An Interesting (and slightly gross) Etiquette Question

[AmberGretchen]

Date: 2/1/2009 12:08:43 PM
Author: neatfreak
Ugh AG, that stinks (literally!) But I think you did the right thing, I don''t think there was any polite way to go about it except possibly mentioning it to a stewardess and seeing if they could get you a new seat. But since it was a full flight, I think you did the only thing you could have besides offering him some soap!

LOL NF - the soap would have been a good idea...

 

[AmberGretchen]

Date: 2/1/2009 12:14:43 PM
Author: purrfectpear
It could be worse. I once flew from LA to NY next to a 250 lb. guy in hand and ankle cuffs being escorted by a US Marshall. Now that was a fun seat companion.

OMG I can''t even imagine

I''ve been next to extremely overweight people, which is what I thought you were going to say, but that''s really something, I can''t even imagine...

 

[AmberGretchen]

thing2 - I agree on the elbows, I''ve been known to use mine too, and they are super sharp as well

I wish a Southwest flight attendant (or any flight attendant) would have noticed this guy and taken action before he got on the flight...

 

[Kaleigh]

Oh that stinks - pun intended!! You did the right thing. I feel for you, I really do.

Oh and the middle seats are the worst!!

 

[AmberGretchen]

Date: 2/1/2009 1:12:51 PM
Author: AprilBaby
Pray that you take off on time and land as quickly as possible!

LOL - definitely. Thankfully, even though we took off a bit late, we made up time in the air. I can''t even imagine if it had been really delayed and we''d gotten stuck on the plane...

 

[AmberGretchen]

Date: 2/1/2009 1:22:06 PM
Author: jewelerman
I agree that there was very little you could do,but its a shame that the air line attendant didnt think of your and the other passengers by saying something before sitting the passenger down beside you!after all each of us have unpleasant situations in our jobs dealing with the general public.

I completely agree. The more I think about this the more I feel the flight attendants should have at least tried to do or say something. I saw one of them wrinkling her nose as he went past getting on the plane, so they must have known...

 

[AmberGretchen]

Date: 2/1/2009 1:31:08 PM
Author: Circe
Feh! I think the only thing to do is to thank the gods you''ve got a cold, and/or get a clothespin ....

LOL I may have to consider traveling with a clothespin from now on...

 

[AmberGretchen]

Date: 2/1/2009 2:15:50 PM
Author: Tacori E-ring
I agree there is nothing you can do or say. Still makes for a horrible plane ride!

Agreed! I''m normally not too bad on a plane, but the combination of being really sick plus having that right next to me...Yuck!

 

[AmberGretchen]

Date: 2/1/2009 3:13:07 PM
Author: princesss
There really needs to be some kind of product you can dab discreetly onto your upper lip and not have to smell these people. It''s happened to me before, and I really think you handled it the best way possible.

Yeah I''m thinking if I travel with small-sized perfumes perhaps those would work for a little dab under the nose if it ever (hopefully not!) happens again...

 

[AmberGretchen]

Date: 2/1/2009 4:03:32 PM
Author: Addy
I don''t think that you could have done anything. That does stink (ah ha ha ha).


I sat next to an older gentleman on a 9 hour flight. His breath smelled and all the poor old guy wanted to do was chat. He had to lean in really close because of his hearing. I was so glad when that flight ended.

OMG Addy 9 hours

Wow - good for you for being so terribly polite, I don''t think I would have made it 9 hours...

 

[AmberGretchen]

Date: 2/1/2009 4:13:26 PM
Author: Porridge
Gross!


In that particular situation, where he clearly showed signs of rudeness and disregard for his fellow passengers, I would have had no problem requesting a seat change, or spritzing a little perfume over my scarf and covering my nose and mouth.


Do you wish you had done anything different in hindsight AmberGretchen?

I really don''t think there was anything I could have done differently. I wish there was, but in retrospect the only thing I wish is that I had had perfume and a scarf with me and thought to do what you suggest

 

[AmberGretchen]

Date: 2/1/2009 4:14:49 PM
Author: lyra
You could have rubbed Vick''s Vapor Rub under your nose?

hehe lyra - what an excellent idea. I wonder if they make travel sizes...

 

[AmberGretchen]

DB - what a wonderful story to help put things in perspective. I certainly try to keep in mind that others who seem to be being inconsiderate (such as those driving badly or too fast) may be in circumstances I don''t understand or know about (such as on their way to a hospital in an emergency - I''ve been in that particular situation myself - not fun!). I usually try to give others the benefit of the doubt, although it doesn''t come easily to me all the time.

But I will say that in this situation, I strongly suspect that was not the case. This gentleman actually appeared to sneer at the flight attendants anytime they made requests of him or other passengers, and otherwise displayed a general disdain for those around him. I realize that people behave oddly in difficult circumstances, but I''ve generally found that people who act like this across the board are usually simply inconsiderate, and not suffering some unfortunate circumstance beyond their control.

I thank you for sharing this story though - its important for us all (myself included) to remember that others may be going through things we can''t hope to understand that affect their behavior.

 

[AmberGretchen]

Date: 2/2/2009 3:09:12 PM
Author: Bia
Happened to me!


Know what I did? I put some of my minty-medicated chapstick under my nostrils and it worked.

Watching all the episodes of Law & Order really paid off!

LOL Bia - what a great idea!

 

[AmberGretchen]

Date: 2/2/2009 3:45:13 PM
Author: Brown.Eyed.Girl

Date: 2/1/2009 11:40:42 AM

I''m so so sorry you had to go through that! I have a HUGE issue with people not practicing common courtesy/etiquette in enclosed places like planes (seriously, I''m protective of my space - I also have sharp elbows like thing2of2

) and (sorry for people who have children - this isn''t a dig at you) but I get really irritated when children kick my seat (it always happens...I don''t know why it''s always me!). Plus the smell issue - you can''t even avoid that easily since the smell kind of spreads out

Anyway, Amber, I sympathize you poor thing!

OMG I''m so with you on the kicking. I had one guy whose child kicked me repeatedly and hard. When I finally requested (very politely) that he ask her to stop, he wouldn''t.

Then, to add insult to injury, he picked her up and started walking up and down the aisle. He stopped to talk to someone, and the child kicked me in the HEAD. DELIBERATELY. Then, the guy got MAD AT ME

I have nothing against people with kids, but that seems totally outside the bounds of any sort of manners or common courtesy to me!

 

[AmberGretchen]

Date: 2/2/2009 4:05:37 PM
Author: bee*
I would have done the same as you AG and not said anything. That''s awful though!

bee* - there really isn''t anything to be done, unfortunately, but definitely not my favorite plane flight!!

 

[AmberGretchen]

Date: 2/2/2009 4:23:50 PM
Author: Italiahaircolor
I ditto everyone who said there is nothing that can be done...but the thought of if makes me sick right along with you

Thanks Italia - it was truly sickening...

 

[musey]

This actually happened to my husband and I yesterday, but it wasn't body odor - it was offensive smelling food. I have NO IDEA what it was that that guy was eating - it looked like those steamed bbq pork buns at a dim sum restaurant, but much bigger and the filling looked like cat food and celery. It smelled like DEATH. I was so relieved when he finished eating it... Until about 10 minutes later, when the smell returned in, um, slightly different form. Yuck.

I've been seated next to absolutely horrible B.O. before as well. It's seriously awful, and almost worse once you start getting used to it. I can't wait to get home to shower when that happens.

I never say anything.

 

[Asscherhalo_lover]

Date: 2/1/2009 3:13:07 PM
Author: princesss
There really needs to be some kind of product you can dab discreetly onto your upper lip and not have to smell these people. It''s happened to me before, and I really think you handled it the best way possible.

use vicks, lol!

 

[AmberGretchen]

Date: 2/2/2009 5:51:04 PM
Author: Kaleigh
Oh that stinks - pun intended!! You did the right thing. I feel for you, I really do.


Oh and the middle seats are the worst!!

I''m with you - we were originally supposed to have a middle seat and an aisle next to each other (I like sitting next to my DH on the plane!) and they switched us without telling us and by the time we realized it was too late to do anything

 

[AmberGretchen]

Date: 2/2/2009 7:27:28 PM
Author: musey
This actually happened to my husband and I yesterday, but it wasn''t body odor - it was offensive smelling food. I have NO IDEA what it was that that guy was eating - it looked like those steamed bbq pork buns at a dim sum restaurant, but much bigger and the filling looked like cat food and celery. It smelled like DEATH. I was so relieved when he finished eating it... Until about 10 minutes later, when the smell returned in, um, slightly different form. Yuck.


I''ve been seated next to absolutely horrible B.O. before as well. It''s seriously awful, and almost worse once you start getting used to it. I can''t wait to get home to shower when that happens.


I never say anything.

OMG musey that sounds beyond horrible. I would have been so ill with that - YUCK!

 

[AmberGretchen]

Date: 2/2/2009 8:20:26 PM
Author: Asscherhalo_lover

Date: 2/1/2009 3:13:07 PM

Author: princesss

There really needs to be some kind of product you can dab discreetly onto your upper lip and not have to smell these people. It''s happened to me before, and I really think you handled it the best way possible.

use vicks, lol!

LOL I am seriously considering getting a travel-sized version, since I''ll be traveling a lot for work start in August...

 

[Kelli]

YUCK!! I don''t honestly know what I would have done. Probably the same thing as you, but man I would have WANTED to hand him my travel size body wash and tell him to go use the sink in the bathroom.

I feel the same way on flights when people are smacking gum in my ear. When their disgusting cow-like chomping is loud enough to hear over my headphones, I have a real problem with it and it makes me feel EXTREMELY claustrophobic.