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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Awkward flight-who was being unreasonable?

120 replies

Bombaypotatoes · 24/09/2017 19:52

Short flight home yesterday (4 hours), was seated next to a women (Lady A) and behind us was Lady B. About 45 minuets into the flight the women (Lady A) next to me apologised and said she thinks she's having a sudden IBS flare up and asked to swap seats so she could be a bit closer to the toilet. Lady A letting off a quite a lot of wind.Whilst not the most pleasent situation for everyone around her she was clearly embarrassed and kept walking about/going to the toilet.

Women B behind us kept commenting on the smell and ended up opening and using some sort of essential oils (lavender Iavender I think). she was wafting the oils about regularly (not putting a bit on a tissue or something and holding it close) and right behind me. I ended up with a headache due to the smells so asked if she could put it away for a bit. She refused and said the flatulance smell was to strong and I shouldn't have swapped seats with lady A (don't think it would have made much difference either way, except I would of have to get up and down regularly to let the women A out). Another person also asked her to stop using the oils as the smell was making them feel sick. Again lady B refused and got quite grumpy with lady A saying she should fly if she was sick, she's inconsidering and being was quite rude. Flight attendeant ended up intervening but the flight was full so no one could move seats (and we only had an hour left by that point).

So who WBU? Lady A, Lady B or me? I feel like the ibs flare up wasn't really something lady B could control but can also appreciate the smell wasn't pleasent. But neither was the oils and I would have rather smelt the flatulance than those to be honest. Sorry it's a bit long but it's been grating on me.

OP posts:
EliseC1965 · 25/09/2017 19:32

IBS farts may be like toxic sewer farts, but chemo farts are the absolute worst! I was making myself sick when chemo triggered an IBS attack. The poor nurses turned pretty green as well

Planes make everyone fart more anyway. It’s the pressure.

Someonessnackbitch · 25/09/2017 19:39

Omg poor lady A

retainertrainer · 25/09/2017 20:15

In all seriousness it's incidents like this that make people who struggle with IBS/IBD never want to leave the house. It takes a huge amount of strength and resilience to go through something that humiliating and get back up,dust yourself off and keep living life.

I've got Crohn's disease and it takes every ounce of courage in me to step out of the door some days,knowing that it could all end in humiliation. One bad experience triggers anxiety that the same situation will arise and then when it inevitably does,that anxiety is reinforced.

If ever anyone finds themselves in the company of someone suffering a flare up please show some kindness and understanding to that person. It could make or break them.

SunshineLollipopsRainbows25 · 25/09/2017 20:47

according to my dad I've had undiagnosed ibs all my life lol and I even rememeber trumping in school and being like omg who was that, made a massive deal of it so people didn't think it was me.. it was VILE now as an adult I own that shit 😂😂

Purplealienpuke · 25/09/2017 20:57

As a fellow IBS sufferer & a migraine sufferer lady b would have been told to get to fuck!
I took an IBS attack whilst on jury service, I had to ask for everything to stop so I could run to the toilet! I was sooooo embarrassed when I came out of the loo to see my fellow jurors had also had to file out of court & into the jury room... all sitting in silence while I'd been in the kazi 😲

Mum2jenny · 25/09/2017 21:06

The smell of lavender makes me ill, full stop, so my sympathies are with lady A as she cannot control IBS symptoms

UnderCrackers5 · 25/09/2017 21:16

If lady A had dropped one then shouted 'Get out and walk', she might have gotten away with it.
All the men I know do

OnTheDarkSideOfTheSpoon · 25/09/2017 21:28

could've been worse

CorbynsBumFlannel · 25/09/2017 21:44

Feel sorry for the woman but genuinely surprised how many people prefer the smell of shit to lavender.

Aridane · 25/09/2017 23:22

Give me lavender over shit any day!

Purplealienpuke · 26/09/2017 09:51

Painintheear I had never heard that before but that's hilarious 😂 & ridiculous 😲

Branleuse · 26/09/2017 10:02

Surely IBS woman would have realised she was having an attack before she travelled. I think its pretty selfish of her to travel when she is going to make the plane stink of her shit for 4 hours. If she was vomiting she wouldnt be able to travel, so she should have been more considerate

Branleuse · 26/09/2017 10:02

and not everyone with disgusting farts gets embarrassed about them. My ex never cared when he had IBS and stunk the place out

wasonthelist · 27/09/2017 14:26

Give me lavender over shit any day! It's not either or though is it - you can have shit and lavender or just shit.

CorbynsBumFlannel · 27/09/2017 14:40

Sounds like the woman was doing a decent job of overpowering the smell with lavendar albeit not in the most sensitive way.
I'd have been dabbing it round my nostrils if I had any.

StickThatInYourPipe · 27/09/2017 14:44

Lady A was obviously unreasonable for not using her crystal ball to foresee she would have an IBS flare up on the plane.

CockacidalManiac · 27/09/2017 15:24

If she was vomiting she wouldnt be able to travel, so she should have been more considerate

IBS isn’t contagious.

retainertrainer · 27/09/2017 18:29

Bran-oh do fuck off and help yourself to a biscuit on the way out you ignorant fool.

ForalltheSaints · 27/09/2017 19:35

Lady B should only be accepted on Ryanair in future.

wasonthelist · 28/09/2017 14:01

Sounds like the woman was doing a decent job of overpowering the smell with lavendar[sic]
Er no - you can't, all you can do is add one stench to another.

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