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Brightside : 10 Flight Attendant Secrets That Passengers Don't Even Know About
A plane in the eyes of flight attendants and a plane in the eyes
of passengers are two completely different worlds. And if the former
know all its secrets, then the latter may have no idea about them
1. Don't feel ashamed of asking for more food.
The food that's distributed on board an aircraft has a short shelf life since it's delivered pre-made. All excess containers with food are immediately discarded after the flight. Therefore, if your stomach demands more, don't be ashamed to ask a flight attendant for another serving.
My Thoughts : Yes!!! Definitely will have more than 1 serving if I'm ever in an overseas flight with complimentary meal. Unless you don't mind the negative judgment from your inflight seat neighbor seeing you as greedy with insatiable appetite.
2. Check the presence of a life vest before taking off.
It's surprising, but it's still a fact : there are passengers who steal life jackets from under their seats as a souvenir. Therefore, for safety reasons, check your seat before the flight to make sure the life vest is there and not stolen by a sentimental kleptomaniac.
My Thoughts : Really?! I wouldn't want to steal a life vest consider
going on a vacation is chaotic enough with all the souvenirs and goodies
I bought. However, I always have a knack on inflight magazine, but just
wouldn't have courage to do it. Shouldn't the crew member have
pre-flight check before boarding?
3. If you accidentally smoked, use the ashtrays.
You might have noticed that, in spite of the fact that smoking on board is strictly prohibited, there are ashtrays in the toilets. People still smoke despite the fines. And it's better they put cigarettes out in the ashtray than on paper in a trash can. So if you forget yourself for a moment and find yourself in the lavatory with a cigarette in your hand, be so kind as to use the ashtray. And then pay the fine.
My thoughts : NOW then I know why despite "no smoking" sign, but there is still ashtray in the lavatory. Looks like there are some people who still disobey the rule. But mind you that paying the fine is not petty. It cost a whopping USD2,200 to USD3,300. For USD3,000, I can go thrice to Japan.
4. Try not to be squeamish during the flight.
Most airlines only do a "superficial cleanup" after the flight. Blankets and pillows aren't washed, just beautifully refolded. Food trays aren't washed. The seat trays are wiped, the carpets are cleaned, but you cannot be sure there wasn't a passenger at your seat who suddenly felt sick.
My Thoughts : Just like hotels, I always assume it is properly clean up before boarding. Thankfully, so far I has never been sick after getting off the flight. Perhaps it is the law of probability or grandiosity that "it will never happen to me". I noticed quite recently flights are adhering to the rules of fumigate or sanitize the plane before getting off.
5. Keep in mind: The lavatory door can be opened from the outside.
Flights attendants have their own keys in case a passenger is locked in the
lavatory. In addition, many aircrafts have the door lock mechanism
itself installed under the "No smoking" sign on the toilet door. If you
raise the flap with the cigarette image and turn the bolt, the door will
open
.
My Thoughts : Just like the hotel, the management would have their own set of keys to access the room in case of any emergency. But it's rather easily accessible in the plane as you just need to raise the flap and turn the bolt, Voila ! The door open. I hope there is no prankster while I do my business.
6. Be the last person to board
If you checked in for a flight at a different time to your fellow traveler, there's a solution: just board last. When all the passengers take their seats, you can immediately see which seats are free. And the fact that the door has already been closed behind you and there will be no more passengers gives you the opportunity to occupy any empty seat onboard.
My Thoughts : Though the perks of sitting anyway you want, I wouldn't want to be the last one to board the plane. This is due to the passengers who queue way before me are taking their time to stuff their bags, searching for their seats and it always happen if their seats are in the middle or the window seats, then the person who seated before need to get up and make ways. Suppose they are 300 passengers before me. Each one takes average of 6 seconds to be seated. So means I need to wait at least 30 minutes.
7. Don't drink too much alcohol
Flight attendants warn that one glass in the sky is equal to two on the ground. And this is true since altitude affects blood in such a way that alcohol during a flight affects you much more than on the ground. So even if you drink simply because you're afraid to fly, you risk becoming too relaxed.
My Thoughts : Why bother as long as I'm not driving the plane and not causing any chaos above the sky. Just have a reasonable amount to drink to put me in relaxation mood.
8. Avoid the bulkhead seats.
Remember this rule: if there are passengers with babies onboard, they’ll most likely take the bulkhead seats. This is simply because it's easier and safer to place a baby carrier there. So if you love cute screaming neighbors, you know which seat to choose.
My Thoughts : I don't mind the baby as bulkhead seat offer more legroom and easy access to my seat, and I can stand as much as I want to.
9. Drink only bottled water.
The problem of filthy water onboard aircrafts has gained a lot of attention since the scandalous study of the Wall Street Journal in 2002: the number of bacteria in water samples from 14 of the most popular airlines was hundreds of times higher than the established standard. Today's situation hasn't changed a lot, so it's better to drink only bottled liquid onboard. Tea, coffee, and water from the sink should be avoided.
My Thoughts : Why choose a glass of water when there are so many types of bottled beverage to choose from unless you have a strict case of diabetes.
10. Refrain from applause at the end of the flight.
In some countries, passengers give ardent applause to the pilot for landing the aircraft right on the airstrip. Perhaps people are trying to express gratitude to the crew or the joy of coming back home, but the crew may consider this gesture insulting. The flight is not a roulette game; this is their job.
My Thoughts : I was told applause is due when there is no bump during the landing. But either way, its rude to applause as the pilot just doing their job. Its like when you applause when your bus driver is driving you home, that is strange. Unless the pilot is solving a despairing situation like "Houston, we have a problem".
