Holiday Travel Considerations

By Christy Amos

2 min read

Christmas used to be my favorite holiday, and it still is to some extent.

Christmas was my Dad’s favorite holiday, but after he passed away, the first Christmas was rough. My mom and sister and I decided to try something different the year he passed away, so we decided to rent an Airbnb.

Not an asthma-friendly stay

Let’s just say that the whole experience was pretty awful, but what made it worse was the overwhelming “Christmas smell” that emanated from every surface in the house.

There were candles everywhere, air fresheners in the bathroom, and I swear all of the linens were washed with a Christmas tree. And on top of it all, the house was heated with a wood burning stove. My family is no stranger to wood burning stoves, it’s what heats my parent’s house. But there are stoves that ventilate correctly, and ones that really, really do not. And this particular house had a very old wood burning stove that was not insulated correctly and I cannot even begin to tell you when I thought it was cleaned last.

Fortunately I had to work on and off through most of the week we had the Airbnb rented, so I was not subjected to it for the entire time we were there, but boy it was hard to deal with.

I was using my rescue inhaler more that week than I had in a long time. Overall, it was one of the worst christmases of my life, for more reasons than one, and while I’m glad I got to spend time with my family, it was just not the least bit enjoyable.

What holiday travel considerations should you make if you are traveling with asthma?

So, if you decided to get away for your Christmas season, make sure to let the host know that you have sensitivities ahead of time so they can try to make some accommodations!

Have you ever gone away for the holidays? How did traveling or staying in different accommodations impact your asthma? Share in the comments section below or share your story with the community by clicking the button.

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runcyclexcski_ Member
I fully agree that some hotels use excessive amounts of candles, wood-burning, etc., to promote the "Christmas Spirit". We often go to the Alps, the wood burning in the valley is quite awful. The houses have proper gas heating available, but every hotel feels compelled to have a burning fireplace. I always travel with an FFP2/Charcoal mask, and I also bring my home-made filter which has a pre-filter, a HEPA, and an active charcoal filter. The air is blown into a tent which I use for sleep. This way I do not depend on how old the bedding and the mattress are: I just bring my own inside the tent. I also make sure that the hotel has no carpets, that it's a new building (or at least not a "historic" one), and that the hotel is not pet-friendly. I have attached a picture of my travel tent+HEPA filter. The filter fits under airline regulation weight limits. <img src="/content/images/2024/01/24/7f02d467449eed5b211c62d1abf86369_medium.png" alt="Portable Asthma Tent" class="uploaded-image"/>
Rebecca C Moderator & Contributor
I remember this conversation a while ago, <inline-mention username="runcyclexcski_" user-id="4513190"/> - back then I thought it was amazing how you concocted a safer way to travel while dealing with asthma and allergies. Still in awe ... Thanks for sharing your travel tips with us. Hoping all is well. Best of 2024 sent your way. Rebecca (community moderator)
runcyclexcski_ Member
Rebecca -- I have since made a more portable version of the same thing. It still is going strong. 
1. Leon Lebowitz, RRT Moderator & Contributor
 Hi again, <inline-mention username="runcyclexcski_" user-id="4513190"/> - wow, a new version happening tomorrow, already - that is really exciting. These filters sound like they will keep you protected and safe from any triggers lurking about. Good luck! I am looking forward to your evaluation once completed. Have a great weekend using it! Leon L (author/moderator <a href='http://asthma.net' target='_blank'>asthma.net</a>)
2. Rebecca C Moderator & Contributor
 So how did the trip go, <inline-mention username="runcyclexcski_" user-id="4513190"/> ? Curious to know your symptoms were managed and if you'd change anything in the way of advancements for the prototype. Warmly - Rebecca (community moderator)
runcyclexcski_ Member
Hi Rebecca -- thank you for asking. It did not go well, the airline has lost the filter I checked in the luggage (it's too bulky for carry-on). I flew back the next day b.c. I had started to deteriorate without the filter after a night spent at the hotel. Had steroid tables on me, just enough to make it back to the plane, a good friend drove me. I do not think I am flying anywhere again after this, will not trust my life-support equipment to airlines ever again. The cost of the device was not super-high, I have already re-built it back home. I regret more about the business trip that got ruined. On a positive side, I took humidity measurements on the plane. At cruising altitude, RH of the air supply from the vent was 13%. This might explain why many asthmatics feel worse when flying (combined with the 8,000 elevation to which the plane is pressurized).
1. lauren.mullin Moderator
 <inline-mention username="runcyclexcski_" user-id="4513190"/> How awful, I'm so sorry to learn that the airline lost your filter design. Thank goodness you were eventually able to travel back home safely. It sounds like you are a true inventor, constantly taking measurements to gain information to improve all things! Best of luck on your journey, Lauren (team member)
2. Rebecca C Moderator & Contributor
 <inline-mention username="runcyclexcski_" user-id="4513190"/> - what a debacle! I too am deeply sorry to hear that your trip went south quick. I always have the fear the airlines will misplace my luggage, or it will be stolen. I bought air-tags. It's an absolute shame they lost the filter. Glad you had steroids to help you get back home quicker. A situation such as this would deter me from flying again, at least until I can be assured the loss of personal items will not happen again. But with airlines, it's a gamble at best. Good news on discovering the relative humidity of plane air supply/atmosphere. It certainly is a huge factor for asthmatics, as well as the flight elevation. Hoping you are breathing better this week. Thanks for the update. Thoughtfully, Rebecca (community moderator)
Melissa.Arnold Community Admin
<inline-mention username="runcyclexcski_" user-id="4513190"/> Oh no!!! So sorry to hear this! Traveling with any kind of special equipment is fraught with risk, and it shouldn't have to be that way. I think of people who have had wheelchairs and other mobility aids destroyed while flying. Who knows -- with all the progress you've made, perhaps down the road you can come up with something small enough to fit entirely in a carry-on. Glad you made it home safely, where you have what you need to feel your best. -Melissa, <a href='http://asthma.net' target='_blank'>asthma.net</a> team

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