We’ve all seen the news lately. Passengers have been caught doing some pretty rowdy things: punching flight attendants in the face, opening emergency exits, and even storming the cockpit. But you’re probably thinking, “ok, but how often does that sort of stuff *REALLY* happen?”. The answer is, they happen a LOT. We’ve asked our followers to share some of the rudest things that passengers have said and done to them and some of their answers may even surprise you!
To be clear, flight attendants hold a wide variety of degrees and qualifications, some even have doctorate degrees, so take your judgment elsewhere because flight attendants are some of the smartest and most innovative people out there.
These are just some of the many stories we shared from our Instagram followers. The truth is, we are poked, prodded, and insulted more times than we can count. Bottom line? Be nice to your flight attendants! We’ve been through a LOT – but at the end of the day, we still love our jobs – and we’d still risk our lives to save you if there were a crash!
Have any of these scenarios happened to you? Tell us your stories in the comments!
We miss traveling, don’t you? Whether you’re a flight attendant like us or someone who lives for the joys (and woes) of air travel, you probably miss exploring the world pre-pandemic. While some folks are out flying, many of us are still stuck at home dreaming of our next big trip.
Like you, we’ve had a lot of free time over the last year so we caught up on some of our favorite movies and TV shows and compiled a list of 15 titles that you should watch if you miss being on an airplane. We have to warn you, though, some of these titles won’t exactly make you excited to get on a plane again – but – they’re fantastic nonetheless and aviation-themed, so we had to include them! Let’s just hope that none of our flights are ever quite as eventful as the ones listed below.
Grab some popcorn, avoid your responsibilities, and start binge-watching.
Did we skip one? Tell us in the comments!
Light-Hearted Comedies
AIRPLANE (1980) Starring: Robert Hays, Julie Hagerty, Leslie Nielsen Rating: 7.7/10 Stars on iMDB Our Take: No good list of aviation-themed entertainment would be complete without Airplane. This film is an absolute classic and provides some pretty epic laughs.
VIEW FROM THE TOP (2003) Starring: Gwyneth Paltrow,Christina Applegate, Mark Ruffalo, Candice Bergen, Rob Lowe, Mike Myers, Kelly Preston Rating: 5.3/10 Stars on iMDB Our Take: It’s the story of a small-town girl who dreams of becoming a flight attendant. Didn’t we all have that dream at some point? This is a pretty standard rom-com overall but it still remains a cult favorite among flight attendants. If you find the flight attendant life even remotely fascinating, you’ll probably get a kick out of this. Plus, who cares if Gwyneth Paltrow says she regrets doing this movie? We still love it.
Action-Packed Thrillers
RED EYE (2005) Starring:Rachel McAdams, Cillian Murphy Rating: 6.4/10 Stars on iMDB Our Take: This is not your typical Wes Craven film, but Red Eye is a fun and clever thriller that keeps you entertained. Plus, the cast is great! We feel like Rachel McAdams can do no wrong.
FLIGHTPLAN (2005) Starring:Jodie Foster, Peter Sarsgaard Rating: 6.3/10 Stars on iMDB Our Take: Jodie Foster is fantastic in this psychological thriller about a woman who loses her daughter on a long flight. The plot is a little far-fetched, but the action makes it a fun watch!
Critically-Acclaimed
SULLY (2016) Starring:Tom Hanks, Aaron Eckhart, Laura Linney Rating: 7.4/10 Stars on iMDB Our Take: This is a fantastic movie about “The Miracle on the Hudson,” one of the most incredible incidents in aviation history. Tom Hanks does a stellar job portraying Sully. Our one and only issue with this film is that we wish the flight attendants had been portrayed a bit more realistically. We know the movie is titled Sully, but someone had to help get those people out.
CATCH ME IF YOU CAN (2002) Starring:Leonardo DiCaprio, Tom Hanks, Christopher Walken Rating: 8.1 Stars on iMDB Our Take: It’s everything we love about life in aviation – minus the whole crime thing, of course! This film is full of fun, adventure, and a little bit of drama. Plus, it includes homage to Pan Am, and who doesn’t love reminiscing about the golden age of air travel?
Feel-Good Films
UP IN THE AIR (2009) Starring:George Clooney, Vera Farmiga, Anna Kendrick Rating: 7.4/10 Stars on iMDB Our Take: This story focuses more on the downsides of constantly being on the go, and yet still somehow gives us that warm fuzzy feeling about things like airport security. Weird, right? Our favorite George Clooney quote from the movie sums it up: “All the things you probably hate about traveling – the recycled air, the artificial lighting, the digital juice dispensers, the cheap sushi – are warm reminders that I’m home.”
THE TERMINAL (2004) Starring: Tom Hanks, Catherine Zeta-Jones Rating: 7.4/10 Stars on iMDB Our Take: If you’ve ever sat reserve at the airport, then this movie will probably give you a little bit of PTSD more than anything else. This film made us feel grateful for the fact that we don’t actually live at the airport – despite the fact that we feel like we do. Also, should Tom Hanks be in every aviation-themed movie? Let’s discuss.
Not for the Faint-of-Heart
FLIGHT (2012) Starring: Denzel Washington, Nadine Velazquez, Don Cheadle Rating: 7.3/10 Stars on iMDB Our Take: If you’re a nervous flyer, you might want to sit this one out. While the scenario is far-fetched, it is still highly entertaining and Denzel Washington is amazing as always.
NON-STOP (2014) Starring: Liam Neeson, Julianne Moore, Michelle Dockery Rating: 6.9/10 Stars on iMDB Our Take: As you’re most likely already aware, hijackings are pretty unlikely at 35,000 feet – but they’re still possible! While the everyday traveler may not enjoy a movie like this as much as a flight attendant will, movies like this remind us why we spend so much time on safety and security during flight attendant training. It’s why flight attendants have to stay vigilant on every flight – even the seemingly boring ones. Plus, we love seeing Michelle Dockery and Lupita Nyong’o as flight attendants!
Heroic Tales
NEERJA (2016) Starring: Sonam Kapoor, Shabana Azmi, Yogendra Tiku Rating: 7.7/10 Stars on iMDB Our Take: If you are a flight attendant and have not seen this, stop what you’re doing right now and go watch it. Neerja Bhanot is a true hero and this powerful movie does a fantastic job of telling her story. Whether you’re in the aviation industry or not, this is a must-see film.
7500 (2019) Starring: Joseph Gordon-Levitt Rating: 6.3/10 Stars on iMDB Our Take: We’ll start by saying that this movie is heavy. The film happens in real-time and it is intense. To be honest, we couldn’t wait for this film to end but also could not stop watching. Joseph Gordon-Levitt delivers an incredible performance.
Binge-Worthy TV Shows
PAN AM (2011-2012) Starring: Christina Ricci, Margot Robbie Rating: 7.10/10 Stars on iMDB Our Take: This extremely underrated show has an all-star cast and is full of excitement and drama. With all that being said, it was the nostalgia of it all that sucked us into the show. Doesn’t everyone want white linen tablecloths in First Class and a week-long Europe trip?
THE FLIGHT ATTENDANT (2020) Starring:Kaley Cuoco, Michiel Huisman, Zosia Mamet Rating: 7.1/10 Stars on iMDB Our Take: Many of our fellow flight attendant friends don’t seem to like the show because they felt Cassie was a hot mess… to which we say: you know you’ve flown with this person! Maybe the people we fly with aren’t quite as disastrous as Cassie, but they definitely bring their fair share of issues to the galley. This is a fun whodunnit comedy/drama and we can’t wait for Season 2!
Bonus Flick:
BRIDESMAIDS (2011) Starring: Kristin Wiig, Maya Rudolph, Rose Byrne, Melissa McCarthy Rating: 6.8/10 Stars on iMDB Our Take: Ok, so this isn’t exactly an aviation-themed movie by any means, but it is an overall hilarious (albeit awkward) comedy that happens to include one of the funniest airplane scenes of all time. If you haven’t seen the movie, you should watch it just for that scene alone. This all-star cast really leaves an impression. We promise you won’t be disappointed!
Tell us your favorites!
If we skipped any aviation-themed shows or movies that you absolutely love, let us know in the comments below!
Being a flight attendant is unlike any other job out there. Itâs so unique, in fact, that years later even our own friends and family donât fully understand what we do. As much as we love flying, though, 2020 has grounded many flight attendants⊠at least for now. Itâs bittersweet but also a refreshing chance for some of us to try something new.
Now that thousands of flight attendants are without jobs, many of us are exploring the possibility of a new career path. To all of you job recruiters out there, we know you might think that we are just flight attendants, but I promise you that there is so much more than meets the eye. Before you pass up that flight attendant in your application pile, let me tell you that flight attendants are some of the most suitable candidates out there. We are ready for anything â and I mean anything.
Hereâs why you should hire a flight attendant:
Meets Deadlines
While flight attendants often joke about never really knowing what day it is, we are always successful when it comes to deadlines. In just 30 minutes, we have the ability to ensure that 200 people are seated, required safety briefings are complete, and all emergency and catering equipment has been checked. With changing time zones we still always arrive on time, complete our duties, and even make sure we buckle the pilots in and feed them their lunch.
Project Management Experience
Iâm not sure if youâve ever tried to prepare dinner for 20 people in a kitchen the size of a broom closet, but we have! This is no easy feat, especially when faced with the occasional jolt of turbulence. Through proper organization and preparation, we always make sure dinner is hot and served in a timely fashion! Just donât judge us too harshly on the quality of the food.
Works Well Under Pressure
Have you ever had someone come to you with a medical situation and immediately had to assume the roles of doctor, nurse, communicator, record keeper, and EMT? At 35,000 feet, there arenât always a lot of options in emergency medical situations â and flight attendants are there to handle everything from heart attacks to childbirth.
Adaptable to Change
Whether itâs Federal Aviation Regulations or specific airline policies, the role of a flight attendant and the rules that we live by are ever-changing. When a new task is thrown at us, weâre ready for the responsibility. Plus, weâll only complain about a little.
Excellent Leadership Skills
As flight attendants, we are natural born leaders who can take charge in any situation. If you put 8 flight attendants on a plane, every single one will show initiative. Weâre such good leaders, in fact, that you may never know who is in charge on the crew â because sometimes, neither do they! All jokes aside, we all have an innate leadership ability but also know when to step aside and let others take the lead.
Now, we know you may still have some reservations. Weâve all seen the occasional flight attendant outburst stories on the news. Letâs discuss some things that may concern you. If you think weâre rude, weâre really just direct and making sure we deliver the companyâs message with conviction. Think we just like to party? We know how to have fun so that we can maintain a healthy work-life balance. Think weâre unskilled workers? Many of us have advanced degrees, second careers, and still have time to take care of a growing family.
On any given day, flight attendants fulfill a multitude of roles both on and off the airplane. We are safety professionals, security guards, servers, teachers, counselors, communicators, tour guides, babysitters, and more! All jokes aside, we know how to lead, we know how to manage, and we will take care of anything that comes our way. Plus, we will even do it all with a sense of humor.
The first question that we get when people find out that we are flight attendants is: âWhatâs the craziest thing thatâs ever happened to you on one of your flights?â Whether we are at a family get together, a social gathering, or even chatting with passengers on the plane, it never fails. This is simply one of the most commonly asked questions. The fact that this is the number one thing asked says a lot about where the airline industry stands today, but thatâs an entirely different conversation for another time.
Traveling is already hectic enough without people acting crazy, and yet every other day we see stories on the news about passengers going off the deep end. Whether you are an airline employee, a frequent flyer, or even someone whoâs only been on a plane a few times, youâve most likely got a story or two about a crazy passenger on a flight.
While we could probably give you a million stories ourselves, we decided to sit down with some of our fellow flight attendants, including Passenger Shaming Creator Shawn Kathleen. We had some very honest conversations and shared some laughs. Here are seven passengers that totally deserve all the shame that they can get:
I was in the back of the airplane midflight and a passenger came back to the galley with her emotional support chihuaha. She asked me if there was a private area where she could breast feed her dog. I stared at her for a moment to process what she was saying, but she clearly was not joking. I looked down at the dog, with it’s crazy overbite and itâs teeth sticking out at me, and I was repulsed. Not even knowing how to respond, I finally just said to her âEhhh, um, the lav is right there.â She nodded as if all of this made sense and then went in to “feed” her pup. The crazy thing is, I’m quite positive she didnât have any breast milk to give the dog.
I was doing a cabin walk-through on an evening flight that was pretty much wide open. Everyone was spread out and had their own rows. The seatbelt sign had come on and the Captain had told us it would be getting pretty bumpy so we should take our seats. As I was doing a seatbelt check, a passenger waved me down and asked to go to the restroom. I kindly informed him, âThe Captain asked everyone to stay seated, including the flight attendants, because weâre about to hit a rough patch of turbulence.â He was clearly pissed off. I said âIâm sorry, but the seatbelt sign is on, and I need to take my seat.â About 30 minutes later, I went to walk through the cabin again and noticed a smell. It wreaked of feces. I get to the same row that that gentlemen was sitting in to see if he was okay, but before I could say anything, I gasped. There was literally a piece of shit on the floor next to his seat. I said, in as professional of a tone as I could muster up at this point, âSir, what exactly is going on here?â His response? âYou told me I couldnât get up and I needed to take a dump.â Needless to say, he didnât enjoy talking to the authorities when we landed, but you canât just go around pooping on the floor at 35,000 feet.
Picture this: Boston to LA. Weâre on a 737. About halfway through the flight, a passenger comes to the back to tell me about a man who is distracting other passengers. She tells me his seat number and goes to sit down. At this point, there are a million things running through my mind of what it could be. Iâm halfway down the aisle when I hear a buzzing sound. Seriously, what is that? I approach said seat and look down to see this man using an ELECTRIC RAZOR TO SHAVE HIS FACE OVER THE TRAY TABLE! Before becoming a flight attendant, I would have assumed that shaving your face over a surface where people dine seemed like an obvious no, but apparently I would’ve been very wrong. I literally had to hide my disgust as I tapped the guy on the shoulder to tell him that he had to stop immediately because it was distracting and gross. Everyone around me cracked up and I gave the man wipes to make sure he cleaned up every last hair left on that tray table.
I was working my second trip ever and we were boarding a 757 out of MIA. We were towards the end of boarding so the gate agents were checking bags. A lady got to her seat and was beyond pissed that she had to check her bag as there was a space left in the overhead bin above her seat. She then threw a complete temper tantrum unlike anything Iâd ever seen. She started screaming at the top of her lungs at me and the other flight attendants and began cussing us out and calling us liars. She caused a huge scene. The gate agent came on to help out and got in between us and the woman yelling. She said âYou better apologize to the flight attendants and calm down right now.â The woman then ran away from the gate agent all the way to the back of the airplane to hide. The agent followed and said, âAre you just going to run away from me?â At that point, our lead flight attendant made the decision to kick her off the flight for her behavior. As she exited the plane, the passengers began singing together âNa na na na, na na na na, hey hey hey, goodbye!â I couldnât help but laugh.
I was a fairly new flight attendant, maybe a few months into the job, and I was working an âall-nighterâ which consisted of flying from MCO to LAX and then back all in the same night. Lovely, right? Iâm sure you can already guess how this story is going to go. From the beginning, boarding was a mess so I knew I was in for a rough night. Once we were airborne, after the service, I dimmed the lights and sat down in my jumpseat. We were now about 2 hours into the flight when a young girl came up to the forward aircraft door with a coat on and her carry on rolling up behind her. She said to me, âIâm ready to get out.â I laughed as I thought she was joking. It was clear from her face that she was unfortunately was not. I didnât want her anywhere near that door so I offered to grab her bags and stow them as I explained that we had about 4 hours left in flight. I returned her to her seat and the surrounding passengers were rolling their eyes and laughing but clearly this lady was on another level. At this moment I knew, I had entered the twilight zone.
While I had hoped the flight would calm down, it only continued to get worse. We later discovered a woman was moving around the airplane sitting with different men and trying to seduce them. She even accused one of them for touching her inappropriately. Needless to say, the cops met us at the gate as those situations are taken very seriously. And as if things couldnât get any weirder, we had a woman at the end of deplaning who simply refused to get off the plane. Based on the look in her eyes, something was definitely off. We brought the authorities back for a second time to take her and when they arrived, she claimed that I â the flight attendant â was her husband. The police looked at me and I assured them that I was not, and then off in handcuffs she went. The best part of that night? I still had to work the flight back to Orlando. Pro Tip: Donât fly red-eyes!
6. WHO’S BABY IS THIS?
Andrew, Co-Creator of âTwo Guys On A Plane,â@twoguysonaplane
I was working as a flight attendant in the back of the airplane and one of my duties was to confirm the amount of passengers on board. The flight attendant up front called back to confirm that I had the same number that was listed on the paperwork, which included an infant. As I was walking through the cabin, I didnât notice any babies on board. We notified the gate agent and then went to double check with the passenger who supposedly had an infant with her. Her response was, âYou asked us to stow everything in an overhead bin.â When I opened the compartment above her seat, I found a mound of blankets and toys and sure enough, there she was â the baby in a bin. Somehow, the mother couldnât seem to understand why babies arenât allowed in the overhead bin. Donât worry, we had a nice long conversation with her about why babies and suitcases cannot be stowed the same way.
It was the last day of my trip, boarding was almost over, and all I wanted to do was go home. A man came on in a wheelchair and sat in 1D, right across from my jumpseat. He was probably in his mid-fifties, long-ish hair, seemed to be a disheveled mess as coins were falling out of his bag onto the floor. I leaned out of the airplane door and kind of mouthed to the wheelchair assist, âIs something wrong with this guy?â He shook his head no and left, but I still thought something was off. I crouched over and asked to see this passengerâs boarding pass, to try and see if I could smell alcohol or anything like that, but there was nothing. At this point, Iâd done everything I could to try and find an issue with him before take-off but nothing was coming up. We secured the cabin for departure, and since I was the lead flight attendant, I made my routine call to the Captain to let him know that we were ready. I called and said âCabin secure. Weâre ready for takeoff. If anything happens, itâs the guy in 1D.â
The flight was overall pretty uneventful and it was time to start our initial descent. I was in the back of the airplane at this time. One of the flight attendants went into the bathroom and the other was cleaning up, so I decided to do a trash pick-up from the back of the plane. It was nighttime so the cabin was pretty dark by this point. As I walked into the aisle, maybe two rows deep, I looked up and saw a red light flashing at the front of the plane. I couldnât even hear the alarm because the plane was so loud. I ran up to the forward galley and noticed the smoke alarm. I grabbed a fire extinguisher, preparing for the worst. I went up to the lav and suddenly the door flew open, this man stepped out, and the whole front right side of his head was singed. Well what do you know, it was 1D. His hair was basically smoking and you could smell it burning. I had assumed he was smoking a cigarette and something went wrong, but as it turned out, he was bent over lighting a crack pipe when his hair caught on fire. I told the Captain what was going on and we had the authorities meet the flight. As we were taxiing in, the man had the nerve to say to me, âAm I going to make my connection?â I advised him that it was best not to say any more at this point. The funny thing was, I knew the whole time that heâd be an issue, but I guess I just didnât know how much of one heâd become. Of all the jobs Iâve had, the one job that strengthened my intuition the most was definitely being a flight attendant!
What are some of your crazy passenger stories? Drop a note in the comments or tell us on Facebook!
Special thanks to Shawn Kathleen, creator of the Official Passenger Shaming Instagram, for sitting down with Two Guys On A Plane and sharing her favorite story with us!
Hosting holiday parties can be so much fun but it can also be quite stressful! But who knows about hosting tons of people at once better than flight attendants? That’s why we took the time to come up with twelve of our absolute best hosting tips to make your life easier this season. We hope you find each one of these tips was thoughtfully put together to assist you and yours. Happy Holidays from Two Guys On A Plane!
… and other frequently asked flight attendant questions!
Bartenders, musicians, teachers, astronauts, and flight attendants⊠whatâs one thing we all have in common? No one seems to have any idea what we actually do! If you spent the day following a flight attendant around at work, youâd quickly learn why we feel it is one of the most misunderstood gigs in the world. People are constantly asking questions about things that have become second nature to us, so forgive us when we get a little sassy with our responses. We compiled several questions that are most commonly asked by passengers on board the aircraft. Weâre here to clear the air!
What is your regular route?
This isnât a thing. We are not assigned a specific route like the movie âView From The Topâ might have you believe. Thanks, Gwyneth. While some flight attendants do prefer to fly the same routes over and over, others prefer variety and will fly a mixture of different types of trips and routes. Plus, seniority plays a huge role. When you first start flying, you barely get a say in where you go and when you go. Itâs not until later in our careers that we can even hold specific routes. It certainly keeps the job interesting!
Is this a full flight?
We’ll let you know as soon as we’re airborne! All jokes aside, we may have this information but we might not disclose it to passengers right away. There could always be last minute changes due to cancellations, overbooking, or even weight and balance requirements for our airplane. If you are looking to move to a different seat, we’ll do our best to let you know if that is a possibility, just keep in mind that every airline has different policies and procedures about changing seats so it may not be an option!
Whatâs your schedule like?
Chaotic and confusing to the untrained eye! Very few flight attendants like to stick to a Monday-Friday type of work week so itâs easier to think of our schedules by month, since that is how we bid. No two weeks or weekends look alike for us! The average flight attendant has probably somewhere between 12-20 days off a month. Some people fly one day trips so that theyâre home every night while others are gone anywhere from 2-6 or more days in a row. Again, itâs all about variety and every flight attendant you meet will likely have a very different schedule!
Whatâs your favorite place youâve been?
Itâs a tie between Greece⊠and my bed! To be honest, we spend so many days on the road sometimes all we really want to do is go home! With that being said, we are fortunate to see some of the most beautiful destinations in the world. It can be nearly impossible to choose just one!
Do you have to pay for your own hotels and transportation?
Of course not! We get this question a lot but as with anyone that travels for business, the company coordinates and covers all of our transportation and lodging expenses. Would you be a flight attendant if you had to pay for your own hotel? No, thanks!
What are we flying over?
I have absolutely no idea. Rarely do flight attendants have the answer to this question. We’re either busy tending to passengers or simply don’t know enough about the flight plan to provide that information. If you’re nice, though, and the pilots don’t seem too busy – we might just be able to go find out for you!
Can you get me, like, free flights or something?
The short answer? No.
The long answer? Still no. Just kidding, kind of. Itâs no secret that flight attendants have what is called âbuddy passes.â These buddy passes are non-revenue standby tickets that are sometimes (but not always) cheaper than a regular confirmed fare. Each airline employee is only allowed to give out a specific number of passes, depending on the company. Your priority for standby on a buddy pass is pretty low and flights are so full nowadays that these are almost never worth it. Youâre probably better off buying a confirmed ticket. Plus, you wonât have to worry about the risk of not getting on at all. You may be thinking to yourself, âHmm⊠my sisterâs college roommateâs cousin is a flight attendant. I should hit her up on Facebook for a buddy pass.â Well, donât. We can assure you that trying this will most likely not end well for you.
Can you turn that noise down?
If youâre referring to the engines or the air whirling around our aircraft at 500mph… we’re going to stop you right there. Airplanes can be quite noisy! There isn’t much we can do about that without putting our safety in jeopardy, so we recommend packing earplugs or some noise-cancelling headphones!
Do you all live together in a house?
Not exactly. This isnât the Real World. And if it was, it would probably never air because flight attendants are a thousand times crazier than the people on that show. What you might be thinking of, however, is a little something called a crashpad. Airlines only operate crew bases in specific cities based on their route network. If you donât live in one of those cities, some flight attendants and pilots choose to âcommuteâ to work via airplane. While this may sound absurd to a non-airline person, itâs quite common! Some flight attendants and pilots even commute from other countries! Imagine flying from Paris to New York any time you had to go to work? Itâs totally casual. Since getting a place of your own in your base can be expensive and unnecessary, flight attendants and pilots opt to stay in a house together with other crew members to crash for a few nights a month before they go to work. It can be a little hectic, but itâs far more cost-effective. Crashpads arenât specific to the airline industry, either â think travel nurses or corporate housing! Anyone who works in a city other than the one they call home typically has some sort of alternate housing set up.
Can you call ahead to my connecting flight and tell them Iâm coming?
They don’t trust us with cash, you think they trust us with a satellite phone? In all seriousness, flight attendants donât have that kind of power, but they already know youâre coming, trust us! With technology these days, the folks working your connecting flight have all of your information and know you’re on your way! The silver lining is that if you miss your flight, they will automatically rebook you on the next available flight! Life is a journey. Enjoy it.
What is the craziest thing a passenger has ever done?
Every flight attendant has their own story for this one so keep asking, but until you see a flight attendant in person next, weâll go ahead and share ours:
Rich: I was doing a cabin walk-through on a late flight that was pretty much wide open, everyone was spread out and had their own rows. It was quite nice. The seatbelt sign had come on and the Captain had told us it would be getting pretty bumpy so to go ahead and sit down. A passenger waved me down while I was walking through and asked to go to the restroom. I kindly informed him, âThe Captain asked everyone to stay seated, including the flight attendants, because weâre about to hit a rough patch of turbulence.â He didnât seem happy, but I kept walking. About 20 minutes later, I went to walk through again and noticed a smell. It wreaked of feces. I get to the same row that gentlemen was in and asked if he was okay, but before he could respond, I gasped. There was literally a piece of shit on the floor next to his seat. I said, in as professional of a tone as I could muster up at this point, âSir, what exactly is going on here?â His response? âYou told me I couldnât get up and I needed to take a dump. So here we are.â Needless to say, he didnât enjoy talking to the authorities when we landed, but you canât just go around pooping in public.
Andrew: I was working as a flight attendant in the back of the airplane and one of my duties was to confirm the amount of passengers on board. The flight attendant up front called back to confirm that I had the same number that was listed on the paperwork, which included an infant. As I was walking through the cabin, I didnât notice any babies on board. We notified the gate agent and then went to double check with the passenger who supposedly had an infant with her. Her response was, âYou asked us to stow everything in an overhead bin.â When I opened the compartment above her seat, I found a mound of blankets and toys and sure enough, there she was â the baby in a bin. Somehow, the mother couldnât seem to understand why babies arenât allowed in the overhead bin. Donât worry though, we had a nice long conversation with her about why babies and suitcases cannot be stowed in the same way.
Do you turn around and go right back or do you get to stay a while?
Depends on the type of trip and the type of flight. If weâre flying from Philadelphia to Athens, do you really think we âTurn around and come right back?â Of course we stay there! Itâs usually only for a day or so, but we canât really work back-to-back 10ish hour flights without a nap! Our layovers vary anywhere between 10 hours and a few days! It just depends on the airlineâs operational need and how far weâre traveling. Now, if weâre flying from New York to Washington, DC, sure â go ahead and ask how many flights we’ve done today. Itâs probably a lot!
Have you ever joined the mile-high club?
Uh, as flight attendants, weâve seen the way those lavatories are cleaned so itâs not even something weâd consider honestly. Also, do you go around and ask people if they have sex at work, or is it just crew? This doesn’t occur nearly as much as you think it does and it is far too romanticized in the movies. Spare yourself the hassle and embarrassment and save it for the hotel!
What is a reserve?
Like many other industries, airline’s have employees on-call. While each airline operates their scheduling systems differently, they all have what is called reserve flight attendants. Reserve schedules can be confusing, but itâs more straightforward than you might think. Reserve flight attendants know which days of the month they are working and which days they are not. The catch is that they donât know where they might be traveling to or if theyâll be traveling at all. If someone calls in sick, their car breaks down, or the airline adds a new flight last minute for some reason, crew scheduling will call in a reserve to work the flight. If the company has no need for the reserve, then they continue to remain on call at home. Typically reserves have a limited amount of time to get to the airport in order to help keep the flight running as close to on time as possible. Whether the reserve works or not, they still get paid a guaranteed number of hours. Every airline’s reserve system operates differently. A lot of this applies for pilots, too!
Why were you late for work?
We weren’t! Delays happen often in the airline industry. Itâs just the nature of the game. Despite what announcement you may or may not have heard, the crew was likely not âlateâ and if they were, it typically was out of their control. Chances are, someone called out sick or didnât make it to work last minute because of something like a broken-down car, and a flight attendant has to be called in quickly. That flight attendant is called a reserve and is usually sitting either somewhere in the airport or within a couple hours driving distance. Or, we could be working multiple flights in a day – one right after the other – and we started off with a delay for some reason now causing the rest of the day to be off schedule. Another scenario could be that the day prior to a crewâs flight was so delayed that they needed extra rest. Our rest is regulated by the Federal Aviation Administration and there are requirements set for flight attendants and pilots. We need to be as alert as possible in order to operate on board the aircraft in case of an emergency. Theyâll get there as soon as they can, but none of this is their fault, so at least be nice to them! Theyâre really just saving the day!
Do you get to travel a lot?
Believe it or not, weâve answered this question more times than we care to count. Yes, of course we travel a lot, and no, we donât think you fly more than we do!
Do you think youâll ever get a real job?
Not sure what you’re implying here, but being a flight attendant IS a real job! We get to see the world for little to no money. On occasion, we get to fly in First Class without actually having to pay for it. We can take up to three weeks a month off without having a scheduled vacation or losing any pay. We have some of the most amazing coworkers that make feel like family. Many flight attendants have master’s degrees or doctorate degrees, run their own companies, practice law, work as nurses full-time, and so much more! People from all walks of life take to the sky everyday because they have a passion for aviation. Itâs the greatest career in the world and is very much a âreal job.â Now, if by getting a “real job” you mean being chained to a desk for forty hours a week… we’ll pass!
When all is said and done, the people that need to read these answers the most may never see them, and keep asking these questions, but we’re doing our part to spread the word about this weird, quirky, fun world that we call being a flight attendant! So do us a favor, and go share this article and tell all of your infrequent flyer friends what they need to know! Oh, and it wouldn’t hurt to remind the frequent flyers, either.
Special Thanks to our friend Kelly Kincaid, creator of Jetlagged Comic, for allowing us to feature her work in this post! If you arenât familiar with Jetlagged Comic, check out the Facebook page or visit them online atwww.jetlaggedcomic.com!
Kelly Kincaid creates and produces original artwork, please share her work and support her business as a patron on Patreon! Every little bit helps her to continue creating the cartoons that make us all laugh so much each and every day!
