No, Not Traffic... Think Sinuses...

If you have a cold or a persistent cough, you may want to reconsider your upcoming flight on Continental Airlines. One day after a group of coughing passengers onboard a Continental flight from Hong Kong resulted in the plane being quarantined for several hours in Newark, now comes word a 16-year-old student was bumped from a Continental flight to Hawaii Tuesday due to a coughing fit.

KITV in Honolulu reports Rachel Collier was returning home from a spring break trip to New York and Washington, DC when she awoke from a nap and began coughing. The plane was still on the ground, preparing to depart from New York.

"The police were called. The ambulance, the paramedics were called. She had fallen asleep in her seat and woke up coughing and a whole bunch of people standing around her, and was asked to leave the plane," said Collier's mother, Stephanie.

"I was behind her she started coughing like I heard she couldn't breathe and it felt like something was in the back of her throat," said classmate Ayya Tawfir.

"First of all we were worried about her health; that she'd be okay," added classmate Justin Kim, reports KTLA-5 in Los Angeles. "And we wanted her to come home with us because she was sick."

The student's teacher, Maile Kawamura, said a doctor onboard the plane checked Rachel, and determined she was fine since she didn't have a fever. But the plane's pilot ruled Collier get off the aircraft... which meant the student and her teacher had to fend for themselves for the night in New York, sans luggage (which was already on the plane.)

"I'm frustrated. I'm really, really frustrated," Stephanie Collier said. "Why they would do that, especially with two teachers escorting 40 children across the United States, and for the pilot to make that kind of decision."

Collier's mother said a representative with Continental told her the matter would be dealt with internally. We're not sure if that was a reassurance from the airline the matter would be dealt with... or a suggestion for Rachel to stock up on Robitussin before her next flight...

FMI: www.continental.com