I’m Harassed by the Vegetarian Lady Next to Me for Eating a Burger on the Plane

This is happening right now, and the lady sitting next to me is glaring daggers at me while making passive-aggressive comments under her breath.

I have an 8-hour flight with a short connection. The 1st flight only served a small cracker pack, and the 2nd will be the same. During the connection, I only had barely enough time to run from one end of the airport to the other.

Once I got to my connecting gate, I found out I had enough time to order food but not eat it. I checked with the gate agent to see if I could bring food on board, and she happily reassured me that I could. I went and got a burger, fries, and a drink.

When I was allowed to put the tray down, I did and started to eat. This is when the lady sitting next to me told me she doesn’t eat meat or fried foods and the smell of my burger and fries is making her sick.

At first, I ignored her and kept on eating, but she complained louder. I finally told her I bought the food after checking with the gate agent, and I was hungry, so she was out of luck. She called the flight attendant and was told that I was well within my rights to eat food that was bought at the airport.

I know I’m right when it comes to the airline rules, but the food is pungent in an enclosed area, and she’s still glaring at me, so am I wrong?

• ’’I find the silent approach works best, just react to eating your food, don’t make a sound, and do it at random intervals while you eat. Definitely annoys some people.’’ Top-Passion-1508 / Reddit
• ’’You are not violating any airline policy so lady needs to get over it or move.’’
  Unknown author / 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

• «Tell her the sooner she stops complaining, the sooner you will finish your food, and the sooner she will not have to smell it anymore.» MissAnth / Reddit
• ’’People eat on planes, especially on long trips. If you got like durian or something, yeah, that’s a problem but a burger and fries?’’ Unknown author / Reddit
• ’’She is on a plane with other people. If everyone was eating something, would she tell them all to stop? No. She is complaining when it’s not like the smell would be that strong by the time you started eating.’’ susanbarron33 / Reddit

• «A burger and fries are not ’pungent’.» Alternative-Wait3533 / 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
• «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