Conditions of carriage” for U.S. airlines allow them to deny boarding to anyone with a communicable disease who has been determined by a federal public health official to be capable of spreading the disease to other people during flight.
“In that instance, we can preserve the value of the passenger’s ticket for future travel,” said American spokesman Tim Smith.
Spokesmen from several airlines said they didn’t know whether anyone with flu symptoms had been denied boarding. United’s Robin Urban ski said it is difficult for gate agents to determine whether someone is sick “because they only have contact with them for 15 seconds.”
H1N1 flu has reached widespread outbreak status in most states, although the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has not issued a travel advisory, the Air Transport Association noted.
The CDC has asked people with flulike symptoms to “stay home and keep away from others a much as possible, including avoiding travel, for at least 24 hours after fever is gone except to get medical care or for other necessities.”
Colorado is among the states with widespread outbreaks of H1N1 flu. To date, Colorado has had about 580 confirmed cases, including 20 deaths.
Doctors’ offices and emergency rooms have been swamped with people with the aches, chills, sore throat, fever and cough of flu.
Experts recommend purchasing trip insurance or refundable tickets if travel is planned during peak flu months. Some policies offer compensation only in cases of major illnesses.
Ann Schrader: 303-954-1967 or aschrader@denverpost.com.
Checking your symptoms online
The American Medical Association has created for people who want to learn more about flu, assess their risk and determine the best course of action based on their symptoms.
The free, interactive website can be accessed directly at or via .
The online service walks people through questions to determine the severity of symptoms based on the latest Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines.
People can choose to share the information and assessment with their doctors. Information entered into the system is treated as private and secure through Microsoft HealthVault. It can’t be accessed without the user’s consent.
also can generate a doctor’s note when it is safe to return to normal activities.
Experts caution that the website does not take the place of a doctor’s- office visit if symptoms include very high fever or difficulty breathing. The Denver Post
