Pretchi
Personally, as a passenger, flying can sometimes be a nightmare. But imagine what a nightmare it can be for the flight attendants whose there on regular basis.
While you’re sitting there in the cramped comfort of your airplane seat, there’s a team of flight attendants hard at work keeping everyone safe, cleaning up messes, and making sure that the mile-high club isn’t getting any new members.
There’s a side of flight attendants that passengers don’t usually see like their camaraderie, humor, and how they spend their downtime.
And now, we’re unveiling these 25 little secrets that most of us don’t know about.
1. Turning off your phone is just a precaution
When you are asked to switch off your device during takeoff or landing, there is a good reason for it. Although your phone is not going to cause the plane to crash, it could interfere with the radio signals from the traffic control tower.
It could be the reason why your flight is delayed, as the tower could have trouble communicating with the plane effectively.
2. Passengers are not the only ones taking a nap
Flight attendants have a secret windowless compartment where they can catch a quick nap while they are burning the midnight oil. They usually use it when they are on a long flight.
3. There’s a good reason why their hands are behind their back
Ever wonder why they always put their hands at the back?
As a symbol of professionalism, they do things differently than normal, when they stand with their hands behind their backs, they are doing the headcount on their fingers.
4. Mile-high club, fact or fiction
For as long as commercial flights have been around, the mile-high club has been glamorized. Apart from being a mile high in the sky, you shouldn’t expect the best romp of your life. If you and your significant other get caught in the act, you will be in some serious trouble and could be charged with indecent exposure.
5. You get in-flight socks for a reason
Ever notice passengers kick off their shoes to get a bit comfier on a long flight? It might seem tempting to do the same, but you are better off keeping your shoes on. If you want to kick off your shoes, do yourself a favor and put on the complimentary socks. You don’t know what you are walking on.
6. The flight crew does get involved with each other
It is quite common for flight crew members to date, and when you think about it, it makes sense. No one knows the demands of the job better than someone who is in it with you. When you spend so much time with someone, a romantic spark is inevitable.
7. If you want to use your phone in flight, become an attendant
Flight attendants don’t get the best pay in the world, so it’s only fair that they can have a couple of perks that the rest of us don’t have. Free Wi-Fi seems like a fair enough trade-off for the long hours that they have to endure. If being able to use your phone is that important to you, then you should consider becoming an attendant.
8. They don’t just look pretty
If someone gets unruly before a flight, kicking them off the plane is easy, but once that bird is in the air, the flight attendants have the right to restrain you. For the protection of the other passenger, they can use their zip ties to tie you to the seat-belt extensions.
9. They have secret codes
The main aim of any flight attendant is to keep the passengers at ease and calm. To do this, they need to communicate with each other without you knowing it. Each flight crew has a secret and discreet code with which they interact with each other.
10. They aim to please
No rule forbids them from getting close to the passengers. On the other hand, attractive attendants get hit on more often than not, so they know how to give a guy a polite cold shoulder. You’re welcome to try your luck, but the chances are that you will strikeout.
11. Their greeting is more than just being polite
When they greet you as you enter the plane, it is not just because they want to be polite; they are sizing you up and making mental notes about you. They gather handy info such as who is intoxicated, or who is traveling alone. They see who the strong men are in case of emergencies or who the disabled ones.
12. Their pay is not that good
Flight attendants start from the moment they set foot on the plane. From doing the preflight check to attending to things during the flight to greeting and cleaning the cabin once everyone has disembarked. They only get paid for the time they are in the air.
13. They will say no for you
Everyone loves the booze on a plane, but you should think twice before you attempt to get a bit tipsy on one. Oddly enough, it is a serious criminal offense to get drunk on a plane, and you could end up with a two-year sentence. Alcohol has a much stronger effect on a plane due to the cabin pressure, which is why they will cut you off sooner than you might think.
14. Don’t ask for a diet soda
Flight attendants hate it when a person asks for a diet soda. They run a tight shift, and time is everything, especially when it comes to serving beverages. Diet coke is much fizzier than other sodas, and at high altitude, the bubbles take even longer to settle.
15. Why do they turn off the lights?
As with most people, when it comes to flying, the takeoff and landing are the most anxious parts of the flight. This is also the time when something is likely to go wrong. In case of an emergency, the flight crew wants to give you the best possible chance at getting out safely, and when your eyes are already used to the low light, you will be less disorientated if something goes astray.
16. Stay away from hot beverages
When it comes to the maintenance and cleaning of a plane, some things take last priority, and the potable water tanks are way down the list. It’s not that water is undrinkable; it might just not be as clean as what you might think.
17. Chicken or beef??
When you go on longer flights, the taste of the food is generally acceptable, but looks and taste can be deceiving. The food looks typically somewhat balanced, but the nutritional value of the food is next to nothing.
18. The job can take its toll
Flight attending has been romanticized as being a glamorous job. As the air hostesses leave the plane, many people look at the crew in envy, thinking of all the wonderful places that they see. What they often forget is that this jet-setting life comes at a price. As soon as the flight attendants are on the plane, they effectively become waitresses.
19. First-class does have some drawbacks
If you have ever had the luxury of flying first class, then you would have experienced flying at another level. On the other hand, statistics have shown that those who fly in first-class have the smallest chance of survival if something were to go wrong. The people who sit near the middle near the exit and those who sit at the back have the best chances of survival. Then again, it isn’t as if planes dropping out of the sky is a daily occurrence.
20. Those oxygen masks won’t work forever
Not that you ever want to be in a situation where you need to use them, the oxygen masks in an airplane only have about 12 to 15 minutes worth of oxygen if the cabin loses pressure. It doesn’t seem like a lot of time, but you only need those masks until the pilot can steer the plane down to an altitude where you can breathe on your own again.
21. There are some hefty physical requirements
The requirements are more of a practical and professional nature. All flight attendants need to have their natural hair color, and if it is long, it needs to be tied back. You can’t be too tall, lest you hit your head on the overhead storage the whole time, nor can you be too short.
22. Getting a job is tougher than you think
Although they have let loose on the physical requirements for flight attendants, landing a job is still a tough ask. In 2010, Harvard had a higher acceptance rate than Delta Airlines. They advertised 1000 openings for new flight attendants and received over 100 000 applicants. A mere 4% of those applicants received a call-back interview.
23. Your extra luggage won’t affect the plane
Planes are made to carry a certain load, and when you decide that you want to bring on an extra bag or two, you end up paying quite a few bucks. truth is that your bags won’t throw the planeoff balance or make it too heavy. Most airlines use sandbags to even out the weight of the plane to get the right center of gravity, The only reason why you pay more is that the airline is a business and they need to make money.
24. It pays to be friendly
Have you ever wondered how certain passengers get to upgrade their seats while you sulk in your economy class seat? Flight attendants often get treated like dirt by the passengers and don’t often get any recognition. When you are polite and leave a smile or a thank you, they notice. They are within their rights to bump you up if there are any seats available.
25. Be polite to the check-in staff
If you are rude to the check-in staff, they have the power to make your flight a long and memorable one, but not for the right reasons. They can seat you where all the crying babies are or to someone who might have had too much garlic the previous night, and all this they will do with a smile on their faces. Next time, just smile and say thank you, the courtesy could be repaid to you in kind.
Source: Comedyjedi
