Trip Reports - Perfumery Department Aboard AA24

I returned from a quick business trip to the UK last night and took my clothes straight to the dry cleaners this morning for fumigation. In business class on AA24 Saturday night between O'Hare and Birmingham, the women across the aisle from me stunk up the place with her potions. Several times each, she sprayed herself (and the cabin) with a choking cologne, washed her bare feet in another smelly substance, rubbed still another stomach-turning lotion on her hands, slathered something else on her face, constantly patted moisurizer on her lips, etc. I gagged about 20% of the trip. She must have exhausted herself with the constant motion. Her male companion was huge and not terribly well-humored. Consequently, I kept my silence (and my nose pinched). Sputter, sputter.

Don't you just hate that http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/frown.gif

What I do in times like these is get a hot towel from the FA and keep moist with water over your nose....though I'm not sure if that would work in the extreme circumstances you described.

Makes you wonder how bad they smell without it to make them think that they need that much perfuming.

I put in my earplugs, put on my eyeshades (not to play pinball...) I really don't want to have to put on my oxygen mask too!

I might have doubted you, 0524, until a few months ago when LexPassenger and I were in our usual downscale restaurant "as far from smoking as possible", and this couple got seated in the booth next door. After a few minutes, we both became aware of a smell of perfume, and it rapidly became so strong that I started gagging. It was unbelievably awful. It was the female half of the couple. Unreal. Luckily our meal was over, so we could flee.

On any American-owned carrier, not just AA, I really think I'd have pulled the "my allergies are getting serious here" line on a FA, to see if they could speak to the woman and at least keep her from spritzing again.
Sometimes the FAs are just waiting for that sort of excuse. And if not, there wouldn't have been harm done.

Once on an AA flight I was able to get the FA to stop the same type of passenger from burying my infant in a toxic cloud. The cloud was finger nail polish, hairspray, and perfume. The FA asked the passenger to refrain from doing this in her seat and if the perfume and hairspray was needed then the lavatory was a better place.

There's nothing worse than a toxic cloud next to you....I think in those cases it's fine to ask the FA to respectfully request that the particular passenger take it to the lavatory.

On a Thai International flight in February, I watched in horror as an American lady sprayed aerosol deodorant in her armpits. Gross! There was a cloud in the cabin.