My first domestic flight since the start of the pandemic was to Halifax for a visit with my daughter. My flight was a week before the federal government mandate that all airline passengers and employees be double vaccinated. I went for the double-double, being double vaccinated, and wearing both, a face shield and a mask while I was on the plane.

The flight started out well, a flashy silver haired gent across the aisle was wearing his mask for the embarkment and take-off. Once the flight was underway though, he pulled his mask down below his chin, in spite of the announcement that failure to wear a mask covering one’s nose, mouth and chin could result in a federal government imposed fine (up to $5,000).

The man was decidedly bold and even walked up the aisle to use the lavatory with a defiant swagger and an outed snout. He returned fully masked, possibly being informed to do so by a crew member, but I don’t know for certain.

Once he was settled again in his seat, he started to wind up for a sneeze. You know the kind that builds momentum and when released, rattles the windows? Just before the air, saliva and mucus was expunged from the man’s body, he pulled his mask off, allowing droplets to travel up to 8 metres (27 feet) in front of him.

There was a decided groan from everyone around us.

Most of the passengers in our range were shaking their heads in disbelief, but the geyser who shared his DNA wasn’t going to lose sleep, and in fact hunkered down for a nap.

The flight attendant came by, asking for the garbage accumulated on the flight. Sneezy made a feeble attempt to drape his mask over his nose and mouth without even trying to hook it on to his ears. The flight attendant either did not see, or chose to ignore.

The woman beside me whispered, “you were smart to double up on the mask.”

We have all travelled with people reclining their seats when folks behind them are trying to eat. We have met the arm-rest hogs, the seat kickers, loud talkers, drunk aisle-walkers and nappers tipping towards a stranger’s shoulders. Again, to the woman beside me on my flight to the UK in 2018, I apologize. All of these are mere annoyances, without health implications.

And for the past ten years during flu season, we have been educated to sneeze into our elbows to avoid spreading germs to others.

Unfortunately, good manners can’t be mandated by government or airline. It makes me think that getting on a plane without a mask would never be a good idea.