I suggest taking a widebody plane like a 767 (Delta) or A330 (Delta/Hawaiian) 777 (United/American) so you have room to get up and walk around. Of all the planes I’ve mentioned I prefer the A330.
Lucy R
When my son was under going cancer treatment his Dr. told us that cold germs enter through hands and nose. He recommended we use Zinc nasal swabs and hand sanitizer whenever we were in public places. We now use those recommendations whenever we fly and we have never had problems again.
Rick S.
I fly pretty often- and have over the years learned what products work for me to (hopefully) stave off getting sick, and/or help with comfort.
Being a strong and rested as possible-
Starting about 3 days before travel, I take small doses of the following in capsule form: Multi-mineral complex supplements, branched chain aminos (collagen tablets), pre-natal vitamin with DHA. (You don’t have to be pregnant or a woman to benefit)
Several days prior and during the actual flight, I use a throat spray called BeePropolis. It is basically all of the goodness of honeycomb without the sugar bomb of eating honey. (It’s naturally anti-bacterial) It is lightly sweet tasting and soothes a dry throat. (And it’s TSA friendly!) Also during the flight I use non- medicated nasal drops by the Fresh Breath Company. It surprisingly does reduce bad breath, and it hydrates your nose from the forced air in the cabin.
For my face and other exposed areas of skin, I stay hydrated with Medix Collagen Caviar lotion. If SUN is an added factor, the. INSTEAD, I use Cremo brand spf 30 Clear facial sunblock all over. It’s ridiculous how silky smooth it makes your skin, and protects you from sunburn!
In flight, I use Emergen-C or Liquid IV drink mix with my own water, NO ICE! You don’t know where that ice has been! Besides, have you seen how ice and the ice scoop gets
handled in-flight? The horror!
The evening before the flight and for every night while on vacation that I know I will get at least 6 hours of sleep, I take Dreamwater (melatonin) at bedtime. Experience tells me this is the most effective of the brands I have tried to ensure deep sleep. I don’t usually take it when flying, because I never want to knock out that deeply when flying!
Every product I use I got online from the store that rhymes with “GLAMAZON!” LOL. It’s what I really use. I don’t represent ANY company, and DO NOT receive any compensation whatsoever. I’m simply sharing what works for me. I know what a pain it is to catch cold when you’re on vacay!
Best wishes to all for safe travels!
Beat of Hawaii
Hi Rick.
Thanks for all of those. We’re taking notes.
Aloha.
Rick S.
My pleasure! Thank you for running a great and helpful site that is friendly and respectful and encourages others to be the same.
Beat of Hawaii
Hi Rick.
Thanks for what you said! Much appreciated.
Aloha.
Tom M
Good luck talking with the engine noise in plane while wearing an N95. Also good luck breathing thru an N95 for hours. I think hand gel is a good idea but won’t protect you from inhaling infectious droplets from someone who coughs or sneezes without covering their mouth near you.
Donna
Three of us will be travelling from Hilo to Los Angeles from 26 Jul-7 Aug 2017. Will airfares go lower than $800? Thank You.
Beat of Hawaii
Hi Donna.
No one can say for sure. But gut call is that it will not.
Aloha.
Cheryl Y
I agree with Deborah, what a great idea! I’m a physician assistant and many health providers recommend coughing and sneezing into your shirt by pulling it up over your mouth, if feasible and you don’t have a handkerchief or tissue readily available. It keeps viruses from spreading better than the elbow trick, although that’s certainly better than nothing!
Also, you may want to consider boosting your immune system with daily zinc tablets or capsules and probiotics 2-3 days prior to flying. As well as eating lots of fruits and vegetables, if you don’t already. Interestingly, stress can actually boost your immune system because your body’s in a kind of crisis mode but once the stress diminishes (hopefully once you arrive!) your immune system crashes to well below normal levels. This is especially bad if you’re traveling to an isolated area like Hawaii because we have cold strains and other bugs that are completely different than where you come from. Meaning you could get sicker and your symptoms could last longer than you’re used to. Oh joy!
As mentioned above, keeping stress down the week before a flight will also help your immune system. I usually start packing 1-4 weeks in advance and try not to leave anything for the last minute prior to getting to the airport, in addition to getting to the airport well ahead of time, if at all possible.
Hope this helps!
Deborah M
Ask airlines to have flight attendants demonstrate how to properly cover coughs and sneezes with a handkerchief or inside of elbow, covering mouth and nose completely.
Richard T
You must have been on my flight from Atlanta yesterday to HNL, because it seemed as though fully half those on the plane were coughing. I was recovering from a cold myself, but I wondered if I weren’t being re-infected. I’ll make your suggestion to the flight attendants next time.
RT, Hilo
Colleen
Having BOTH of us very sick on our last two trips to Hawaii – what a bummer – we plan to go the ‘extra mile’ and try our best to avoid illness this trip – early next year.
We use disinfectant wipes on all armrests, tray tables, magazines, EVERYTHING. I use sinus spray already. I have face masks that I bought a while back – but I plan to use one this trip! Not sure if hubs will.
Read that the bins going through security are HORRID harbors of germs.Dirtier than public toilets! Plan to take rubber gloves to wear through security – until I get my shoes back on :0) Turn them wrong side out as you take them off before tossing.
All of the above suggestions will be tried this trip! ANYTHING to have a healthy trip this time. Being sick in Hawaii – or on ANY vacation (we both got sick on a lovely trip to Durango as well) is the pits.
Personally, I think the airline rules for charging a fortune to reschedule a flight is part of the reason so many folks travel – even if they are sick. Spreading it to everyone on the plane. If airlines were like Southwest – and allowed easy flight changes without enormous cost, maybe sick people would be more likely to reschedule their trip when they felt better. Of course, not all hotels or other accommodations are easily changed either – but, just sayin…. maybe it would help those who COULD reschedule for health reasons.
Thanks for the tips. Hope everyone has a healthy trip!
Bob B
We are all surrounded by germs all day long. If our bodies are weak than we can succumb to illness. Simply saying that germs cause disease is like saying that rats cause dumps. Just as the rats wouldn’t be there if the dump wasn’t there, we would be much less likely to succumb to illness (rats) if our bodies were healthy. Eat healthy, get your rest, reduce stress (meditation is great), exercise–these will give you the best likelihood of making it to your hawaii vacation healthy and keeping healthy.
Suzy
I highly recommend the Humidiflyer! http://humidiflyer.com
A friend read about it, and I took the bait. It’s an Australian product, but they must have an American mail center, because it arrived very quickly. It’s expensive (around $70), but I travel a lot, and, like you two, found myself sick afterwards all too often. I’ve used it about 6 times on trans-Pacific flights (I live here), and it helped make the journey easier. To me, it is worth every penny.
Barney
We use the travel packs of Clorox wipes soon as we sit in our seat. Wipe the buckles of the seat belt and all hard surfaces within reach….trays, armrest, window shade handle etc.
We also take Airborne the day before and day of.
So far, so good!
We have been contemplating masks too.
Gina
What’s the situation regarding flight status to the BI with the dengue fever outbreak?
Beat of Hawaii
Hi Gina,
There is no issue with flights to the Big Island.
Aloha.
Comments are closed.
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I suggest taking a widebody plane like a 767 (Delta) or A330 (Delta/Hawaiian) 777 (United/American) so you have room to get up and walk around. Of all the planes I’ve mentioned I prefer the A330.
When my son was under going cancer treatment his Dr. told us that cold germs enter through hands and nose. He recommended we use Zinc nasal swabs and hand sanitizer whenever we were in public places. We now use those recommendations whenever we fly and we have never had problems again.
I fly pretty often- and have over the years learned what products work for me to (hopefully) stave off getting sick, and/or help with comfort.
Being a strong and rested as possible-
Starting about 3 days before travel, I take small doses of the following in capsule form: Multi-mineral complex supplements, branched chain aminos (collagen tablets), pre-natal vitamin with DHA. (You don’t have to be pregnant or a woman to benefit)
Several days prior and during the actual flight, I use a throat spray called BeePropolis. It is basically all of the goodness of honeycomb without the sugar bomb of eating honey. (It’s naturally anti-bacterial) It is lightly sweet tasting and soothes a dry throat. (And it’s TSA friendly!) Also during the flight I use non- medicated nasal drops by the Fresh Breath Company. It surprisingly does reduce bad breath, and it hydrates your nose from the forced air in the cabin.
For my face and other exposed areas of skin, I stay hydrated with Medix Collagen Caviar lotion. If SUN is an added factor, the. INSTEAD, I use Cremo brand spf 30 Clear facial sunblock all over. It’s ridiculous how silky smooth it makes your skin, and protects you from sunburn!
In flight, I use Emergen-C or Liquid IV drink mix with my own water, NO ICE! You don’t know where that ice has been! Besides, have you seen how ice and the ice scoop gets
handled in-flight? The horror!
The evening before the flight and for every night while on vacation that I know I will get at least 6 hours of sleep, I take Dreamwater (melatonin) at bedtime. Experience tells me this is the most effective of the brands I have tried to ensure deep sleep. I don’t usually take it when flying, because I never want to knock out that deeply when flying!
Every product I use I got online from the store that rhymes with “GLAMAZON!” LOL. It’s what I really use. I don’t represent ANY company, and DO NOT receive any compensation whatsoever. I’m simply sharing what works for me. I know what a pain it is to catch cold when you’re on vacay!
Best wishes to all for safe travels!
Hi Rick.
Thanks for all of those. We’re taking notes.
Aloha.
My pleasure! Thank you for running a great and helpful site that is friendly and respectful and encourages others to be the same.
Hi Rick.
Thanks for what you said! Much appreciated.
Aloha.
Good luck talking with the engine noise in plane while wearing an N95. Also good luck breathing thru an N95 for hours. I think hand gel is a good idea but won’t protect you from inhaling infectious droplets from someone who coughs or sneezes without covering their mouth near you.
Three of us will be travelling from Hilo to Los Angeles from 26 Jul-7 Aug 2017. Will airfares go lower than $800? Thank You.
Hi Donna.
No one can say for sure. But gut call is that it will not.
Aloha.
I agree with Deborah, what a great idea! I’m a physician assistant and many health providers recommend coughing and sneezing into your shirt by pulling it up over your mouth, if feasible and you don’t have a handkerchief or tissue readily available. It keeps viruses from spreading better than the elbow trick, although that’s certainly better than nothing!
Also, you may want to consider boosting your immune system with daily zinc tablets or capsules and probiotics 2-3 days prior to flying. As well as eating lots of fruits and vegetables, if you don’t already. Interestingly, stress can actually boost your immune system because your body’s in a kind of crisis mode but once the stress diminishes (hopefully once you arrive!) your immune system crashes to well below normal levels. This is especially bad if you’re traveling to an isolated area like Hawaii because we have cold strains and other bugs that are completely different than where you come from. Meaning you could get sicker and your symptoms could last longer than you’re used to. Oh joy!
As mentioned above, keeping stress down the week before a flight will also help your immune system. I usually start packing 1-4 weeks in advance and try not to leave anything for the last minute prior to getting to the airport, in addition to getting to the airport well ahead of time, if at all possible.
Hope this helps!
Ask airlines to have flight attendants demonstrate how to properly cover coughs and sneezes with a handkerchief or inside of elbow, covering mouth and nose completely.
You must have been on my flight from Atlanta yesterday to HNL, because it seemed as though fully half those on the plane were coughing. I was recovering from a cold myself, but I wondered if I weren’t being re-infected. I’ll make your suggestion to the flight attendants next time.
RT, Hilo
Having BOTH of us very sick on our last two trips to Hawaii – what a bummer – we plan to go the ‘extra mile’ and try our best to avoid illness this trip – early next year.
We use disinfectant wipes on all armrests, tray tables, magazines, EVERYTHING. I use sinus spray already. I have face masks that I bought a while back – but I plan to use one this trip! Not sure if hubs will.
Read that the bins going through security are HORRID harbors of germs.Dirtier than public toilets! Plan to take rubber gloves to wear through security – until I get my shoes back on :0) Turn them wrong side out as you take them off before tossing.
All of the above suggestions will be tried this trip! ANYTHING to have a healthy trip this time. Being sick in Hawaii – or on ANY vacation (we both got sick on a lovely trip to Durango as well) is the pits.
Personally, I think the airline rules for charging a fortune to reschedule a flight is part of the reason so many folks travel – even if they are sick. Spreading it to everyone on the plane. If airlines were like Southwest – and allowed easy flight changes without enormous cost, maybe sick people would be more likely to reschedule their trip when they felt better. Of course, not all hotels or other accommodations are easily changed either – but, just sayin…. maybe it would help those who COULD reschedule for health reasons.
Thanks for the tips. Hope everyone has a healthy trip!
We are all surrounded by germs all day long. If our bodies are weak than we can succumb to illness. Simply saying that germs cause disease is like saying that rats cause dumps. Just as the rats wouldn’t be there if the dump wasn’t there, we would be much less likely to succumb to illness (rats) if our bodies were healthy. Eat healthy, get your rest, reduce stress (meditation is great), exercise–these will give you the best likelihood of making it to your hawaii vacation healthy and keeping healthy.
I highly recommend the Humidiflyer! http://humidiflyer.com
A friend read about it, and I took the bait. It’s an Australian product, but they must have an American mail center, because it arrived very quickly. It’s expensive (around $70), but I travel a lot, and, like you two, found myself sick afterwards all too often. I’ve used it about 6 times on trans-Pacific flights (I live here), and it helped make the journey easier. To me, it is worth every penny.
We use the travel packs of Clorox wipes soon as we sit in our seat. Wipe the buckles of the seat belt and all hard surfaces within reach….trays, armrest, window shade handle etc.
We also take Airborne the day before and day of.
So far, so good!
We have been contemplating masks too.
What’s the situation regarding flight status to the BI with the dengue fever outbreak?
Hi Gina,
There is no issue with flights to the Big Island.
Aloha.