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California woman arrested in nail-painting incident on Southwest flight
According to CBS Los Angeles, a California woman was arrested in late February for painting her nails on a Southwest flight bound for Houston. The woman, identified as Jeanie Daniels, was on her way to visit her boyfriend and claims that the passengers seated next to her agreed to let her do her nails.But one of the flight attendants reportedly objected, so Daniels retreated to the bathroom to finish the job. When she got out of the bathroom, she got into a verbal altercation with two flight attendants and claims she was detained by law enforcement officials at the Houston airport for more than 10 hours before a judge charged her with profane and abusive language.
The CBS story essentially reports Daniels' side of the story along with an anodyne statement from Southwest, so it's hard to know if the flight attendants could have diffused the situation or if Daniels was the instigator.
I've actually never seen someone paint their nails on a flight but I wouldn't be surprised if some flight attendants are becoming increasingly intolerant of obnoxious passengers. These days it's not that uncommon to see passengers watching videos without headphones (especially kids), loudly chattering on mobile phones on the runway, and generally acting as though they were in their living rooms. On Monday, Gadling will begin a new March Madness series that will allow our readers to vote on which airline annoyances are the most egregious.
Do you think that these Southwest flight attendants were right in showing zero tolerance for the California nail-painter, or does it sound like they overreacted?
[Photo via Borispumps on Flickr]
Do you think that these Southwest flight attendants were right in showing zero tolerance for the California nail-painter, or does it sound like they overreacted?
[Photo via Borispumps on Flickr]
Filed under: United States, Airlines, Transportation
Reader Comments (Page 5 of 8)
D Mar 8th 2012 2:44PM
One thing that people are mainly forgetting is that when the plane becomes airborne, there are some chemicals that are flying over our heads, and the airlines can be held responsible for that.
For example, certain chemicals can't be shipped via air.....like butane, which is flammable. There are also chemicals in nail polish which are also flammable. Made sense. The stewardess made a good call within the confines of airline law. The poor woman could have easily painted her nails before getting on the plane and all of this could have easily been avoided.
IthinksoIam Mar 8th 2012 3:18PM
What I dont get is why anyone should be doing anykind of body maintance in public. Esp in an airplane. Sat in First Class once and the woman next to me saw nothing wrong with triming and filing her nails. Why do these people feel they have the right to do suce on public?
Mike Mar 8th 2012 2:51PM
Just sit there, and look stright ahead....Don't move if you do you'll be shot....That will be next...
J Mar 8th 2012 3:23PM
Many people have fragrance sensitivity or allergies. Cleaning products and things like paint thinner, nail polish, etc can send me into an asthma attack. With prolonged exposure, (such as that on an enclosed airplane that would recirculate the fumes) I can end up in the ER on a breathing machine. It happened before when a girl sprayed perfume on herself on a fight an hour before we landed. People need to recognize that they are sharing a space with 100+ other people, not just the two immediately next to them.
hlb Mar 8th 2012 4:36PM
then don't fly!! so, are you saying I can't wear strong perfume if I sit next to you? Or eat smelly fish that I brought with me? What about eating peanuts if my random seat mate has an allergy? Who's rights are being more trampled on here? This is ridiculous! If you're that sensitive to smells, you shouldn't be travelling via commercial transportation!
Robert Mar 8th 2012 4:49PM
I really don't think you should be taking these flights. Maybe you should just stay at home......might be safer for you.
kmshadow Mar 20th 2012 5:00PM
Hey HLB, why so nasty? If your perfume is so strong that it overpowers people sitting by you a lot of people probably just don't enjoy being near you. I didn't say you couldn't wear it. But if you sit there and spray it on when you're 12inches from me, it can cause me to have a reaction. Why not just skip it? Why the hostility? I'm guessing people must have complained about how much perfume you use. Smelly fish is not chemical so it's fine. I didn't say a word about peanuts so don't push that off on me. I don't think it should be a problem for people to refrain from using nail polish or spraying chemicals for the duration of a flight. You're pretty nasty, so I imagine your mouth would be toxic if I had to sit by it for any period of time either. Chill out. Quit being a hateful beast. Try to get along.
Ray Mar 8th 2012 3:24PM
Nail painting is annoying to others and should not be done in confined space.
take care of it at home.
MOM Mar 8th 2012 3:30PM
I personally believe that being polite is never a wrong choice. I also believe that using both common sense and common courtesy often allows us to avoid causing problems for others.
The good news is that we can all use this as a learning experience.
Nail polish fumes can cause breathing distress in many people.
Confined spaces magnify the effects of these fumes.
Airline personnel have a responsibility to keep the in plane environment as safe as possible for all passengers.
Disruptive and or combative passengers are subject to arrest.
Sadly some people never realize they are doing things that others consider rude.
I hope you have a healthy happy day.
JUDY Mar 8th 2012 3:47PM
Her rights STOP where my nose BEGINS! I do NOT want to smell that polish..WAY to GO SW Air!
J.E.B. Mar 8th 2012 3:55PM
Sounds like that judge invented a crime to charge her with so he could save face for himself and the airline. Pathetic.
ShySharon Mar 8th 2012 4:08PM
I paint my nails on flights often! Didn't know shouldn't!
Robert Mar 8th 2012 4:48PM
Why anyone would go through this agrivation on these airline flights is beyond me. Besides being ripped off at every turn these minimum wage air waitresses are really getting hard to take. I had my fill over ten years ago and haven't boarded a commercial airline since and it was the best decision I ever made. If I can't drive......I don't go. I hope they ALL go out of business. Then what will the fingernail cops do? I've heard so many horror stories of people being humiliated, overcharged and being held hostage in airplanes on runways for hours and even days. No No......Not for me.
hlb Mar 8th 2012 4:33PM
This is absolutely absurd! I've painted my nails on flights before. It's nail polish for goodness sake! Not embalming liquid! There are no RULES about that on planes. The FA just wanted to assert what little power she had. If the woman was thoughtful enough to ask her seatmates and they said it was fine, then she should be allowed to do it. Period. If your noses are that sensitive, you shouldn't be flying or taking ANY public transportation for that matter. That's like saying you're not allowed to wear perfume or cologne on a flight! What about serving fish? Serving nuts on planes? Where does the idiocy end? Give me a break! If I was her, I'd sue the airline. First, I'd ask to see where it says you cannot paint your nails on a flight. Absolutely ridiculous!
Beeno Bob Mar 9th 2012 6:33AM
HLB, You are definitely a jerk. The universe does not revolve around you nor does it revolve for you. People who are allergic to such things that you have mentioned can't help it if those fumes make them sick. On the other hand you think you should be privileged to do as you want and heck with anyone else. They should stay at home if something bothers them. Shame on you! You think it's alright for you to go around stinking up the air. You are a jerk. I just wish I could sit by you on a flight. I'd give you a constant supply of exhaust from a big plate of red beans. I eat lots of red beans. Let's see if you would be bothered. Pheweeeeeu!
mystic Mar 8th 2012 4:45PM
this is the stupidest thing iv heard yet
EDUARDO Mar 8th 2012 4:53PM
probably because the fumes are noxious, flammable, and unsafe... why do you think all nail salons have HUGE exhaust fans...? also, the flight crew has total authority... like the captain of a ship... if they tell you to stop drinking the soda... you will stop drinking that soda... whether you like it or not...
if the little princess got up in somebody's face she sgould be arrested...
Dalton Hightower Mar 8th 2012 6:08PM
Nail polish has a very strong oder that can be offensive to some, especially so in a confined space like an airplane. That could be the reason the FA told her not to paint her nails. As far as it possibly being flammable, I don't know if that was the issue. People should just obey when told to stop some activity that is objectionable. It's the best way to avoid trouble.
Nilda Rosa Mar 8th 2012 6:09PM
I have never been able to enter a nail salon because I almost passed out coughing the first time I entered one after being exposed to the filthy, noxious air! I reacted like someone on a severe asthma attack! I therefore DO NOT wish to have my air in an airplane compromised by nail polish fumes. I challenge anyone to use nailpolish or any other toxic chemical on an airplane I'm on! I'm SO glad that I no longer have to inhale all the nicotine of chain-smokers...and I'll be darned if I allow anyone to force nail polish acetone, etc. into my lungs!!!!
Cindy Mar 8th 2012 6:10PM
I paint my nails at home, but would not do so in public. I have actually been on an airplane where someone was painting their nails. Although the smell usually does not bother me, the enclosed space with recycled air made it very uncomfortable on the plane. I was three rows back and on the other side of the aisle, but could still smell it; I doubt she asked that many people for "permission." When it comes down to it, it doesn't really matter - she was told to stop and didn't.