Lack of Gas Control
 

It seems that everytime I'm on a long haul overnight flight, at least one person, sleeping, cannot control their flatulance and fart every few minutes. And they always seem to be seated near enough to me to thoroughly poison the atmosphere all through the night. Getting really irritating. Thinking of investing in one of those little handheld fans to blow it back in their direction instead of flapping a newspaper. Rant over.

When I was a young lad the lamplighters used to sing,

"Wherever you are let your wind go free, for want of a fart was the death of ee."

I think it have to do something with the pressure inside the cabin that induce more release of gas. Basically, it's not that the person want to fart but more like have to fart.

as cabin pressure decreases, air expands. As air (and other gasses) in the body cavities expands, it wants to escape, and will find any route it can.

It's your choice, the occasional noxious smell, or bodies exploding mid flight:ouch:

I hardly ever encounter this problem. Either needing to release such odours myself, of encounter them from others. Of course, I may have been flying for so long that I have lost my sense of smell. :p

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"I tell you, we are here on Earth to fart around, and don't let anybody tell you any different." Kurt Vonnegut, Jr.

Everyone has to release the gas. The smell (or lack of it) relates to the diet. You just seem to be unfortunate in being close to the "afflicted".

polite passengers go to the toilet to do their farting. Personally I never need to fart at altitude but do end up pretty gassy once I'm on the ground.