HonestAbe

A lady on a United flight from Chicago to San Diego was doing her nails, and the fumes caused the crew to divert the plane to Denver. They were afraid that the fumes were from something leaking that was very serious and had to check it out.

To me, a frequent traveler, I have to wonder.... WHAT THE HECK IS SOMEONE DOING THEIR NAILS ON THE PLANE FOR???? Geez. How rude. Nothing like putting that annoying and nauseating smell into the recirculation of an airplane cabin. I'm sorry for the passengers who were disrupted, but I'm glad that "airplane nail doers" are finally exposed!!

starrsville

There was a post about a year ago from a Fodorite who said she did her nails on the plane - including polish. If I remember correctly, she was a bit miffed that others would have a problem with it.

moldyhotelsaregross

Yea! A victory for those of us who do our nails before leaving home!

ggreen

Ah, the memories... I always prefer a window seat, but one time years ago it was an absolute trap: The woman on the aisle seat next to me was doing her nails for what seemed like hours!! I thought I was going to die from asphyxiation. And I don't know why I didn't say anything to her! Definitely wouldn't make that mistake twice - I'm too much of a loudmouth now!

janisj

The airheads who do their nails on an airplane (or anywhere in public) don't have a clue.

Margo_Chester

I'm surprised a Flight Attendant or a fellow passenger didn't ask her to refrain from doing her nails until she reached her destination. As usual, it was probably "all about me" and it never occurred to her that her actions were offensive. I bet she was none too popular when it was discovered that she was the cause of the diversion to Denver. WHAT WAS SHE THINKING?

P_M

I have heard of people being arrested for interfering with a flight. I wonder if she will be nailed with any criminal charges? :-?

Neopolitan

I'm trying to figure out also where the flight attendants were. How could they not notice it before the pilots, and why wouldn't the pilots have checked with them anyway to see if the smell could be coming from the cabin. Somehow the airline sounds almost as incompetent and foolish as the lady doing her nails. And please tell me it was her fingernails not her toenails!

luvtravl

On the CNN this morning they reported that the flight crew supposedly asked if anyone was using nail polish but noone fessed up so they had to make an unscheduled landing. Apparently the truth came out after they landed.

P_M

If that's the case, then she did indeed interfere with the flight and cause an unnecessary landing, therefore she s/b charged. But I wonder why the people sitting next to her didn't speak up.

Neopolitan

Maybe she threatened to stab them with her fingernail file if they tattled?

kswl

Wow---can you spell o-v-e-r-r-e-a-c-t?

escargot

this brings back memories - we were on a flight to Florida about 10 yrs ago and suddenly you could smell the nail polish and the flight attendant asked the passenger to please stop, it was not allowed, all very nicely - yet she kept trying to sneak it out and finish her nails!

The pilot then made an announcement that it was not allowed - she was extremely disturbed and vocal about the fact that she couldn't do her nails and didn't understand why there was a problem, and kept mumbling to herself, but finally realized she was only getting dagger looks from other passengers and thankfully quit yakking and quit the beauty treatments for the rest of the flight...

people never cease to amaze me.

janisj

kswl: What do you mean by "Wow---can you spell o-v-e-r-r-e-a-c-t?"

Surely you don't mean that doing one's nails on a plane is OK???

And if the source of the odor wasn't identified they pretty much had no choice but to divert . . . . . .

HonestAbe

In general, it is very rude to practice any personal hygene on a plane. Polishing nails, trimming nails, trimming a beard (yes, that happened on a flight I was on), not to mention other things that barely qualify as hygene like picking teeth, chewing nails, and picking your earwax.

I sometimes forgive people because I think they can be nervous impulses when afraid of flying, but still......

trippinkpj

ITA, no nail polishing in public places, that aren't beauty salons. Especially on a plane!

wow

Oh, my.... sounds like she's back! A few years ago we were on an evening flight to Miami. The woman seated in the aisle across from us was doing her nails. The odor was disgusting. I was in the aisle seat scross from her. We ordered drinks. I had my chilled glass of Chardonnay on my tray table. When "Nail Lady" finised her nails she let them dry. Then she took out a bottle of lotion, shook it vigoursly, held it in her left hand & opened the flip top. And, guess what happened? A perfect slam dunk of a dollop of lotion....right across the aisle & into my Chardonnay! Plop! No apologies fron "Nail Lady". No offers to buy me another glass of Chardonnay. She glared @ me & snarled...while holding up a perfectly manicured red nail.... "Why the heck didn't you keep your hand over your glass?"

L84SKY

There are places in shopping malls I won't go into because of those horrible nail places. I can't imagine having to put up with the fumes on a plane.

socialworker

HI--sorry I did not have time to read all the above posts but I must respond. How things have changed!!! About 10-15 years ago, I was on a flt to Europe and smelled the most awful fumes. I walked down the aisle and saw a woman a few rows back doing her nails, including removing the old polish with acetone, a volatile, flammable compound that is the main ingredient in nail polish remover. I took the flt attendant aside and indicated the problem. She looked at me like I was the problem and shrugged her shoulders indicating there was nothing she could or would do about it.

FainaAgain

Were the oxygen masks suspended from the ceiling?

Was the crue able to put there fingers on that lady? To point out the problem?

Seriosly, I wouldn't want to be on that flight!