Nothing can derail a trip faster than getting sick on the road, but what if it's the transportation that makes you ill?
Several passengers on a flight out of Charlotte, North Carolina, have been hospitalized for symptoms consistent with exposure to toxic fumes, while hundreds of cruisers out of Charleston, South Carolina, have fallen ill from an intestinal bug.
Several people reported a foul odor on the Jamaica-bound US Airways Flight 985 from Charlotte/Douglas International Airport, followed by passengers complaining of illness.
The plane returned to the gate and nine passengers and crew members were transported to a hospital for treatment.
This marks the second time this year involving passengers getting sick on a US Airways flight. In January, eight passengers and seven crew members were treated for headache and nausea on a flight from St. Thomas to Charlotte, after reporting a foul smell on the aircraft.
Read more: Flight Attendant's Lawsuit Raises Questions About Toxic Cabin Air
Meanwhile, hundreds of passengers have fallen ill onboard the
Celebrity Mercury in what is believed to a norovirus outbreak. Officials at Celebrity Cruises announced that it canceled yesterday's port call in the British Virgin Islands and the ship would return to Charleston on Thursday, a day earlier than scheduled.
This is the third time in a month that passengers have gotten sick on the
Celebrity Mercury out of Charleston. The CDC has issued a rare "no sail" advisory on this ship for at least four days while it undergoes a thorough inspection and cleaning.
The
Mercury was scheduled to depart Charleston on Friday, but Celebrity will delay that voyage by two days. Celebrity has offered full refunds to any booked passenger who wants to cancel, and will offer a 15 percent certificate toward a future cruise.
By Sarika Chawla for PeterGreenberg.com.
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