Flight passenger calls out ‘nasty cologne' wearer, igniting airplane etiquette debate

New York Post

20-05-2025

A flight passenger called out a fellow flyer for his 'nasty cologne,' sparking a debate about smells in 'cramped spaces.'
In the forum 'r/delta' on Reddit, the post was titled, 'Dudes and their nasty cologne,' as the user shared that he or she was on a flight from Albuquerque, New Mexico, to Atlanta, Georgia.
'GUYS … You do not need to wear buckets of cologne before boarding a plane. The preferred amount would be zero. People are allergic,' wrote the user.
The person continued, 'Honestly, it's wholly inconsiderate to wear anything super strong in cramped spaces.'
Reddit users took to the comments section to share their thoughts about various smells on planes.
'Perfume and cologne are NOT meant to be announced, they are to be discovered,' wrote one user.
Another user commented, 'I have to bring my inhaler with me for every flight because of this.'
4 A flight passenger called out a fellow flyer for his 'nasty cologne,' sparking a debate about smells in 'cramped spaces.'
Andrey Popov – stock.adobe.com
Yet another Redditor said, 'It doesn't help that a lot of airports have cologne shops where people go in and spray a ton of samples on themselves before their flight.'
One user wrote, 'In my experience, it's mostly middle-aged women with their sickly sweet perfume that I notice. But I agree with the sentiment.'
Said another person, 'I've given up a FC [first class] seat and moved to coach because a woman's perfume gave me an asthma attack.'
4 'GUYS … You do not need to wear buckets of cologne before boarding a plane. The preferred amount would be zero. People are allergic,' the user wrote.
Pixel-Shot – stock.adobe.com
A user advised, 'I always travel with peppermint oil to put in/around my nose to combat the noxious cologne/perfume /body spray /BO.'
Another user joked, 'I think everyone needs to walk through a smell detector before they board a plane. If it's too much, they have to go home and take a shower.'
Gary Leff, a Texas-based travel industry expert and author of the blog 'View From the Wing,' told Fox News Digital that passengers should be mindful of others.
4 The person continued, 'Honestly, it's wholly inconsiderate to wear anything super strong in cramped spaces.'
'Passengers have a zone of personal space on the plane that roughly corresponds to the area of their seat,' said Leff.
'Within that space, there are all [types] of behavior that might come under criticism (usually in the realm of personal hygiene and grooming), but it really comes down to the discretion of the individual,' he added.
Leff said that with airflow and filtration, smells, sprays, or perfumes can be spread throughout the cabin.
4 'I have to bring my inhaler with me for every flight because of this,' one person commented on the post.
NINENII – stock.adobe.com
'To broaden the lesson a bit, don't bring stinky foods on the plane, either!' Leff said.
'Some airports sell barbecue, but saucy ribs aren't a great idea,' he also said.
'Neither is Chinese food to go.'