Advice Please - LOUD Snorers in UC Overnight Flights

We unfortunately suffered from one man who snored very very loud in UC on our overnight flight back to London. His female partner didn't do anything but it kept us and most of the cabin awake for most of the night!!

What is the etiquette here to shut him up?

Any advice for next time gratefully received

Simple. Wear earplugs. Good ones.
As someone who snores (and many of us do whether we admit it or not, but some worse than others), I'm not proud of the fact I snore and I know it might annoy some people if I get loud. The etiquette, being blunt, is you do nothing. The person snoring can't stop it happening, can't turn down the volume, and for some it is linked to health conditions. Bottom line, it's not within the person's control or anyone else's.

Yes there are things a snorer can do such as use nasal strips or various other methods. They're not permanently effective and many don't actually work.

I'm sorry you were kept awake, and if it happens again then do whatever you can to block out the sound. Your mind can be trained to block out certain "white noise", heck, we manage mostly to ignore the engine noise from aircraft!

But I would ask you not to do or say anything to the snorer or their companion, it would only cause embarrassment and, like I said, there really is nothing they can do about it.

That's my two penn'orth.

Well said Bretty, totally agree with your response.

I posted a TR back in May 2015 when I wrote about my UC return from SFO-LHR . During that trip, a male cabin crew member remarked to me in the morning "you was snoring well last night". At first I thought he was making a joke but then I realised he was being utterly rude and insulting. After his comment I felt very upset and totally embarrassed.

I am a person who does suffer with extremely bad sinus issues, even after having lots of major surgery trying to correct this. Lying too flat and being in a false air pressured cabin, my problem is exasperated. I use a special spray prescribed by my ENT consultant and I now ask the crew for extra pillows in order to minimise inconvenience to my follow passengers. Perhaps the OP feels people Iike me should be put into the hold

Just to add a different theme...

(and yes I know this isn't snoring)

On a recent UC flight my wife and I were sat very near to a lady who (on a night flight) spent the entire flight watching movies. Which is of course absolutely FINE! ...except, she was watching comedy films (also fine)...BUT laughed hysterically at an insane volume for the entire flight!

...honestly, NOTHING is that funny! And certainly not for that length of time!

Earplugs, whisky and patience did not solve this problem. Neither of us slept at all. Besides which, from what we could observe, she disturbed most of the UC cabin (A330-300 Dreamsuite config) for most of the flight.

Never thought I'd say this...but there may be something worse than a crying infant on an UC night flight! I've spent a fair bit of time in the air and snoring, crying infants and flatulence are usually the most common disturbances. This was a new and enhanced torture technique! I gather that they used to play the 'Barney the dinosaur' theme on loop as part of 'enhanced interrogation' at Guantanamo Bay under the Bush (GW) administration...this might have been another option for dubya...

...just to add, I'm delighted that she had such a lovely flight and I offer no solution...but just to say my wife and I would have gladly swapped for an economy seat / parachute to avoid the insane laughing for 9 hours straight!!!

Good post Bretty.

Ear plugs are very useful in attenuating noise, but the majority of people have no idea how to fit them.

They are designed to fit into, expand and obstruct the ear canal; if you can see the ear plug sticking out of the ear like some kind of 'Cheesy Wotsit', it's not fitted correctly and will not work; see various television programmes, where presenters are blowing things up, to see how not to fit.

Fitting a plug is, however, relatively easy if you follow these steps:

Roll the plug, to warm it and gently compress it , along the long axis; the result is fairly firm and thin.

Now, before the plug expands, fit it into the ear.

To fit a plug into the right ear; reach over the back of your head with your left hand and grasp the right ear.

Pull the ear backwards, and slightly upwards; this straightens the ear canal (in the natural state it is 'kinked') and makes insertion of the thinly rolled plug, held at one end, by the right hand, easy.

Insert the plug and, then, push it into the ear canal with the tip of the right index finger.

Maintain the traction, on the ear (up and back), with the left hand; the plug will expand and you will notice a corresponding reduction of hearing.

Repeat, for the left ear, using the right hand to pull the left ear upward and back, during insertion and expansion.

The result that you want is a plug that sits inside the ear canal with only the expanded end visible and flush with the opening of the of the canal.

Practice makes perfect and, if the plug expands as it is being fitted, remove it and re-warm/re-roll.

Removal is simple; grasp the plug material and pull; in the unlikely event that you have managed to push the plug below the level of the entrance to the ear canal, a pair of tweezers can be your friend.

Ear plugs are not recommended if you have discharge from the ear, an infection in the ear canal or dermatitis affecting the ear canal.

Sound attenuation can also be achieved using noise cancelling headphones in the active mode without a sound source or, if you want to get technical, download the 'Sound2Sleep' app and have a play with the collection of melodies:

I use a combination of pink noise, air travel, fan, waves, river, rain, thunder, wind and fire.

Set the level to just audible, this will help mask conductive noise reaching the ear through bone conduction of sound.

I find sleeping (or trying to) with a good quality pair of sound-reducing-headphones on, listening to some music is the best option for me. Whilst it isn't overly comfortable when you fall asleep and try to turn your head, at least you are listening to something you like rather than something you are forced to.

Bose do say "you can't control how noisy your environment is. But you can control how much of it you hear".

I find sleeping (or trying to) with a good quality pair of sound-reducing-headphones on, listening to some music is the best option for me. Whilst it isn't overly comfortable when you fall asleep and try to turn your head, at least you are listening to something you like rather than something you are forced to.

Bose do say "you can't control how noisy your environment is. But you can control how much of it you hear".

Snap. I've got an ocean sounds soundtrack I tend to listen too as the sound of waves helps send me to sleep

Apparently there was a VERY LOUD snorer in UC on my flight back from UVF in December.
Fortunately I did not hear a thing.
I was asleep!

I have had a number of snorers that have disturbed my sleep. I tend to give them a kick or accidentally knock in to them when going to the loo or bar.

Why people think it is acceptable for one person to disrupt the peace of all those around them is beyond me. OK I understand that sometimes it is a medical issue but more often than not you can bet your bottom dollar it is due to their weight or eating or drinking habits.
I am sure I snore but if I was keeping everyone awake I would want to be woken up and if necessary I would not go back to sleep as I am very conscious about being selfish.

Given the posts here I am sure I am in the minority but it is my opinion that we should care about the feelings of those around us.

Sorry but there is no god-given right to peace on a night flight.

If someone chooses to spend the whole night talking, that is their prerogative - however selfish and annoying you may find it.

It's public transport. If you want guaranteed peace & quiet, book a private jet.

I have had a number of snorers that have disturbed my sleep. I tend to give them a kick or accidentally knock in to them when going to the loo or bar.

Why people think it is acceptable for one person to disrupt the peace of all those around them is beyond me. OK I understand that sometimes it is a medical issue but more often than not you can bet your bottom dollar it is due to their weight or eating or drinking habits.
I am sure I snore but if I was keeping everyone awake I would want to be woken up and if necessary I would not go back to sleep as I am very conscious about being selfish.

Given the posts here I am sure I am in the minority but it is my opinion that we should care about the feelings of those around us.

What? --- snorers are overweight drunken selfish people? -time to get your blinkers off, reread your post and think about who is being selfish!

So my Sleep Apnea is because I'm a drunken fat person is it? Jesus - some people!

Now, I cannot sleep on planes, never have been able to, but trust me if I did manage it and somebody woke me up because of snoring I can't help, that person wouldn't be getting any sleep for the rest of the journey!

Just chill out and accept everyone is different. Nobody snores because they want to. Just use earphones or plugs if you have to.

mrs sungod informs me that i snore, but i've not noticed this

tried nose strips to no avail, i am also svelte and fit, though not always entirely sober

i find the VS earplugs are mediocre even when fitted correctly, though i generally use them

but i also take a couple of 'hearos extreme protection' ones with me for emergency (amazon sell them), they are much more effective, and even if i don't need them on the flight, there's always the chance of a noisy hotel room

[quote="Gerrym"]I have had a number of snorers that have disturbed my sleep. I tend to give them a kick or accidentally knock in to them when going to the loo or bar.

Why people think it is acceptable for one person to disrupt the peace of all those around them is beyond me. OK I understand that sometimes it is a medical issue but more often than not you can bet your bottom dollar it is due to their weight or eating or drinking habits.
I am sure I snore but if I was keeping everyone awake I would want to be woken up and if necessary I would not go back to sleep as I am very conscious about being selfish.

Given the posts here I am sure I am in the minority but it is my opinion that we should care about the feelings of those around us.[/quote]

That last bit I have put in bold seems a bit contradictory given that there have been several replies from people saying that they snore, and you're calling them lazy fat booze-hounds (not verbatim)!

if you want a peaceful sleep on a plane, then buy out the whole cabin!
Otherwise it is one of those things you have to put up with (or find your own solution) of people not being aware they are disturbing others.
Like screaming kids, people who recline their seat, talk loudly, pace up & down the isle, book window seats & gets up every 5mins to 'stretch their legs', fighting for the middle arm rest, etc.

You're in a communal place and with that comes snoring at night time, you can't do anything about it other than use protection because no one is doing it to smite you even if it can be disturbing! As said wear earplugs or as I and some others do use noise cancelling headphones (I listen to trance music at a decent volume - it bizarrely helps me sleep!).

As to the lady laughing hysterically, that is something that should be handled politely. There's nothing wrong with watching a film and eye shades are provided for cutting out light, but laughing loudly at night time is plane rude and either a civil word by you or a request to the crew should be applied.

Pun intended Slinky09?!

Tongue very firmly in cheek here...
I'm a fatty, there's no denying it. I'm about 20 stone. I snore, as my earlier post said. I snored before I was fat. I snored when I was a kid. I've always snored. I drink a little too.

When flying in the pointy end I, and most likely half the cabin (at least!) will have been in the lounge and will be under the influence of alcohol. Some more than others no doubt. Alcohol contributes to snoring.

I'm conscientious and considerate of other poeple, but also accepting that there's things outside mine and other people's control, and that people are not doing to deliberately upset others.

I'm generally non-violent and very tolerant.

If some skinny teetotal drama queen stumbled down the cabin and deliberately kicked me to wake me I'd end up in the care of the Air Marshall. Because it would most likely be the last thing they did. EVER.

Maybe there should be a snoring zone

Or a sanctimonious zone?

I'm generally non-violent and very tolerant.

If some skinny teetotal drama queen stumbled down the cabin and deliberately kicked me to wake me I'd end up in the care of the Air Marshall. Because it would most likely be the last thing they did. EVER.

Bretty hope I am on the same aircraft as you when that happens, as they can lead us out together

I can offer up MrsPJH to assist here. She is not afraid to prod the nearest snorer (me) with the accompaniment of a stage whispered

Wiil
You
Stop
That

Apparently I do.

I have had a number of snorers that have disturbed my sleep. I tend to give them a kick or accidentally knock in to them when going to the loo or bar.

Why people think it is acceptable for one person to disrupt the peace of all those around them is beyond me. OK I understand that sometimes it is a medical issue but more often than not you can bet your bottom dollar it is due to their weight or eating or drinking habits.
I am sure I snore but if I was keeping everyone awake I would want to be woken up and if necessary I would not go back to sleep as I am very conscious about being selfish.

Given the posts here I am sure I am in the minority but it is my opinion that we should care about the feelings of those around us.

I hope I am never on a flight with you because even though I don't snore, I'd imagine you are a very nasty person to be around.

I can offer up MrsPJH to assist here. She is not afraid to prod the nearest snorer (me) with the accompaniment of a stage whispered

Wiil
You
Stop
That

Apparently I do.

Mrs does much the same. (nudge me that is, not snore)

Dick D

I can offer up MrsPJH to assist here. She is not afraid to prod the nearest snorer (me) with the accompaniment of a stage whispered

Wiil
You
Stop
That

Apparently I do.

Mrs does much the same. (nudge me that is, not snore)

Dick D

Good examples on how to solve (help) the problem. However not easy to prod or nudge your partner when sleeping in UC