It might not always be easy to travel in flights and sit through an entire journey, while you’re in the air. There are limited provisions or things to do, but that’s just how it’s supposed to be. But, more often than not, we miss out on social cues or basic concern for the crew on the flight. We treat them like they owe us all their time, because ‘it’s a job’, but that’s usually an excuse for when we forget that they’re people too.
After all, not everything that we ask for, or do comes under their job profile. A journalist, Stacey Leasca asked an appropriate question on Reddit, about what passengers do that annoy flight attendants.
Because, we need to hear the other side of the story – maybe that’ll make us better passengers.
1. “Please don’t touch or poke us to get our attention. I’m not sure why people automatically assume this is ok on a plane. I understand there could be a language barrier. But use your words such as “excuse me?, excuse me, ma’am? excuse me, sir?” Or non verbal language like waving at us. Hell I would even respond to a snap. Just don’t touch me. Thanks.”
2. “Handing over a used diaper. Don’t try to put it in my trash bag either, I have to walk past 100 more people who don’t want to smell that. Get up and throw it in the lavatory trash. Don’t try to flush it.”
3. “Of course the big obvious annoyance: getting up when the seatbelt sign is on, especially right after landing. I promise you will have enough time to get your carry on from the overhead after we park and we are preparing the doors. You don’t need to jump up the minute we reach the airport to grab anything.”
4. “Asking for 2-3 drinks during service and handing me back 1-2 half full cups during trash pickup.”
5. “Not wearing headphones.”
6. “Lingering in the galley while I try to eat.”
7. “Ringing the call light to hand me your trash. We come through many times throughout the flight to collect trash. Either hand it to us when we are collecting it or walk to the back of the plane and throw it out. We aren’t maids.”
8. “Not acknowledging us/looking us in the eye, not saying please/thank you, etc. We are people too! Please treat us with respect!”
9. “Asking what we have during service. There’s literally a menu right in front of you.”
10. “Oh I hate when they see me in the aisle, and STILL choose to get up and push past me toward the bathroom. Like hello? You saw me here. Don’t need nasty people finding an excuse to rub their bodies on mine. The worst is when a guy grabs your waist to pass you. Fuck that.”
11. “Talking loudly during the safety demo (I didn’t care if everyone paid attention but don’t disrupt other people who may want to listen).”
12. “Also, we’re not IT. So if your electronic device is not working properly it’s not our fault.”
If you do this, don’t be yourself on flights.
