Anon

How does one cope with the incredible amount of perfume some people wear on airplanes? I have asthma and was really starting to have problems on our flight. I turned up the air and pointed it in the direction of the "offender" who got mad at me for doing so! <BR>I am at a loss at what to do in these situations. Any ideas?

Donna

Hear, hear! It is so ironic that folks pour on the fragrance, ostensibly to be more "attractive" and "appealing", only to render everyone around them repelled by their presence...Explain the situation to the flight attendant, who will do everything possible to find you another seat, even if someone must agree to switch with you. (No guarantee that there's won't be someone equally as aromatic in the vicinity of your new seat, though.) If you're stuck, just explain to the offending party that the amount of fragrance they are wearing is aggravating your asthma and redirecting the air is absolutely essential in order for you to be able to breathe as well as possible under the circumstances.

xxx

Use your inhaler maybe? I have problems when the disgusting fuel exhaust is accidentally blown back into the plane's cabin. Several months ago it made me cough for a half hour and I could barely breathe. Then there are the people with foul breath, the bathroom odors, the occasional illegal sneak smokers. I may have mild asthma (just diagnosed a few mos. ago) and was told to use the inhaleer in situations like that.

Margaret

I am with Anon, I became very ill when the person next to me on a transatlantic flight kept spraying perfume on herself every hour during the flight. My requests to change seats fell on deaf ears. It is a problem for those of us who are allergic but barring moving seats, there isnt much which can be done.

Jane

I once sat next to a woman who painted her nails.

Joanna

Talking about unco-operative people, on a flight from Cairo to Tel Aviv it was impossible to use the toilets. One toilet door had someone's luggage wedged into it and the other was permanently closed. I knocked several times to be confronted with a woman who shouted "I'm washing my hair", who promptly closed the door again! How she managed that in the tiny sink, I don't know. Talk about selfish. I finally caught an attendant's eye and asked him to kindly move the luggage from the other door, which he did after finding out who it belonged to. Unattended luggage on an El Al flight struck me as strange.....

also anon

I am totally UNsympathetic to heavy/frequent perfume users, and very sympathetic TOWARD your difficulties with anything in the air that you breathe. <BR> <BR>But it does need to be said that YOU are responsible for taking all the necessary steps YOU need for your MEDICAL condition. There seems to be some interchange of the terms "allergy" and "asthma" and simple "don't-like/get-upset-over" various air contaminants - - from cigarette smoke to fragrances to whatever. <BR> <BR>If you really do have labile reactive airway disease (asthma and/or allergies that trigger it), you owe it to yourself to see your internist, pediatrician, pulmonologist or allergist to talk about medication approaches to protecting yourself. If you don't know about zafirlukast (Accolate) or montelukast (Singulair), you might want to discuss these, in addition of course, to the bronchodilators and aerosol corticosteroids you know about already. <BR> <BR>I am also sympathetic to the simple don't-like/get-upset-over "sufferers" but your problems are not the same as someone whose airway is prone to serious bronchoconstriction. Double dosing of over-the-counter Benadryl might be a solution (on a long flight) - - to just knock you out - - might be as good a solution as moving seats for the "lesser" problem travelers. <BR>

x

It's those times one whishes one could fart loud and stinky! <BR> <BR>See who reaches for the air vent then!

Dave

This is a pet peeve of mine. You can wear perfume all you like, but please don't inflict it on me. Please, not in a closed space. <BR> <BR>Some people simply don't realize that their perfume can make others sick or uncomfortable. My wife gets headaches when around some perfumes. (Please don't suggest that she take an aspirin.) We also sat next to a woman who sprayed perfume on herself every hour. It was awful. I think the best thing to do is nicely and quietly explain to the person that the perfume is causing a problem, and I suspect that most people will stop. <BR> <BR>My wife has gotten to the point of emptying the perfume containers in the bathrooms as soon as possible. <BR> <BR>Is there some way, maybe by signs, that airlines can educate people that using perfumes, like smoking, in a closed space can cause discomfort to others? <BR> <BR>If only people had more consideration for others.

Rich

I like the farting suggestion . . must be an Aggie? <BR> <BR>Rich

heself

Perhaps we all have to become more verbal.Subtle hints like redirecting air vents don't work. My worst encounter was a flight attendant wearing too much perfume. <BR>The anti-smoking crowd found their voice now it's our time.

Huh?

This is a Troll right ? <BR>I've flown inumerable times & never noticed an 'excess of perfume'.

Thyra

Actually I don't think this is a troll, this is a real problem. I have pretty nasty alergies and have gotten some major headaches and sinus problems from people doused with perfume or aftershave on airplanes. Likewise I spent an entire performance of Romeo and Juliette in Stratford Upon Avon, sneezing and struggling to view the production through watery eyes and a drippy nose thanks to a troup of teenage girls who apparently went a little berzerk the the local cosmetics counter. My only solution is to always travel with a pill for alergies.

Kelly

Once, I was on a plane from going Las Vegas. I thought I was lucking out when I arranged to have my seat changed to the front row. Lots of leg room and no seat in my face. At the same time, I had two empty seats next to me. <BR> <BR>Well, I made a mistake. Just before we were to back off from the terminal, 5 guys jumped on the flight. Things were very disorderly. The flight attendants were busy prepping for departure. They stood at the beginning of the aisle of coach looking for their seats (the flight was quite full). No one steered them to their seats. Finally an attendant asked them where have they been (since they were so late) and where were their boarding passes. <BR> <BR>They declared that their connecting flight forn Detroit just got in. Some of them didn't understand english and were confused with the attendants request. <BR> <BR>In the end 2 of them took the closest seats..aka next to me. 1 fellow smelled like body odor while the other had a stench of heavy cologne and alcohol. Uggh! <BR> <BR>After I thought my nose couldn't be filled with any other odors the poor kid directly behind me began throwing up (he started before we got in the air). Yummy! <BR> <BR>Oh geez, did I forget to say that it was a late flight and people were very quiet/or sleeping (well almost everyone). One of the fellows that came in late but sat in the back, felt the need to come up on his friend (next to me)and wake him up. He did this every time he went to the bathroom. He made quite a ruckus! The baby across the aisle didn't appreciate it at all! Uggh!

Dave

Seems to me that more women than men are affected badly by perfume. Could this be true? Anon and Huh -are you M or F?

Holly

I happen to believe that many headache,sinus, breathing, nausea, and other physical problems are due to exposure to excess fragrance when other causes are wrongly suspected and, worse, medicated. No one should have to take drugs (or be prepared by having them along) because someone nearby has applied excessive fragrance. It is more than inconsiderate to fill a crowded enclosed space with an offensive smell. For some reason, no one cares to enlighten the offenders. I saw a piece on 20/20 about people who wear too much fragrance. They sent someone overloaded with perfume into a meeting. Not one of the other eight people said a word, and only one exhibited a noticable reaction. Dave's wife ("My wife has gotten to the point of emptying the perfume containers in the bathrooms as soon as possible.) is one smart lady. I wish I had thought of that on Swiss Air. In the morning, nearly everyone emerged from the rest rooms reeking of Eau de Swiss Air. I thought I'd throw up before I could get myself off that plane. <BR> <BR> <BR>

xxx

While I agree with Holly in principle, those who "have to take drugs" are those who have abnormal airway constriction. It might or might not be triggered by any of a number of things in the air. The person with asthma CAN and MUST take responsibility for her/his health and medical treatment. <BR> <BR>"Victim-ism", a close cousin to "do-nothing-ism" can cost lives, in asthmatic patients. <BR>

NoPerf

I don't have Asthema or allergies and have a big problem with any type of perfume. Mainly because people bath in it these days. What are trying to cover up? We have started a scent free campaign at work. At least I can walk to the other side of the room, not like on a plane.

zzz

I authored the postings about the importance of those with medical problems remembering that they can and should be responsible for themselves, their health and their treatments. <BR> <BR>I did not mean to take a side against "no-scents" campaigns. This will be a difficult batle to wage, but there are interesting fronts. Halifax, NS (Canada) is one of those places where the crusade has mounted a major beachhead. <BR> <BR>The local government speaks best for themselves on this subject. <BR> <BR>www.region.halifax.ns.ca/mediaroom/scents.html <BR> <BR>

yyy

There's more: <BR> <BR>www.csmonitor.com/durable/2000/06/21/p1s4.htm <BR> <BR>Does the "improvement of air quality" in a scent-free world result in any other individuals getting "bothered" or ill due to by "body odors", associated with perspiration or any other biological functions? <BR>