SCOOT: Disgusting passenger — feet on my armrest

I just had my first experience of SCOOT on a flight from Kota Kinabalu to Singapore. Besides all the falderal with option selection that you have to go through to complete or manage your booking, it was largely a pleasant and efficient experience. The exception was the behaviour of a disgusting passenger. More about that later.

Staff work hard

The young ‘Scooties’ – that’s what they call the cabin staff, work their arses off. They just don’t stop, all delivered with courtesy, friendly casualness, and almost ruthless efficiency.

Staff are incredibly active in assisting passengers. They will stow your luggage, assist with baggage tetris in the overhead storage and even escort travellers to their seats. These forms of assistance have almost completely disappeared from full service airlines, even if you are an occupant of first class.

Staff are patient

We bought some wine on board. We usually pay with our Apple Watches, but this was not possible. A physical card was required. They got down our cabin luggage, so we could access our wallet and pay by card, all with grace and patience. Impressive.

Disgusting passenger

Before I get onto the feet debacle, let me say, that a family was seated across their aircraft behind us. I kept on hearing the unmissable sounds of a digital game behind me. I assumed it was one of the two young girls playing on their iPads, without headphones.

No, it was their father. The Birkinstock-wearing dad was seated directly behind me, and it was him playing noisily on his phone without headphones or AirPods. Annoying! His kids, on the other hand, supervised by their mother, were wearing their pink eared headphones and playing quietly.

Now, those toes, fortunately, to my knowledge, did not make flesh-to-flesh contact with my elbow. However, I think they may have been the source of the unpleasant smell that became the fetid air around me. Initially, I put this down to the farting of the passenger in front of me in such a confined space. Hoping the aircraft’s air filtering system would soon dissipate it. However, it lingered too long. I am now attributing it to the passenger in 15D behind me, using those feet as evidence. I, however, may be jumping to conclusions.

2PAXfly Takeout

There are many things I don’t think should be done on aircraft. Filing, cutting, or painting nails is one example. Unclothed feet, in general, are another. In my aircraft conduct etiquette rulebook, feet should always be contained by footwear. Ensocked or stockinged is as far as foot exposure should go. Feet, like the jiggly parts of bodies, should never be unclothed on aircraft.

Why, you may ask? Well, it’s just plain impolite and unhealthy. I do not want to lay my skin on the sweat or dander from your feet. Especially if I have no alternative for the next few hours, when locked an aircraft.

Oh, and Mr 15D, take a cue from your young daughters, and put on your damn headphones when playing Candy Crush or whatever. No one else wants to hear that acoustic signature. without consent.