| Swine flu is making air travel for most Americans | | | | discourage germs from taking up residence in your |
| something of a crap shoot. There are the obvious | | | | mouth and throat. |
| exposures of re-circulated air, close proximity to | | | | - When you board, before you take your seat, use a |
| strangers and other risks almost none of which are | | | | wipe to sanitize the headrest. Once seated, use a |
| controllable. However, there are a few things you can | | | | wipe on the armrests and on the seat back tray. |
| due to defend yourself. | | | | Share the love and offer wipes to your seatmate(s). |
| - The first question is do you absolutely have to fly, | | | | - If a seatmate is displaying obvious symptoms like |
| particularly during a pandemic flu season? If you're | | | | runny nose or coughing, ring for the attendant and |
| flying for business could it be handled with a | | | | demand to be seated elsewhere. This guy wasn't |
| webenaire instead or is your personal prescience | | | | supposed to be let on in the first place right. |
| required. If you're traveling for pleasure and you get | | | | Hopefully other passengers will chime in and the sick |
| sick shortly after you arrive, how much fun is that | | | | guy will get the boot. Cruel? Not really. |
| going to be? | | | | - Use the hand gel before and after you eat or drink |
| - The second question is to call or visit online, the | | | | anything or touch anyone on the plane. |
| carrier you'll be traveling and see if they have a policy | | | | - Lastly, if you bought travel insurance make sure it |
| of refusing to seat passengers with obvious | | | | was for "cancel for any reason" and even then read |
| symptoms. If they don't, find another carrier. | | | | the fine print. Otherwise if you have to cancel |
| - Once you've made the decision to fly, make sure | | | | because you get sick you will not be covered as the |
| you have in your carry on sanitation wipes, sanitizing | | | | insurance industry views the pandemic as a "known |
| gel and a little salt. At the airport, try to find a | | | | event" and treats it the same as a known hurricane. |
| waiting seat that is separated from others even if | | | | If you have to fly know the risks and have a plan |
| this means a longer walk to the boarding gate. | | | | for getting sick. There's nothing worse than having |
| - Shortly before you board use a rest room and mix | | | | the flu in a strange town. |
| the salt with some warm water and gargle. This will | | | | |