High Expectations
We all interact with flight attendants, but how much do we know about them? What are their lives like? Flight attendants have been to a lot of places and seen a lot of things in their extremely public-facing careers.
They’ve also done a lot of Reddit Ask-Me-Anything threads. I combed through a ton of them and came upon a treasure trove of behind-the-scenes flight info. Curious to know what your flight attendant wants you to know? Here are 10 big ones.
Learn How to Exit a Plane
Let’s start here. I agree with this, so it was nice to see flight attendants and other passengers in these threads sounding off about this one.
It’s not that hard, folks. You can start to walk down the aisle after the row in front of you does. If you’ve got a tight connection, no problem. Just tell somebody so they know why you’re trying to jump in front of them. Do not start charging up towards the front the minute the seatbelt light turns off. This is infuriating for other passengers, and clogs everything up for the flight attendants.
To review: Should you leave the plane before the person in front of you? No, you should not. Very good.
Medical Supplies Are Stocked
There’s actually a lot onboard in case of an emergency. Most planes are pretty well-stocked (you can check the full list here) and have a decent emergency kit. There are blood pressure monitors, self-inflating resuscitation bags, IVs, and more, as well as plenty of medicines. They’re prepared if something goes wrong.
Flight Attendants Are Paid Hourly, But Not How You Think
Most flight attendants are only getting paid for the hours they spend with the boarding doors closed. While various conspiracy theories exist about this (one suggests that’s the reason planes will taxi on the tarmac for so long, rather than waiting at the gate), the truth is, a lot of flight attendants don’t get compensated for time spent waiting in airports. So be nice, they’re just as upset about the delay as you are.
They Really Do Ask Passengers to Assist in Emergencies
When emergencies pop up on flights, which they do, flight attendants will often ask if there are any EMTs, doctors, or nurses available. They’ve even been known to reward some in-flight heroes with travel vouchers.
Trending on Cheapism
Be Friendly
Here’s another one I can vouch for. Be nice to people! Being patient with not just flight attendants, but anybody who works at the airport, can help get you better treatment and upgrades. Being early is nice, one flight attendant wrote, but “flexibility and a nice demeanor go even further.”
No Tattoos Allowed
While this isn’t a blanket statement, many airlines will not hire a flight attendant with visible tattoos. You can of course cover things up, but if you’ve got a skull and crossbones on your forehead, you’re probably not gonna land that flight attendant gig.
Water Is Clean, But Questionable
This one’s not so fun. Apparently, water on planes is of questionable quality, which is news to me personally. One flight attendant mentioned they won’t drink the coffee on planes since it’s made with potable water that comes from tanks that are filled up by many different people at many different airports.
Another user who claims to fill the tanks for a living had this less than pleasant thing to say in response: “The water we get is from the city (safe where I am, but maybe not everywhere) and the tank in the cart is supposed to be cleaned regularly, but we contract it out, and I’m not sure if the maintenance schedule is strictly kept to.”
Ginger ale, please!
Sign up for our newsletter
Ask For What You Want
And by the way, if you think you want that whole can of ginger ale, just ask for the whole can of ginger ale. It’s a lot easier than asking the flight attendant to come back two or three times for a refill.
Work Less, Make Less, Experience More
The life of a flight attendant is balanced in many ways. While you don’t make much money (salaries range from about $35,000 to a rare $100,000), it can even out a lot, depending on your lifestyle. Do you value travel? If so, that’s something you don’t need to spend money on, because your job becomes traveling. Flight attendants see so much of the world, sometimes for extended periods of time, and sometimes only for a night.
Less hours, less money, more life experience.
Consider, If You Will: Other People Exist
In all the threads I read, there was a common theme. People, no matter where you go, can be the worst. The amount of stories flight attendants shared about people’s complete disregard for other passengers was baffling. From things as small as passengers eating smelly food to passengers asking for a soda while another passenger was mid-heart attack, people don’t seem to be aware of their surroundings.
Claire Fisher said it best, my friends: Newsflash, other people exist.
