This happened May 2011 on a flight from Chicago to Atlanta. I was going to visit my aunt and celebrate her daughter’s (my cousin’s) graduation from high school. My daughter (1 y.o.) and I flew down to Atlanta and had a great flight and a great trip. My daughter is well-behaved on planes and will typically spend half of the flight sleeping and the other half either staring out of the window or playing quietly with the non-noisy toys I bring for her. The return flight was a flight from hell.
As always I bought two seats (one window, one middle) for my daughter and me. Since she is very young we always pre-board and I make sure she has something to do so she is not bothering our “row-mate.” As I am a new mom, I do remember being bothered when parents would allow their children to scream and misbehave in public and promised I would never be that parent. As others boarded the flight attendant stated “Wow I have never seen such a young child play so quietly.” As I mentioned before my daughter is very well-behaved and I feel very blessed to have her. (Incidentally she is peacefully napping as I type this.)
As people continued to board a very large man (easily 350lb) began walking toward us. Now don’t get me wrong, I have nothing against “persons of size” as I am not a small woman. I have hips and thighs to speak of and I am very proud. The man came to our row and immediately pulls up the arm rest. Once seated it is clear that he is taking up at least 1/2 of my daughter’s seat. Since she is a small child and would technically only be using 1/2 of the seat I did not mind… at first!
As he sat my daughter climbed into my lab as she noticed this rather large man was very close to her. As she did this he said (in a sweet but condescending tone), “Mommy is gonna need to keep you quiet because I didn’t pay for this seat to hear you.” Being a licensed social worker I deal with some very narcissistic individuals but this took the cake. I replied back (in the same tone), “And I didn’t pay to have you take up half my daughter’s seat and yet here you are.”
At this point I scooted over a bit into the seat I paid for and put my daughter closest to the window. And that is when the stench hit me. He smelled like old onions and unwashed body. Since my daughter seemed oblivious to the encroaching man I turned towards her and put my nose inside of my sweatshirt. Mr. Smelly asked if there was a problem and I simply stated, “Yes. You smell.”
About 1/2 hour into this flight both my daughter and I fell asleep. I awoke because I felt something wet and warm on my back. I turned around to find Mr. Smelly had moved further into my daughter’s seat and was now touching my back. I pulled my sleeping daughter onto my lap (still sleeping BTW) so that I could see why I felt wet. The lower back half of my sweatshirt was soaked with his sweat. I unzipped my sweatshirt, took it off and threw it on the floor. All the time he is looking at me as though I had done something wrong.
With 30 minutes left in the flight my daughter awoke and said “ju ju” (meaning juice), so I handed her a juice cup and a small container filled with Goldfish crackers. Once the FA announced that we would be landing soon I began to pack away my daughter’s snack. Seeing that there were Goldfish left over in the container, Mr. Smelly asked if he could have the rest. Now normally I am a nice person and would have given him the rest of the Goldfish, but in that moment I was annoyed that not only did I pay for a seat I did not use, but that my fairly new sweatshirt was now covered in the sweat of a foul-smelling stranger. So I said “No.” The conversation continues as follows:
Mr. S.: “Why not?”
Me: “Because I like to use things I pay for.”
Mr. S: “Just selfish.”
At this point the FA announced we were descending into Chicago. Although I could have lashed out at him, I didn’t and continued to ready my daughter and myself for arrival. But I was thinking, ” I’m selfish? You get on a plane, take up more space than you paid for, make an unwarranted comment towards my daughter, smell like you haven’t washed your body in three days, but I’m selfish?”
Now I get that we all deserve respect, but in what world do people think that they are entitled to encroach on other’s space?
- Dani
{ 6 comments }
Suggestions for Improving Air Travel
April 29, 2011
in Flying Hell Commentary
Dear Flyers:
As known today, the flying public’s decency and manners has plummeted. This is this case for nearly all ages and genders. Babies who cry and scream, seniors who think they own the place by bossing younger generations around such as having them lift their suitcases and ignoring others or causing discomfort, to kids who kick seats (as well as scream), to the fat and obese flying population whose fat oozes into all the seats.
So firstly, if you are fat there is a solution: Get a diet, show some self motivation, and if you choose not to, well then other people have equal right to deny you oozing into their chair. Now as some people have actual problems (as in medical problems), then if you choose to fly it is your decision to buy an extra seat. If you cannot (e.g. plane is full), try to ensure the comfort of a fellow passenger by showering (very well) and wearing dry crisp clothes and taking your time as this will help you not sweat as much and lower the BO levels and make people at least comfortable being very close to you. Secondly, don’t eat so much on the plane as if it is going to crash and that you need to store fat until the rescue workers come. Thirdly, at least have common courtesy towards your seat neighbour; people will be much more forgiving and understanding.
Parents of annoying kids (aka brats), you are just as bad as the kid. If you are a good parent you can succeed in keeping your child quiet without the use of violence (though in some cases it’s necessary). You may help by being prepared by bringing snacks, games, or even tiring him out (if you have no idea how to tire him out, make up a punishment such as making your kid run around the house for a solid hour before the flight). If you do not then it is your responsibility and you and your kid will face angry passengers wanting to burn you on a cross.
Seniors: You are old, face it. You are not going to be able to lift a 50 kg carry-on bag, so only pack the essentials such as a phone, medicines, money, and so on (if you can’t reach then that is a different matter). Secondly, when you go to the bathroom don’t fall asleep in it; once you’re finished leave and go back to your seat. Thirdly, if you need to walk about for medical reasons do so, but if you are interfering with others then try to be more considerate.
Finally, seat kickers: Firstly it is MY seat, not yours. And “I” CHOSE how I treat my seat, not you. If you are unhappy that I am taking up too much of your space, be diplomatic and civilized (not to mention the most basic “act your age”); don’t start kicking. Judge the situation and first try to lower your own chair back, and if the chair is broken lie back. Ask the person in front to move it up a little and explain why; if they are uncivilized call a FA. ONLY as a LAST RESORT do you kick their seat, and don’t be a wimp about it – I mean pound their seat.
P.S. All the flight attendants who think they have power over the flight, yes I admit you do but please try to remember you are here to attend to us, not to threaten to throw us off the plane because we asked for a drink. Plus we don’t ask for much, only a meal and a drink. In the event that there is a special problem with seating, just try to swap them with an empty seat (let’s be honest, you are not going to be punished, hurt, or injured and that your decision makes a big difference to the passenger), or try to imagine yourself in our position, thank you. Plus who thinks they have too much power?
Signed – Kyle
Tagged as: children & babies, flight attendant, odor, portly, seats, senior citizen
{ 12 comments }