My girlfriend and I were flying in economy. The woman next to me sitting in the aisle seat -(row of three seats) was putting on nail polish. It did not bother me but my girlfriend cannot tolerate the smell of nail polish, it makes her sick. She asked the woman to stop pputting on the nail polish and close the bottle. The woman refused. Should my girlfriend have complained to the FA or was it okay for the woman to put on the nail polish?

If you search, you will find it mentioned in threads with the words disgusting habits and things like that in the title. If it was bothering her she should have complained, it would depend on the FA and airline's policy if they would have done anything about it or not.

It is not allowed because it is considered a flamible liquid.

Acetone is usually used as a thinner in nail polish. It's a chemical irritant, and should not be used in restricted spaces with limited airflow. I would have explained this to the person, and then called a flight attendant if necessary.

http://www.faa.gov/about/office_org/...ersAndCrew.pdf

Actually it is allowed under the Passenger Hazmat Exception in the linked PDF file.

Not all nail polish contains acetone, some are water based.

I would consider it rude to do it in the first place (detailed personal grooming* in public places is a big no-no!), but to refuse to stop when politely requested is really rude. I would think that people should be more considerate than to intentionally and knowingly continue doing things that stink the cabin out.


*Anything beyond a quick touch up of one's nose and lipstick, which I would not do in public but generally accepted

Actuaklly, I like the smell of nail polish. I always have. But I can see why it could be offensive in closed quarters. There might be an except made for nail polish even though it's inflamnmable, the exception probably applied to carrying it on board. Not everything you cab carry on board can be or should be used on board in public.

Sure, washlet is allowed. But you can't use it on your seat.

That said I am glad that this community of posters is not upset at OP's girl friend correcting someone. They could have said "If you want things your way, move", or "correcting someone is worse behaviour than the behaviour needing correction", or suggesting that the girl who was painting her fingernails complain to the airline staff and suggest that your girlfriend's liquor be cut off.

You are also "allowed" to have possession of matches but that does not mean you can use them on the plane.

Good point. Being allowed to possess is not equal to being allowed to use. Mobile phones and electronic devices is another example.

Please show me where it is prohibited to use nail polish on a plane.

It may or may not be the right thing to do, it may or may not be considerate to your fellow passengers, but I'll stand by what I said earlier, the post saying

is wrong, there ls no FAA or other restriction preventing you from using nail polish on a plane. There is for lighting matches on a plane.

I have seen FAs ask people to put their nail polish away numerous times, call button is your friend in these situations.

Is this any different then a man clipping his toenails while on board?
Saw this 3 years ago on a short hop , ORD-MLK. Was the most amazing thing I had ever seen on an airplane. Disgusting. And yes, there was a smell.



HP

Or for those who prefer a more passive-aggressive approach there's always grabbing a barf bag and having a couple of practise dry retching episodes...

No different at all, because just like nail clippers, nail polish is allowed to be carried on the plane.

Nothing is preventing people from bringing either on board.