I Ate a Burger Next to a Vegetarian Lady on a Flight and She Made a Scene

Airplane flights are a democratic experience—available to anyone who can afford them. But on one particular journey, a culinary clash took center stage in the sky. The situation prompted inevitable complaints, sparking a question: Was it wrong for him to eat a burger next to a vegetarian? Let’s dive into the details and explore the story.

A Reddit user shared a conflict he encountered during a flight.

The story begins with the traveler explaining his side of the situation:

[edited] "It all started before the flight when I had a short connection between two flights. The first leg had only offered a small pack of crackers, and I knew the second flight would offer even less. With barely enough time to make my way to the connecting gate, I found out that I could order food before boarding. However, there wouldn’t be enough time to eat it on the ground.

When I got to the gate, I confirmed with the agent that food was allowed on board. She assured me that it was fine, so I made my way to a nearby restaurant. I grabbed a burger and fries before boarding for my 8-hour flight.

Once on the plane, I settled in and started eating my meal. As I ate, the woman beside me, a vegetarian, said the smell made her sick. She said that, since she didn’t eat meat, she also avoided fried food and found both smells unpleasant. I told her I had checked with the gate agent, and I was hungry, so I wasn’t going to stop eating. But she kept complaining.

Ignoring her, I kept eating—until she called the flight attendant. After a brief conversation with the attendant, I was told I was in the clear to eat the food I had bought.

Despite the reassurance, the woman continued to glare at me, still bothered by the smell, leaving me to wonder: was I wrong for eating such pungent food in an enclosed space?"

People on the internet came to his defense.

• “A burger and fries is not ’pungent’.” Alternative-Wait3533 / Reddit
• “Just because she doesn’t approve of eating meat and fried foods doesn’t mean she can dictate what others around her are eating.” Craftychickmary / Reddit
• “If your seat neighbour doesn’t want to have to deal with things like other people’s food smells, she should probably reconsider flying.” WamblingWombat / Reddit

• “This is a plane, not this woman’s personal living room. I cannot believe how rude some people are on planes — she needs to fly private if she wants it 100% to her demanding standards.” Straight-Singer-2912 / Reddit
• “If she would have only made a comment about the smell, maybe I would have voted differently. But since she volunteered the info that she doesn’t eat meat... to me, that smells like a vegan trying to shame you.” justMe482 / Reddit
• “The funny thing about flights is that we have to put up with minor annoyances. She has to put up with the smell of your burger and fries, and you have to put up with her entitlement.” failure_as_a_dad / Reddit

• “Public transportation sucks, but eating on a plane is normal and acceptable, so unfortunately it was her thing to deal with. It’s not like you can easily wait until you land to eat cold mushy food.” thewhiterosequeen / Reddit
• “She paid for her seat and that’s it. Not for the right to exert her will on the people around her. Do as you must — 8 hours without food will be harder to endure an entitled passenger. The rest of the flight might be a little uncomfortable, but at least you won’t be hungry.” lobosaguila / Reddit
• “If she has issues with smells, she should have brought and worn a mask on the plane. People don’t just eat on planes: sometimes they wear cologne or perfumes, or they fart, they cough, they have pets with dander, they’re... Wait for it... People.” RepulsiveJellyfish51/ Reddit

What started as a simple meal evolved into a thought-provoking discussion about dietary choices, respect for personal preferences, and the value of open-mindedness. Fortunately, as the plane reached its destination, they parted ways, and the situation ended on a peaceful note.