Rude Behavior--applying fingernail polish in first class
 

Well, I thought I had seen a lot of strange behavior...but last night on my SFO-BWI flight, in the first class cabin, the passenger across the aisle from me in 2 B, was calmly applying fingernail polish. I tapped on her on the arm, she unplugged and I told her that I was allergic and her polish was making me ill. She looked puzzled and said she would do one more nail and then quit.

The air quality in airline cabins is bad enough but with the noxious smell of fingernail polish--horrible.

Plus the rudeness of doing this in public, not to mention the first class cabin.Isnt that what nail salons and bathrooms in your own home are for? What's next--cutting toenails? Plucking eyebrows? Trimming nosehair?

Thoughts?

Yuck!
Good for you to stop her!

I once had a seatmate pull out nailpolish and REMOVER, and start to remove her old polish on AC. I immediately got up and tattled on her, and the FA raced over to tell her she was an idiot. (or words to that effect)

Unfortunately this was at the start of a 5 hour flight, so it wasn't too comfortable sitting next to her for the duration of the flight.... :p


Over brunch this week a friend told me that he was seated between two nose pickers apparently having a contest on his AC flight this week. :D

An interesting topic, but not one that's unique to United. As such, please follow it in Travel Buzz. Thanks.

l'etoile
UA moderator

I would have given anything to have had that on my last flight instead of the guy who WAS clipping his toenails!!!! I had dozed off and I was woken up by this click, click, click of the guy next to me (in 2B, what is it with that seat?) clipping his toes. I looked at him and said "do you MIND???" ......big mistake, he said "no" and continued on........ ARGH!!!!!!!!!!!

If in either case you mention these type of issues to FA, do you think they would stop it?

Hmm... very interesting...and what makes it even more interesting is I thought nail polish is not allowed on the airplane. I wonder how can she sneaks it up there? Cause everything that has to do with liquids will have to be discarded. Right? I mean they don't even allowed lotions to be onboard!

And, IMHO, one that's not unique to first (or any other) class. Rude behavior is rude behavior wherever one finds it. Being in the front cabin on a commercial flight provides more space, better food and usually more frequent visitations from the cabin crews. It is neither a license to behave boorishly nor a guarantee that one will avoid the boorish behavior of others.

Not true. Lotion just has to be in containers 3 oz or less.

Oh then I should add " To the best of my knowledge, I thought..." :D

Actually, 100 ml (~3.4 oz).

I'll cop to doing this years ago. It was more of a clueless thing than anything else. I was young and not terribly experienced flyer. The flight attendant told me it was prohibited because it's flammable.

What's the big deal with applying nail polish? Nail polish remover is another issue entirely, but I don't notice anything particularly noxious about the polish itself. I's rather someone do it in her seat than occupy the lavatory for 10 minutes. My only concern would be the possibility of her spilling it on me.

To anyone with any kind of smell sensitivy, nail polish is one of the worst offenders.

From http://www.enotes.com/how-products-e...ia/nail-polish

"There is no single formula for nail polish. There are, however, a number of ingredient types that are used. These basic components include: film forming agents, resins and plasticizers, solvents, and coloring agents."

It's basically paint... and there's a reason people are always told to paint in a well ventilated area.

While we're at it, can we add people who insist on bathing in any type of perfume or cologne before boarding a flight to the "rude" list?

The odor of nail polish does bother many people--that's why I have mine applied in a nail salon and wait for it to dry before leaving. In addition, I do not understand why anyone would want to do personal grooming in public. YUCK!