Just flew a LAX-ATL red-eye. As an FO, obviously no upgrade. Took my regular ambien/melatonin cocktail which up to this flight helped me sleep through just about anything.

But before take-off, seated directly behind me the loudest snorer in history fell asleep. Snoring is common on airplanes but this way beyond anything I’ve ever heard before. Even the loudest baby couldn’t compare to the squealing gurgling of the snorer. This wasn’t just me taken aback by the volume and pitch, but everyone in my view in the cabin did a double or triple-take with a collective “What on earth?” expression. It seemed with the drone of the engines after take-off she got louder as if she was competing with the aircraft. Despite being loaded with sleeping medication I could not sleep. It was absolute torture. I constantly heard other people around me commenting on her loudness.

About an hour into the flight I lucked out and found an un-occupied aisle seat with the middle seat next to it unoccupied and I squatted there (I informed the FA and she was cool with it).

But I’m wondering, outside of letting somebody move seats is there anything that can be done in such a situation? The irony that this lady could sleep blissfully while the rest of us suffered was infuriating. I realize there’s some selfishness to this post, but keep in mind I’d feel more selfish if I knowingly kept an entire group of people around me awake while I slept without taking any snore-mitigating measures... whatever they might be if there are any.

And okay, I don’t know what an FA can do. I doubt nudging can help. Maybe someone on this board has ideas.