Flying really does bring out the worst in people.
It is sort of as if the fundamental rules of being an honest, civilized human being stop to exist as soon as a plane takes off.
Arguably the worst thing an individual can do on a flight is make the confined space of an aircraft feel even smaller – worse, still, is in the event that they try this with a rogue a part of their body, like a foot.
This is precisely what the McCaw family, Latest Zealand sporting royalty, faced on the primary leg of their family trip to support the All Blacks on the Rugby World Cup in France.
All Blacks legend Richie McCaw and former Black Sticks player Gemma were left unimpressed after someone (very literally) put their foot into their personal space.
Gemma was keeping her followers up so far on the family trip – with the couple’s daughters Charlotte, 4, Grace, 2, and five-month-old Ella – through the airport, however it was “footgate” that made toes curl.
She posted a video to her Instagram story panning round her daughter’s temporary play area on their economy seats before revealing a bare foot resting on the armrest beside the kid.
“Would everyone be OK with this example? Or do I say something,” the Olympian wrote on her stories, adding a laughing face emoji.
The hockey star shared one other video shortly after, making light of the situation while showing her husband’s clearly unimpressed face.
“Lovely pedi but I feel I’ll should put my foot down for this one,” she wrote, Richie might be seen across the aisle shaking his head.
About two hours later, Gemma revealed the foot was still there; and while Gemma didn’t need to “put (her) foot in it”, their eldest daughter Charlotte was able to take matters into her own hands.
She showed a note the 4-year-old wrote to the passenger behind them that read: “Please put your foot down”.
After keeping her fans on their toes through the ordeal, Gemma shared a final and completely happy update on “footgate”, writing that a “hostess stepped in and asked her to kindle remove her foot from the seat”.
“All is well,” she signed off.
Thankfully, footage seems to have done nothing to dampen the family trip to France for the Rugby World Cup, with Gemma updating her followers from Singapore.
Although she said she didn’t want footgate to “turn into an enormous deal”, and that it was a “little bit of fun” and she or he feels a “bit silly” with the eye it got, she was thankful for the messages of support.
“It was all sorted and everybody’s completely happy,” she said of the incident.
“But thanks in your messages of support and encouragement to say something.”
But Gemma’s followers were less moderate within the comments of the family photo she posted before they jumped on the plane, many slamming the passenger’s “disgusting” act.
“Give that disgusting foot a shove after your daughter has drawn throughout it,” one commenter suggested.
One other said she should tell the passenger to “bugger off and to placed on some socks”.
Another person said they might’ve gone a step further and “pushed the foot off” with their very own foot.
“It defies belief how uncultured, rude and self-entitled persons are lately! Absolutely disgusting,” they added.
One person joked the family were “off to look at some footie” in France.