Ben-gay has kind of a menthol/wintergreen smell - I wouldn't call that "disgusting." "Pungent," perhaps.

Nevertheless, if hubby was next to her, she should have been forced to occupy the window seat, rotate 90 degrees, and place her smelly feet in hubby's lap instead of your personal space (your armrests). Seems to me that's the more serious issue. I'm still trying to figure out how an Indian woman is tall enough to get her smelly feet to hang on your armrest...