Flight attendant annoyances Archives - EbonyTravelers | Tips From The Experienced Traveler

There’s a reason for airline rules.

by Donna Hunter, PhD | Mar 9, 2022 | 0 comments

As a former flight attendant, I have seen many travelers take offense to a flight attendant’s request to follow an airline rule. I can honestly say that flight attendants do not try to make passengers unhappy. In contrast, happy passengers make for a comfortable flight for everyone. Flight attendants are simply doing their job, and that job comes with rules and regulations they must follow and ensure that you do as well. Not enforcing the rules exposes flight attendants to fines and loss of employment. Here are a few reasons for the rules some passengers take offense to.

Seatbelts.
Although it may be comfortable not to wear a seatbelt, there is an excellent reason for ensuring that passengers wear their seatbelts during the flight. One of the most compelling reasons is air turbulence. There are times when turbulence occurs without warning. If this happens and a passenger is not wearing a seatbelt, they can be severely injured or killed. One of the reasons this does not occur often is because flight attendants ensure seatbelts are worn.

Exit seats.
Airplane exit seats are desirable because of the extra legroom. However, many passengers conveniently forget that the extra room is there to get people out of the airplane in an emergency quickly. This reason is why young children and disabled people are not allowed to sit in the exit row. Imagine a young child trying to open and throw a 70-pound window exit or someone unable to get out the exit quickly. Flight attendants are required to ask before every flight if a passenger is willing and able to assist in the event of an emergency. Moreover, there is no time to rearrange seats in an emergency. Therefore, even when the exit seat is available, there may be a reason a passenger is unable to sit in it.

The seatbelt sign.
Passengers must be seated before the aircraft can leave the gate and stay seated until the seatbelt sign has been turned off. This rule is not an airline rule but an FAA rule. Although there are rare cases, flights have had to stop on the runway suddenly, and if not seated, passengers can be hurt. In addition, airplanes can occasionally collide, which is another chance for passenger injury. However, these occurrences are rare, and so often, passengers think walking around to be of no danger when that is far from the truth.

Disruptive passengers have become more and more common recently. However, passengers should understand that flight attendants are doing a job that requires them to enforce the rules. Not following these rules can impact passenger safety and jeopardize a flight attendants’ job. Challenging flight attendants on basic rules is simply being rude. By sharing this information, I hope that the reader will be just a bit kinder to flight attendants next time they get on an airplane and merely follow the rules.

What your flight attendants may know about you when you board an airplane?

by Donna Hunter, PhD | Jan 23, 2022 | 0 comments

In my years as a flight attendant, I have had passengers try to claim premium seats, embellish their airline status, and even claim to have paid more for their ticket than they did. Passengers do not realize that the flight crew is provided a passenger information list (PIL) or passenger manifest list before the plane leaves the gate. That PIL has a wealth of information on passengers. Here are a few things your flight attendants may know about you when you board the airplane.

Name.

You must provide identification before boarding an airplane. Before that airplane leaves the gate, a passenger list is provided to the flight crew listing everyone on board by name. This information is often utilized in premium cabins to personalize the flight experience, but it is available for everyone on the airplane. Immigration also uses this information to prescreen arriving and departing passengers.

Seat assignment.

Recently a flight had to be returned to the gate because passengers refused to leave premium cabin seating. Although there may be empty seats on the airplane, they are not for the taking. Seat assignments are allotted by ticket pricing, airline status, and other factors. Flight attendants do not assign seating, the gate agents do, but flight attendants have some leverage in reassigning seats while on board. Often passengers are asked to accommodate other passengers traveling together. However, once you are assigned a seat, you do not have to give up that seat assignment unless requested by a flight crew for a specified reason.

Airline status.

Depending on your airline status, you may be entitled to certain perks onboard the airline. Many were the days when I had passengers declare themselves to be “million” milers, platinum passengers, or VIPs demanding a particular service. That information is available on the passenger manifest, so claiming a status you are not is often a waste of breath.

Flight itinerary.

One of the initial reasons for the passenger information list was to assist passengers with connecting flights while onboard. Before landing, the flight crews are provided with connecting gate information. When traveling in a premium cabin, passengers are often individually given connecting gate information before the list is relayed to main cabin passengers. This list also helps flight attendants request other passengers’ patience to allow connecting passengers to deplane first. In some cases, if seats are available, the flight crews can move passengers closer to the front of the airplane for faster deplaning.

Travel status.

With the many security matters that have arisen since 9/11, flight crews now can know if you are traveling alone or with a group, if you have or need medical assistance while onboard the aircraft, or even if you have been a problem passenger on a previous flight. If a problem arises and authorities meet the flight, they will already have your information when the flight lands.

I hope you realize that you are far from anonymous when you board an airplane or travel in general. The flight attendant can note your behavior, bad or good, in your flight itinerary. It’s not all to your detriment however, I remember wishing passengers a happy birthday, congratulating couples on their wedding or anniversary, even upgrading passengers for special milestones, or assisting grieving passengers. Were you aware of how much your information is shared? Please comment below and let me know.

No retirement regrets

by Donna Hunter, PhD | Nov 3, 2021 | 0 comments

Since retiring from my flight attendant career, my most asked question is, do I miss it? I do, but not in the way most people expect. My flight attendant career gave me some of the most incredible memories of my life. However, as I think about the job and the realities that flight attendants face now, I have no regrets about leaving the career.

Recently, a flight attendant was assaulted on an American Airlines flight and may have had her nose broken. The assailant claimed that the flight attendant “hit her nose against the palm of his right hand” and claimed he had “psychological damage from the injury.” I have read and listened to stories about the incident, but few from the flight attendant’s perspective involved or any other flight attendant’s perspective.

According to reports, the issue began when the flight attendant informed the flight attendant of the Fasten seat belt sign. She was doing her job!!! Contrary to what many people think, the primary duty of a flight attendant is to save lives. They train continually and yearly for the career, guided by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) rules. Not advising the passenger of this obvious fact was putting her job in jeopardy.

Flight attendants, like many others, are not self-employed, and they have families and loved- ones that depend on their ability to provide. Their job is governed by the rules and regulations not only of the airline but of the FAA. Most importantly, interfering with the duties of a crewmember violates federal law. Recently the job has brought more risk than reward.

An airline ticket is valid only to and from the cities on your ticket or trip record. An airline will provide service as they see fit, and the flight crew does not determine that service. The flight crew performs the service provided by the airline. They cannot deliver items or services not provided in advance by the airline.

A flight attendant may have several flights in a day and be on several different airplanes within the same day. Sometimes their duty days are more than 10 hours, and rarely is there time to get off the aircraft and purchase food. More so, once duty starts for a flight attendant, there is usually no designated lunch break until the duty day ends.

The realities of Covid have not only increased stress for air travelers but flight crew as well. Flight crews are not provided meals in many cases, and if they are, individual dietary needs are not acknowledged. Before Covid, many airlines cut back on service, and passengers were advised to purchase food at the airport or bring their own.

The career I left provided many opportunities to travel the world. Currently, airplanes are more crowded, services are fewer, and people are more frustrated by wearing masks or being told to comply. In addition, the stress of airport security and baggage fees or allowances make the travel experience much more stressful than it ever has been.

The next time you travel, I hope you have no regrets but, more importantly, cause your flight crew to have no regrets as well.

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/man-charged-after-alleged-assault-on-american-airlines-flightattendant/ar-AAQf6cP

Covid Restrictions and Holiday Travel

by Donna Hunter, PhD | Oct 10, 2021 | 0 comments

Recently a friend traveled from Washington DC to Egypt. She discussed with me the harrowing experience of trying to get a required Covid test for travel. With recent federal guidelines, the need for Covid testing has increased, and availability has decreased. As the holidays are a busy travel season, it stands to reason travelers needing testing during the holidays will also surge. Here are a few things to think about regarding Covid testing and the holidays.

A surge in Covid testing

Many of the issues involved with the current availability of Covid testing affect the recent executive order requiring Covid vaccination for federal employees. Companies with over 100 employees will be required to comply with the order or face significant fines. As expected, there are many questions regarding the order and implementation that need an answer. However, the demand for Covid testing has risen, and so travelers need to prepare.

Thanksgiving travel

Thanksgiving is just around the corner, and it’s usually one of the busiest times for people to travel. In 2020, many suggested curtailing travel during the Thanksgiving holiday, and many ignored that suggestion. In preparation for the upcoming busy Thanksgiving travel season, the U.S. Air Travel Public Safety Act may require all passengers on domestic airlines to either be fully vaccinated, tested negative, or fully recovered from Covid.

Preparing for holiday travel

In essence, travelers should be aware of travel restrictions and Covid guidelines. They should know where their Covid testing sites are. Find out if they need to have Covid symptoms or can test as a precaution. Research the timing of their test before seeing friends and family as exposure varies. It’s also good to know the different Covid test options, PCR or antigen.

As with any travel experience, preparation is critical. Stay safe this holiday season and if you choose to travel, do it safely.

Five things every flight attendant wants you to know.

by Donna Hunter, PhD | Jul 14, 2021 | 4 comments

There has been a significant increase in passenger disturbances in recent months. It’s important for passengers to understand the duties and responsibilities of flight attendants. There are many realities your flight attendant wishes that you knew about their job. Here are just five for you to consider.

1. The primary duty of a flight attendant is safety. The primary responsibility is to help passengers in the event of an emergency. Other responsibilities include fighting fires, first aid, and directing evacuations. Flight attendants are trained to conduct safety checks before each flight. In addition, they present safety equipment and give instructions to passengers on how to use the equipment. While trained in dealing with unruly passengers, the level of passenger aggression seen recently is beyond what most flight attendants are prepared to handle.

2. In addition to their safety duties, flight attendants provide customer service. They greet and communicate with passengers. Help them find their seats, and assist in directing passengers in how to stow their luggage. They are not bellhops and are not required to lift or carry bags for passengers. Most airlines urge their flight attendants not to lift or move heavy bags because of inflight injuries to the crew.

3. Although flight attendants at times do serve meals and beverages. They are not waiters in the sky. Serving customers comes secondary to the safety of the passengers. Many times, flight attendants are blamed for not having a particular beverage or meal. They can only serve what has been provided to them by the airline and have no idea of passengers’ wants or needs unless asked. Most importantly, however, there is no supermarket in the sky. If it is not on board the aircraft before departure, it cannot be served in flight.

4. Flight attendants are often hired for their critical thinking skills and to be problem solvers. They are not airplane police. They are, certified by the Federal Aviation Administration and are required to make sure passengers comply with federal guidelines. These guidelines include wearing seatbelts and, most recently, wearing face masks over the nose and mouth. Most passengers remove their masks after boarding and become very uncooperative and combative when prompted to follow the guidelines.

5. Most importantly, passengers should know that it is a federal offense to interfere or physically assault a flight crew member. Assaulting or intimidating a crew member can result in a felony conviction. Interfering with flight crews can result in prison time and significant fines. In addition, airlines can ban passengers from flying a particular airline.

The airline has important information on every passenger that boards their airplane. Flight crews are given some of that information. They know your mileage status, the extent of miles or money paid for your flight, and your assigned seating. Next time you fly, think a bit more about your flight attendant. Know that they are human and experience delays, disturbances, and frustrations just as you do. Be kind and give grace.

Travel and the ex-pat experience.

by Donna Hunter, PhD | May 23, 2021 | 0 comments

I’ve lived as an ex-pat in London, Germany, and Singapore. The experience of living in different places temporarily taught me valuable lessons in how to make the travel experience a great one. Here are a few ways my ex-pat experience has enhanced my travel experiences.

Making connections

Living in a foreign place as an ex-pat forces you to connect with people you don’t know. When traveling, networking can be particularly useful in meeting and creating new relationships. The benefit of connecting with people when vacationing is that you may get to explore places your new acquaintances genuinely enjoy. Friendly people are happy to give recommendations, and the sites recommended are great because your new friends only want to share the best of the local area with you.

Traveling with flexibility

In a previous blog, I discussed how travel and organization are essential to having a great travel experience. However, being flexible with your travel plans is also necessary for memorable experiences. I try to be as relaxed in my travel plans as I learned to be while living abroad. Whether long-term or a weekend, traveling with flexibility allows you to have unique and different experiences that are usually unplanned. With flexibility, your trip can be enjoyable and insightful.

Be a foreigner but travel locally

Living as an ex-pat taught me to travel like a foreigner yet be local at the same time. Connecting with people while on vacation is very similar to living in an ex-pat community. Often, you connect with people who are familiar to you, live locally, and want to give you an experience similar to that of a tourist. Usually, they will encourage seeing and doing things you had not thought of doing. Your vacation will include local but different travel experiences.

It’s not personal

While creating new relationships can be fulfilling, new connections can also be problematic. The ex-pat experience will teach you that not everyone you reach out to will respond or be available. Not everyone you meet or encounter will be cheerful and accommodating. Being open, understanding, and conscious of other people and their truths will allow for more pleasant travel experiences.

While living in Singapore, I met Terry James Johnson, an ex-pat performing under the stage name “the real TJ.” He wrote an article that accurately discusses some of the ex-pat experiences. You will find it a great read; check it out here. Do you have any ex-pat experience? Has it enhanced your travel skills? I’d like to know.