Cindy

One thing that I have found helps a little is to carry a small bag of coffee beans. If a perfume (or other scent) is too strong, try to get another seat & then open the bag for a while & sniff the coffee beans. It helps get the smell out of your nose. I don't know why it works, but I read it somewhere that they do that to clear the senses when testing perfumes so each can be smelled individually. Don't know if it helps for asthma, but it does for dizziness.

Ridi

we have forgotten this is PUBLIC transportation,, if youhave special needs hire your ownplane. <BR> <BR>Maybe the arilines could change to a new 7 day schedule. <BR>Day 1- Alcohol free flights <BR>day 2- Allergy sufferes flight <BR> <BR>day 3- baby, child and teen group flights <BR>day 4- Stinky people flights <BR>day 5- overweight, backpackers, and too large carryon flight <BR> <BR>day 6- loud talkers, snorers, and grandmothers with pictures. <BR>day 7- free day <BR> <BR>The whole subject is stupid, there are billions of people on this planet, learn to live with their foibles maybe then they can live with yours.

nmm

Anon, I have very bad asthma and know about the horrible chest pain and inability to breath around people who wear too much perfume. These are the precautions I take before flying as the dirty air triggers my asthma also: My regular Theophyinne, Singulair(boy, does this help), inhaler and Benadryl. If the scent is too bad do not hesitate to ask to be moved by a flight attendant although she may not like it too much, too bad. I learned the hard way when being engulfed in cigarette smoke for 10 hrs. of a flight from Italy - I was terribly sick living off my inhaler for several days after and I won't let that happen ever again. Don't take chances with your health!

tired

nmm-if you are that sick --stay home

Marlena

What I don't understand is why people suffer in silence. Whatever happened to being honest and saying something like "I'm sorry, but I'm allergic to perfume and yours seems to be getting to me, do you mind not spraying it during the flight?" Not to start a whole new rant, but I am shocked at how uncommunicative most Americans are. For chrissake, just ASK for some consideration & you just might get it. Most normal people are more than happy to stop the annoyance if you are diplomatic and polite. Hey, I'm one of those much-maligned EVIL smokers and even I would put one out if you just ask nicely!

nmm

Tired- go back to school and get an education so you can be a valuable person on this planet and not such a miserable human being. You are a sad, unhappy person and clearly know nothing about health or kindness towards others.

False parallels

Not PC and Ridiculous -- it is not a "special need" to expect to be able to fly without endangering one's health. That's not a foible. It's a foible or a "special need" to be unable to fly without eating peanuts, wearing perfume, or getting soused. <BR> <BR>Tired (a new name for every post?), you are indeed an ignorant lout, but with any luck at all you'll develop severe asthma or chemical sensitivities by the time you notice you also haven't made anything of yourself in this life.

bessie

i am amazed at the number of replys that suggest rude or worse passive-aggressive behaivor to inform someone of a problem. with that attitude all youo will get back is a "shove it" attitude. try some constructive critism or just be polite- it can work wonders-if it fails to do that you will only aggrevate the offending party to piss you off more. ireddible that people get to dtheir 20-30's and beyond and never learn such a simple lesson

topping

Seemed to be timely with the "Smoker" thread.

Surlok

Again, intolerance, and the total uncapability of cooping or dealing with something that bothers you. <BR> <BR>Please, don't come here to complain, and express your anger, or self pity, or whatever. Why some people always want the world (or a plane) to conform to their standards and needs? I also don't like strong perfume, I'm also disturbed by a baby crying loud, I also don't like a big person, be him/her tall or large, seated by me, but so what? Shall I ask them to leave, or ask the air companies to not allow them to board? Come on, move on, get yourself a life! <BR> <BR>If you can't tolerate perfume, or if you can't handle the issue in a civilized and adult manner, do yourself ( and us) a favor and stay home until ( and if) you grow up. <BR> <BR>Surlok

tired

SUlok, <BR>I don't know who or where you are but you have been making a lot more sense on this forum than most. I get so tired of the whiners who want everything their own way. Most of their problems are in their heads and they bring on their symptoms. Over 50% of migraine is caused by stress and that incudes stress that you allow to happen by your own hypochondria and paranoia and selfishness

This is

This is NOT PC. If you are offended by lack of PC-ness, then skip this. <BR> <BR>It is really amazing how intolerant people have grown. ONE thing was deemed "unhealthy" (cigarettes), and now everyone believes they have the right to impose their particular conditions on everyone. <BR> <BR>Realize what you are saying! You are asking everyone to conform to your likes / dislikes and real or imagined diseases ALL THE TIME! <BR> <BR>This is not about being American or French or from anywhere. This is simply about the capacity of a human being of (well) being in the proximity of another human being. <BR> <BR>You are asking, in fact, DEMANDING, that this human being conforms to EVERYTHING you may find obnoxious. <BR> <BR>Comments like: <BR>"It's those times one whishes one could fart loud and stinky!" <BR>"The anti-smoking crowd found their voice now it's our time." <BR>"I heartily agree that it's time to get militant about this" <BR> <BR>Are quite a demonstration of that. <BR> <BR>Militant about perfume? You have to be kidding. Sounds as serious as getting militant about Twinkies (and some people are, BTW). <BR> <BR>Have you ever heard about MCS? It is a "disease" that a lot of people claim to have. Supposedly, it happens when the body's ability to process chemicals "breaks down" without possibility of healing. It's popularity has been climbing quite rapidly. There are people who even claim that they cannot get out of their house because of it. It is one of the reasons why Halifax has its "no scents" policy. <BR> <BR>And you know what the best part is? No self-respecting doctor would ever diagnose MCS. It is completly psychosomatic. You know who the main "sufferers" of MCS are? Middle aged, affluent, white house wives. <BR> <BR>There are already WAY TOO MANY restrictions. Why must you obsess with adding more??

Surlok

Tired, <BR> <BR>I'm a carioca, what means, I was born, raised, and still live in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. <BR> <BR>I've been learning for all my life, to respect others, and to live with diversity, and I guess that I'm succeeding. <BR> <BR>First of all, Brazil is such a diverse country, with so many races, with different colonizations and their back grounds. We had Portuguese people starting it, Dutch and French, and African who were brought to slavery, and also our own Indians. We had, through the centuries ( five already) learned to respect others, and others' habits, and coope and learn from and with the differences. <BR> <BR>We have still German colonies, some quite close to Rio, where I live ( my grand father was from Berlin), and Finnish, too, and Rio itself has a myriad of foreigners living here, and they are all treated well and respected, and they do the same. <BR> <BR>Brazilians are, in general, happy people. They don't loose their time complaining, or whining even if there is still a lot of social injustice. Instead of complaining, we usually go dancing, or singing_ we sleep well, and wake up well, usually smiling. <BR> <BR>No, we are not foolish, or silly people_ we just try to make our lives as good as they can be, and although still in transition from the the third to the first world, we are ( at least most of us) growns up. <BR> <BR>I hope to have answered your question, Tired, <BR> <BR>Surlok <BR> <BR> <BR> <BR>

sanelson

Jet Blue Flight 91 New York to Oakland departed 6:32pm
Flight Attendant: Cynthia

I was sitting in seat 2F aboard flight 91. I realized that there were several people around me wearing perfume or other strong scents. Because of this, I put on my miniature air purifier. I did this because I have very severe asthma and allergies to perfumes and scents. Having an asthma attack is not something I want to experience at 30,000 feet, and so I carry my miniature air purifier. This device has made it possible for me to travel in comfort. I have flown with this device on many airlines and have never been told it was not allowed.

About an hour into the flight, Cynthia, a flight attendant told me that it was against Jet Blue regulations to wear such devices in cabin. I explained to her that I have asthma, that I have severe allergies and that I need something to help me deal with the perfumes and scents that people around me are wearing.

I asked her if she would ask the travelers sitting around me to voluntarily use alcohol wipes to remove the perfume. She refused. She was adamant that I turn off the device, and offered no other assistance, except for a white claustrophobic mask. Wearing a mask would not have helped me. I again explained to her that I have asthma and that I need to wear the air purifier in order to breath clean air.

Later on in the flight, she showed me a page from the Jet Blue regulations, showing me that Jet Blue does not allow such devises. The device pictured on the page did not look anything like my own device.

Later on, Cynthia apologized and told me she was just following orders, and handed me a yellow slip, showing that I did not comply with a request by the crew. I do not blame Cynthia for her actions. She was doing her best to follow with the rules of her job. Whether she agrees with the rules or not, whether the rule makes any sense or not, she is compelled to comply.

After another hour into the flight, Cynthia called me away from my seat and asked me to meet her in the galley. I complied. She informed me that if I did not turn off my miniature air purifier, the captain would ground the plane at salt lake city and eject me from the plane. Feeling trapped and not wanting to inconvenience the passengers, I turned off my device.

Besides perfume and scents, severe emotional distress can also bring on an asthma attack. Being threatened with ejection from the plane and causing terrible inconvenience to all the passengers onboard, was too stressful for me. I finally had the asthma attack that had been building up for the last few hours due to the perfume.

I am a disabled person. Even though asthma and allergies are "hidden" and not as obvious as a missing limb, for example, they are still viable and real disabilities under the Americans With Disabilities Act. As a disabled person, I have the right to protect my health any way that I can, so long as I do not endanger others to do it. Wearing a miniature air purifier is hardly a health hazard to a plane full of people. People who wear strong scents in cramped and enclosed public spaces, like a crowded plane, are a very real and serious health hazard to the many millions of travelers who suffer from asthma and allergies.

Airlines have gone a long way to protect the health of passengers, particularly those of us with asthma and allergies by banning smoking, so why not ban the wearing of strong perfumes and scents? No matter how good the air circulation is on an airplane, it cannot filter out strong perfumes and scents. An allergy sufferer or asthmatic needs assistance and support from flight attendants so that they can be comfortable in the cabin. That assistance and support should include asking people wearing strong scents to wash them off.

Finally, after I begged Cynthia to do something to help me, she asked the people around me to do this. Only one complied. I went back to my seat and was wheezing uncontrollably. I begged another flight attendant for help. I asked for oxygen. He seemed a bit put out, but finally, Cynthia came along and found an oxygen tank, which she passed over to me. I spent the last 90 minutes of the flight using the oxygen tank.

When I am exposed to a contaminant, it can take up to two weeks for my lungs to heal and for the contaminant to clear from my system. The symptoms are very much like the flu.

This situation could have been entirely avoided if 1) the airline allowed me to wear my air purifier and 2) the flight attendant made a serious effort to ask the people around me to remove their scents.

I am formally disputing the claim made by Jet Blue staff that I "refused to comply" with the orders of the flight crew. I should not be penalized for trying to protect my health.

All allergy sufferers and asthmatics need to know about Jet Blue's discriminatory policies toward respiratory disability sufferers.

nukesafe

I sympathize with both your condition, and with the ordeal with the flight crew, but you might get more attention to this very real issue if you started a new thread. This one is over ten years old, and quite long. Anyone clicking on the thread would have to read 52 replies before reaching yours.

nytraveler

Sorry - you did refuse to comply - and you will lost if you challlenge on this ground. What you need to do is deomonstrate that the "rule" she was trying to enforce did not apply to your equipment - which is necessary under the ADA act.

Frankly, if it were me I wouldn't get on a plane without my own oxygen - since in my experience MANY people wear perfumes or other cosmetics that are very obtrusive to say the least. What you should do is have this noted in your profile - and just be ready with oxygen when needed - and not wait until an attack actually occurs.

(You are fighting a losing battle, since the people drenched in perfume don;t realize they are. Generally they are people who have lost a significant part of their sense of smell - either though some respiratory disease or through long-term smoking - and what to them is just a trace of scent can be overwhelming to others. I have a friend who does this - and she uses Shalimar, which IMHO by itself is truly offensive - and never believes me about how awful it smells. She must use a large bottle every month she wears so much - but she is still smoking - and just can;t tell how strong the odor is.)