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Post by epeanymous on Sept 3, 2014 11:50:07 GMT
So I fly fairly frequently and pretty much none of the flight issues people complain about bother me that much. I am an average-height woman so usually am not affected much one way or the other by reclining issues; sometimes it is harder to use my laptop if the person in front of me reclines, but that is about it. Crying babies? Whatever. Doesn't bother me that much and I always bring earplugs and/or headphones. But, one thing that really does bother me on planes is smelly people. As I was reminded during a ten-hour flight yesterday sitting next to someone who had clearly not showered within a reasonable interval. Anyone want to share strategies for minimizing the effect of smells on flights? I hadn't had that in a while and it made my flight  . |
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M in Carolina
Pearl Clutcher
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Post by M in Carolina on Sept 3, 2014 11:55:18 GMT
I always wear a scarf when I fly. I can wrap it around my mouth and nose when I'm around someone who's coughing or sneezing. I also spray the scarf with a bit of perfume the night before I wear it, so I can also use the scarf as a bit of a barrier between me and the unwashed masses. Wetting the scarf with water or cola would also make the scarf an improvised smoke mask if I was ever on a flight that had a nasty landing.
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eastcoastpea
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Post by eastcoastpea on Sept 3, 2014 12:04:00 GMT
I always wear a scarf when I fly. I can wrap it around my mouth and nose when I'm around someone who's coughing or sneezing. I also spray the scarf with a bit of perfume the night before I wear it, so I can also use the scarf as a bit of a barrier between me and the unwashed masses. Wetting the scarf with water or cola would also make the scarf an improvised smoke mask if I was ever on a flight that had a nasty landing. I like your ideas. |
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Nink
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Post by Nink on Sept 3, 2014 12:23:51 GMT
Not sure how to avoid the smell issues myself, but I always manage to be sitting next to someone that either takes off their shoes immediately upon boarding and have really stinky feet or brings smelly food on board such as beef sticks or tuna sandwiches.
I understand that during a long haul flight, these things are inevitable, but honestly the majority of the time I fly, it's 90 min or so flight and it's still an issue.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
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Nanner
Drama Llama
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Post by Nanner on Sept 3, 2014 12:26:16 GMT
On our way back from Maui one time, poor DH was beside an older guy with a gas problem. A very bad, smelly gas problem. The fellow slept the whole time, farting away like crazy!
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blue tulip
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Post by blue tulip on Sept 3, 2014 12:34:55 GMT
the scarf idea is a good one! also you could take a tiny travel sized Vicks vaporub and put a dab just under your nose. then all you would smell was mint and you wouldn't have to keep your face in your scarf.
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Post by Sassenach on Sept 3, 2014 13:03:28 GMT
the scarf idea is a good one! also you could take a tiny travel sized Vicks vaporub and put a dab just under your nose. then all you would smell was mint and you wouldn't have to keep your face in your scarf. Oooh that's a great idea! I'm buying Vick's for my next flight! |
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moodyblue
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Post by moodyblue on Sept 3, 2014 13:06:14 GMT
If you spray the scarf with perfume, I hope the person next to you isn't allergic or sensitive to that fragrance. I have problems with many perfumes, so that could be an issue for people near you, and then you become the person with the "smell" that bothers others.
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Nanner
Drama Llama
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Post by Nanner on Sept 3, 2014 13:07:51 GMT
If you spray the scarf with perfume, I hope the person next to you isn't allergic or sensitive to that fragrance. I have problems with many perfumes, so that could be an issue for people near you, and then you become the person with the "smell" that bothers others. That was my thought, as well. |
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Post by mamanay on Sept 3, 2014 13:08:10 GMT
I agree the smells are the worst!!! But for me it's the people who bathe in perfume etc. UGH! No one is supposed to smell you coming.
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Post by melanell on Sept 3, 2014 13:48:40 GMT
Perfumes are the smells I tend to have the most issues with, as well.
I love the vapor rub idea.
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Post by peasapie on Sept 3, 2014 13:57:32 GMT
I deal with this all the time because I use mass transit - buses, trains, subways and planes. I'm constantly dealing with noise and air pollution from my neighbors. I always bring earplugs and a headset to block out the loud talkers (both on their phones and just in general), but there is no way to adequately block out the smells. Just this week I sat next to two people on a bus who opened up their onion bagels and started noshing away. It smelled like bad BO. Seriously, is there anything short of a gas mask one can wear to block out these odors?
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blue tulip
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Post by blue tulip on Sept 3, 2014 14:18:20 GMT
Oooh that's a great idea! I'm buying Vick's for my next flight! i read it a long time ago in a detective/crimse scene novel.  but i've used it during pregnancy when every smell made me nauseas, and when cleaning up dog vomit, your freezer stops working, etc etc. comes in handy! |
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Post by cmpeter on Sept 3, 2014 14:21:03 GMT
Ugh, smells are the really hard to deal with!
I sat next to a leg jiggler last flight. Every time she started jiggling her leg I had to do this big seat shift thing to sort of make her aware of what she was doing.
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Post by epeanymous on Sept 3, 2014 14:23:51 GMT
Yeah, I am a public transit person too, but the trips are much shorter and I usually have the option to move away from the truly smelly by standing.
I will try the vapo rub idea. The perfume idea wouldn't work for me because perfume smells get on my nerves/give me headaches.
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Post by bc2ca on Sept 3, 2014 14:38:16 GMT
I always wear a scarf when I fly. I can wrap it around my mouth and nose when I'm around someone who's coughing or sneezing. I also spray the scarf with a bit of perfume the night before I wear it, so I can also use the scarf as a bit of a barrier between me and the unwashed masses. Wetting the scarf with water or cola would also make the scarf an improvised smoke mask if I was ever on a flight that had a nasty landing. I always have a light wrap/large scarf with me. I find it is a better weight than a blanket and less binding than putting on a sweater. Love the idea of using it as a germ barrier too. Knock on wood, I haven't dealt with a body odor problem when flying, but I really hate the competing smells of hot fast food for the first 30 minutes or so of a flight. I get that people need to eat, but if you have time to buy hot food before the flight, don't you have time to eat it before loading? |
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Nink
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Post by Nink on Sept 3, 2014 14:44:26 GMT
I always wear a scarf when I fly. I can wrap it around my mouth and nose when I'm around someone who's coughing or sneezing. I also spray the scarf with a bit of perfume the night before I wear it, so I can also use the scarf as a bit of a barrier between me and the unwashed masses. Wetting the scarf with water or cola would also make the scarf an improvised smoke mask if I was ever on a flight that had a nasty landing. I always have a light wrap/large scarf with me. I find it is a better weight than a blanket and less binding than putting on a sweater. Love the idea of using it as a germ barrier too. Knock on wood, I haven't dealt with a body odor problem when flying, but I really hate the competing smells of hot fast food for the first 30 minutes or so of a flight. I get that people need to eat, but if you have time to buy hot food before the flight, don't you have time to eat it before loading? I almost always see people buying food and then sitting in the terminal with it for quite a while, waiting until they board the plane to eat it when they've had plenty of time to eat it prior to boarding. |
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Deleted
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Apr 18, 2024 10:08:55 GMT
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Post by Deleted on Sept 3, 2014 15:04:22 GMT
Yes, Perfume is an issue for me. sets off a runny nose and asthma. if you don't wanna hear me blowing my nose every minute or so then don't wear perfume.
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ginacivey
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refupea #2 in southeast missouri
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Post by ginacivey on Sept 3, 2014 15:20:55 GMT
you'd be surprised at the odors a bit of vicks will cover up
i am also surprised by the general lack of hygiene i've encountered over the years
baring some strange affliction - i don't understand why people don't bath every day
and if they don't, why doesn't someone (family/friend) - tell them they stink?
gina
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sharlag
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Post by sharlag on Sept 3, 2014 15:22:40 GMT
Yeah, I am a public transit person too, but the trips are much shorter and I usually have the option to move away from the truly smelly by standing. I will try the vapo rub idea. The perfume idea wouldn't work for me because perfume smells get on my nerves/give me headaches. How can vapo rub be more tolerable than perfume?  |
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sharlag
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Post by sharlag on Sept 3, 2014 15:24:43 GMT
I always wear a scarf when I fly. I can wrap it around my mouth and nose when I'm around someone who's coughing or sneezing. I also spray the scarf with a bit of perfume the night before I wear it, so I can also use the scarf as a bit of a barrier between me and the unwashed masses. Wetting the scarf with water or cola would also make the scarf an improvised smoke mask if I was ever on a flight that had a nasty landing. I always have a light wrap/large scarf with me. I find it is a better weight than a blanket and less binding than putting on a sweater. Love the idea of using it as a germ barrier too. I bring aboard a king sized, down comforter. It's large enough to thwart all odors, and it's cozy!  |
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Sept 3, 2014 16:20:51 GMT
Gina,
The times I've sat next to someone with strong body odor, they weren't carrying U.S. passports. Not much we can do about different culture traditions, but yah, to my nose, the BO was dizzying.
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Deleted
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Apr 18, 2024 10:08:55 GMT
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Post by Deleted on Sept 3, 2014 16:33:26 GMT
Sometimes body odor has nothing to do with not bathing. It can be medical issues and/or side effects from medication.
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Post by bc2ca on Sept 3, 2014 17:22:07 GMT
Do they make you stuff it under the seat during take-off?  Some body odor issues are definitely cultural, but I've also known more than a few people that have sweat problems. They start off the day clean & fresh, but I would not want to be standing beside them on the subway at the end of the day. For some, even the simple act of lifting suitcases on & off security belts and walking from one end to another of an airport is enough to start them sweating. They are also very aware that they smell. |
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NoWomanNoCry
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Post by NoWomanNoCry on Sept 3, 2014 18:07:19 GMT
the scarf idea is a good one! also you could take a tiny travel sized Vicks vaporub and put a dab just under your nose. then all you would smell was mint and you wouldn't have to keep your face in your scarf. I recommend Vicks as well. DH uses it when it goes on dead body calls...hell sometimes he uses it when he goes on calls in general because people don't clean their homes. |
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PrettyInPeank
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Post by PrettyInPeank on Sept 3, 2014 19:02:03 GMT
baring some strange affliction - i don't understand why people don't bath every day I don't bathe everyday. I have long hair, and it has to be blow dried or else I look like I rolled out of bed. I shower every other day. Unless I have somewhere to go (like flying), or I spend time outside in this heat, or went running, I throw it into a pony and call it a day. |
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Post by ametallichick on Sept 3, 2014 19:20:30 GMT
I am a chronic showerer. I shower in the morning and before bed and I cannot understand people that have BO. I can see if you're homeless or have limited resources but my sense of smell is ridiculously high and I smell everything before anyone else does. I wish my sense of hearing was as good, lol.  |
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Post by Giraffe on Sept 3, 2014 19:40:11 GMT
As someone who gets a very nauseated, upset stomach at the smell of mint, I really hope everyone doesn't start rubbing Vick's under their noses before they fly! It's bad enough that I always seem to get seated by the people who are chewing mint gum. Ugh.
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Deleted
Posts: 0
Apr 18, 2024 10:08:55 GMT
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Post by Deleted on Sept 3, 2014 19:57:17 GMT
I would say for me the worst when it comes to smells is overabundance of perfume. I don't know what people are thinking, but perfume in a confined space is a huge issue for me. Headache-inducing immediately. Lay off the perfume/cologne, people!!  |
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Post by scrapsuzy on Sept 4, 2014 5:02:39 GMT
Please no Vicks! PLEASE! There are people, like me, who get instantly and violently ill at the smell of it (and then it actually triggers my asthma).
Even just a tiny dab.
Even just opening the tube.
I'd rather smell BO.
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Southern Side eyed Pea 
but i've used it during pregnancy when every smell made me nauseas, and when cleaning up dog vomit, your freezer stops working, etc etc. comes in handy!
