In a recent airline journey, a culinary clash unfolded mid-air, drawing attention to the dynamics of dining preferences in confined spaces.

The scenario prompted inevitable complaints and raised questions about etiquette when it comes to eating habits in shared environments.

The passenger took to Reddit‘s ‘Am I The A*****e‘ thread to recount the incident, questioning whether he was the jerk in the situation. Keep reading to find out what happened.

During a recent flight, this Reddit user (OP) encountered a pretty sticky situation after a fellow passenger took issue with him tucking into a meal he’d purchased beforehand.

“I have a 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,” OP wrote.

“I checked with the gate agent to see if I can bring food onboard and she happily reassured me that I could. I went and got a burger, fries, and a drink,” OP added.

He then continued: “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 are making her sick.”

However, at this point, the man wrote that the woman complained louder, saying: “I finally told her I bought the food after checking with the gate agent and I’m hungry so she’s out of luck. She called the flight attendant and was told that I’m well within my rights to eat food that was bought at the airport.”

Internet users rallied in defense of the burger-eating passenger, with one person writing: “Just because she’s vegetarian doesn’t mean she can dictate others’ dietary choices.”

Another added: “While I empathize with aversions to meat smells, expecting everyone to accommodate one’s preferences on a plane is unreasonable.”

“This isn’t her personal space; she should adjust her expectations accordingly,” a further user wrote.

“Public transportation comes with its challenges, but eating on a plane is standard practice,” someone else chimed in.

What started as a simple meal evolved into a broader discussion on respecting different dietary preferences and working on compromising in communal settings.