A JetBlue passenger with CV didn't admit he had a pending test. The airline banned him for life

[Dennis Donovan]

https://www.washingtonpost.com/travel/2020/03/13/jetblue-passenger-with-coronavirus-didnt-admit-he-had-pending-test-airline-banned-him-life/

By Natalie B. Compton

March 13 at 4:47 PM

On Wednesday night, a passenger on JetBlue Flight 253 from New York City to Palm Beach, Fla., learned midair that he had tested positive for the novel coronavirus. JetBlue has since banned the passenger from the airline for his failure to report his condition before boarding.

“Last night’s event put our crewmembers, customers and federal and local officials in an unsettling situation that could have easily been avoided,” JetBlue said in a statement, “and as such, this customer will not be permitted to fly on JetBlue in the future.”

With 114 passengers on board, the flight from John F. Kennedy International Airport to Palm Beach International Airport was held on the tarmac for hours after landing while health authorities were called to the scene. Once passengers were allowed to disembark, the plane was sanitized per the guidelines of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

According to Scott Rodman, who told CNBC he was sitting near the infected passenger during the flight, after passengers were deplaned, they were taken to a meeting room at the airport to speak with health department officials.

“From what we were told, he had been tested for the virus two days ago,” Rodman said. “When he was sitting on the plane, he got either a phone call or a text message saying that it was a positive test.”

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[Sherman A1]

1. Banned for life

Is the least that should happen to this clown. Nevertheless it is the best that they can likely do.

[malaise]

2. All other airlines should follow

He should now go and shake Don the Con's hand

[DonaldsRump]

3. He didn't know he tested positive until he was in the plane

At least that's the way I read this story.

So many people now have colds, allergies etc, so what could he do? Especially, when the "President" was telling people this was a hoax and to go to work if you're sick. Why are they dumping on this person so much?

This is awful, and I feel very badly for all the passengers, crew etc that might be affected. But, it seems to me that JetBlue is grandstanding with its lifetime ban.

[barbtries]

5. he should not have been on the plane

or in public at all. he'd already been tested, so he knew he possibly had it. what he did was extremely irresponsible.

[yardwork]

6. He had been tested two days earlier. He should have been self-quarantined.

Tests aren't readily available, so only people with symptoms of covid19 are being tested. He would have been told to self-quarantine for fourteen days. He would have been told to stay home. He definitely would have been told to stay off planes. He ignored all this.

[LisaL]

7. Exactly.

It's not easy to get tested.
He shouldn't have been flying while waiting for tests results.

[yardwork]

11. Behavior like this spreads the epidemic. It's maddening.

I feel real anger toward this person.

[Princess Turandot]

8. Except that he already *had been* tested, which means that there was a reason to do so..

..most likely because of contact tracing, showing exposure to an infected person.

This has nothing to do with Trump's stupidity. (Plus, he ain't using that rally hoax line anymore.)

[Bernardo de La Paz]

9. Only people with symptoms get tested. He had symptoms. He knew he was risking everybody.

Jail time would not be too extreme.

Banned for life on a single airline? How about all airlines for ten years?

[cwydro]

10. I'm thinking jail wouldn't be such a swift idea.

That’d be putting a lot of people in harm’s way.

[Squinch]

4. This is the fault of the guy who is not allowing us to test.

[yardwork]

12. Except this man did get tested. He was awaiting results.

[Squinch]

14. And if we were screening and checking symptoms as people got on and off planes,

as all sane countries are doing, and as Filthy Donny lied and said we are doing, the guy would not have been on the plane and those 253 people would be safe right now.

[LisaL]

16. What symptoms would you check for?

Coughing and sneezing could be due to common cold or allergies.

[Squinch]

17. Other countries are taking temperatures and asking if people were exposed or recently tested.

We're not even taking that basic precaution.

Though Filthy Donnie has lied and said we are testing at the airports.

Sneezing is, apparently, not a symptom. But coughing is. And though, yes, coughing might be from something else, at this time that passenger's convenience is not really worth another passenger's life. If he was coughing he shouldn't have been allowed on the plane.

[LisaL]

19. Supposedly he wasn't coughing.

Obviously he should not have been flying if he was waiting for test results. Those tests are not easy to get, so there had to have been a good reason he got tested.

[Squinch]

21. No one even asked him, though. No one took a temperature reading. No one asked

if he had been exposed.

EVERYONE is doing those basic things.

Except us.

[LisaL]

22. My guess is he was told not to fly while awaiting test results.

He flew knowing he was waiting for tests results. Asking doesn't mean you get honest answers. I am just not sure asking would change much.

[Squinch]

24. Are you sure it wouldn't? Doesn't it seem like a basic, responsible thing to try?

[TNNurse]

18. My friend from China says her family in China has their temperature checked

everywhere. Before you get on a bus, before you enter a public building. She said one had her temp checked 13 times in one day. They are a able to be out more now that their numbers are decreasing.

This guy was irresponsible, he had himself tested for a reason....

[LisaL]

20. I don't want some bozo who is not changing gloves between each person sticking a multi use

thermometer anywhere near me. Especially considering it can't be done from 6 feet away.

[Squinch]

25. Do a little google. You'll see that what you are describing has no

relation to the reality of how the Chinese are handling it.

[LisaL]

29. I am more worried how US would handle it.

Considering I am not in China.

[Squinch]

30. Well then. After this conversation, I'll put you down in the

category of people who think basic testing and screening at vector points are stupid and irresponsible steps to take.
Because no iteration of them seems to meet with your approval.

[IronLionZion]

35. China uses infrared thermometers on your forehead

There is no touching.

[DENVERPOPS]

31. A friend of ours came in from Italy yesterday

She said that she wasn't asked a single question by anyone about her health or where she had been after she got off the airplane.....

[IronLionZion]

13. "because he wasn't sneezing or coughing at all"

there are probably a lot of people with the virus who don't realize it or show any symptoms. Any of us may have it on our person.

On the other hand are people with allergies sneezing or coughing from chronic respiratory conditions who are being viewed suspiciously.

[Squinch]

23. And those of us with those allergies and conditions can't be

getting our backs up when we are questioned.

Another person doesn't need to feel mortal fear because I have hay fever. And while I'm actively suffering from it, I intend to stay as low as possible. And when I can't I will be sure to explain to anyone who asks or comments that I have seasonal allergies.

[IronLionZion]

32. That's what I do

self-isolate (which is easy for me as an introvert) and when I sneeze into my elbow I tell people I have seasonal allergies my whole life, and when I cough I tell people I have hyperactive airway disease my whole life and it's not contagious. Then I leave. This has happened to me since elementary school so I'm used to it.

This time people are flipping out so I take extra care to avoid people.

[gibraltar72]

15. I have been amazed by people doing the right thing

also people being incredibly selfish.

[lindysalsagal]

26. He was wrong, but I'll never believe he was the only cv carrier on that plane.

I assume it's everywhere at this point, and we just don't know it.

[usaf-vet]

27. HOW DID HE GET TESTED? HOW IS HE CONNECTED?

[Ms. Toad]

28. This is what I find most disturbing

In Rodman’s interview with CNBC, he said travelers were not told to self-quarantine and were free to leave, and that health officials would check in and monitor passengers at a later time.

and

So, now we have up to 113 new patients running around.

[Goodheart]

33. You can expect this type of behavior over and over again.

[marble falls]

34. He was only listening to what Trump said last week.

[Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin]

36. Good

[Sunsky]

37. Pending COVID-19 test result self-isolate

Stay away from people because you may have the virus. We don't need the CDC or others to tell us that. I applaud Jetblue. Because of his poor judgment, he may have infected others.