WestonC

I sometimes hear that in some of my offices - people saying there should be a no perfume policy. I also see it posted in some public places. Personally, I disagree with this 100%. I have worn cologne since I was a teenager and will continue to do so on a daily basis including on aeroplanes, in my offices and in public places. If someone has an allergy to it they are free to leave my area.

Self righteous? Not at all. I care deeply for my fellow human beings. I just don't buy all this rubbish about allergies when so many people simply don't like the smell or taste or whatever and claim it to be an allergy. Perhaps if they had more exposure to smells or germs or even dirt they would not have as many allergies as they claim to have.

Now when it comes to body odour on an aeroplane - oh my! Last week I was seated next to a gent who had extreme body odour. I quietly slipped out of my seat and asked the air hostess if there was an empty seat and did not explain why - I did not want to embarrass the bloke. The flight was full. So I returned to my seat and in a very quiet voice informed the bloke that his body odour was very discomforting and if he wanted to borrow some of my cologne. He thanked me and took my small travel bottle of cologne to the loo and came back smelling somewhat better. Voila! No embarrassment and everyone was for the better.

superangrypenguin

Would you appreciate spelling me after I've run to Gate 42 domestically at YYZ?

If you would not, then I would say that you should keep your smells....minimal.

YOWgary

Yeah, I feel the same way. If people are allergic to nuts, I'm not going to let that keep me from enjoying my Snickers bar, screw 'em, they can just die.

They weren't really allergic anyway, those hives and hyperventilating are just a ploy for attention. And that ambulance? Talk about tacky, especially when I'm trying to enjoy an entirely optional treat here.

CZAMFlyer

No kidding. I like to discretely wipe the seat recline button with peanut oil, smear some prawn shells on random seatback TV screens (that stuff's near invisible) and have been known to release the odd bee or wasp within the cabin after wheels up. People either forget their supposed allergies or very quickly learn that sharing a public mode of transportation is not for the frail.

YOWgary

So, I get that Business Class is an important place for important Business people who do important Business, but maybe we don't all need to listen in on your conference call on speakerphone.

I understand that Gerry is a little concerned about the way the Q1 earnings statement was worded, but maybe you could learn about that with a pair of headphones, all by yourself.

24left

Oh c'mon, take a lesson from my zebra wallpaper episode in the MLL

Tell Gerry that the Dow is down, tech is crashing and his shoes laces are untied, and that based on what you've hear, no way would you invest in his company. Be creative, have fun. Help the Gerrys of the world

vernonc

Or ask if you can join the call too since you are already listening to it.

YOWgary

There's a fun question. If they share privileged information on the call, and I use that to make an investment decision, does that count as insider trading?

Kendryk

So you have the social awareness to not embarrass someone else but not the social awareness to take the hint when other people don't want to embarrass you?

That gentleman could've just said (almost) exactly what you said - that he's smelled like this all his life and if you don't like it you can go somewhere else. If you had more exposure to people with BO perhaps you wouldn't be so sensitive.

So next time, if someone mentions something about cologne or scent free spaces, maybe stick to the deodorant/antiperspirant instead of going for the cologne. Voila! No embarrassment and everyone would be for the better.

mapleg

AC Rouge flight back from Cuba. You know, the kind of flight where people applaud when the plane lands.

Sitting aisle seat. Middle aged to elderly woman in other aisle seat calls attendant over and says the gets "migraines" in her legs on flights and could she get a wheelchair on arrival in YYZ...and if so should she wait until everyone was off the plane before deboarding, etc.

Upon arrival and as soon as the seat-belt sign went off, she jumped up like a jackrabbit, and literally shoved, pushed and barged her way as far forward as possible. An NFL linebacker would have been proud of her performance. (The plane was on time, so no late connection issues). Thought it was fairly interesting that someone with a mobility issues could be so athletic. Must have been the vitamins in the BOB food.

karachi

Whats the big hangup over bare feet ? if clean, i dont see anything wrong with being comfy. I do it around the house all the time. in summers, I do it on planes - but always wear something when visiting the loo.

karachi

Perhaps also shut down duty free areas where they sell perfumes. if you're that fragile with perfumes, i'd suggest staying home rather than risking your life getting on planes and walking thru airports. I am assuming based on the responses above that "OMG People will die !!" if they smell cologne.

about 1.4% of the US population has peanut allergy, and the entire aviation industry has to revolve around that. Data on fragrance allergy is somewhat less certain. There was one study done where abt 20% identified being irritated by perfumes.

People also have allergy to cats, dustmites (we need to remove all carpets and all dust trapping fabrics from all airplanes now !), plastics (how dare you give me that drink in a plastic cup. I COULD DIE !) and every other substance known to humans.
really, if you could die smelling perfume - stay off airplanes.

vernonc

The problem is not bare feet. If they are on top of shoes or on the floor, or on your bag. The problem is when they smell or are mid air at eye level or touching surfaces where we might have to put our hands - like arm rests, tray tables, AVOD, etc. Or if they just plain look gross but thats subjective. Some people have a issue with bare feet all the time. Being comfortable can mean hairy guys sitting shirtless (seen someone try that) but that does not mean its acceptable to everyone else.

24left

@vernonc Exactly!!!!!

@karachi It is NOT about bare feet. It's about the stuff vernonc described.

While thankfully I have not seen the kind of disgusting stuff from the Passenger Shaming website on AC, it's about the moving line perhaps.

One day, it's just this guy who took his shoes off and was barefoot in his pod. Next you have people's feet hanging over the top of your seat or on your head.

This was the other night on a different flight. She was doing various renditions of spread-eagle. What if she had no shoes on and it wasn't the bulkhead, but the top of your seat?
.

mapleg

She could have walked through anything with those shoes...wet lav's, dog walk parks etc. The bottom of a shoe should reside on the floor, not doing the samba on a bulkhead.