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- and the 7 behaviors listed in the article would merit spending the rest of the trip in the wheel wells, if I ran the world.
I'd applaud airlines getting rough on carry-on sizes. I thoughtfully looked up the specs and purchased a carry-on that actually fits in the bins - only it doesn't, because some idiot decided that a steamer trunk on rollers must qualify as a carry-on and so there's no room in the bin. We have an incredibly limited amount of space to share in the cabin, so don't hog more than you merit.
A lot of flight attendants seem very businesslike these days, and I like it. I'm not a guest in their home, they're not servile hosts trying to accommodate my every whim - we're just trying to get this transaction done and over with, so we can move on with our real lives.
I'll bring my own aspirin, napkins and entertainment. If I get the soft drink of my choice, great - but I'll take a cup of water and a safe arrival at my destination any day of the week.
Yes, it is hard to deal with the public, but a little courtesy goes a long way. I worked with the public for 28 years and I don't remember ever getting even with the rude, obnoxious, and overbearing patrons. Being a professional means that you get paid for being a cut above. If you don't like the pay or the job, there is a solution for that. Get another job, but while you are working at that job, never lower YOUR standard.
HA!! And the stories that I shared are only the ones that I thought most people would not be horrified to hear! Glad I didn't share more.
There is a huge difference between those two passengers that I mentioned and 98% of the others who got on my flights. I could have cared less if passengers were friendly. I just was shocked by the sheer rudeness. I grew up believing that you treat everyone with respect until they deserve otherwise and that's what I did while I was flying. I received numerous accolades (some tips too though we weren't technically supposed to take them) and won 2 quarterly awards (and I only worked for 8 quarters!). I DID do my job very well and I quit once I stopped enjoying it. The two stories I shared were payback for all of us who wished we would have said something to someone rude and always fantasized about retaliation. Every once in a while, my mean streak got the better of me, but I won't apologize for doing either of those things. And as another poster mentioned, getting paid $12,000 a year to deal with some a-hole in first class is not being paid "a cut above." Once I started dreading going to work, I started looking for another job. I didn't want to be that mean flight attendant because I have never seen the point of hating your job, especially one that made me work so hard for so little.
was on your side until you posted what I've bolded.
Why group fear of flying people and terrified children with drunks,hostile,demanding folk? Seems unfair.
Basically I ignore the FA. Usually don't need anything from one. I check my luggage. The only carry on I have will fit under the seat in front of me. I bring my own food,water,Purell,tissues,snacks,books and meds.
Only once did I need to ask for water. This after flying a lot.
For whatever reason there was a delay actually getting the flight airborne in a timely manner. After such a long time, I had drank the bottled water I had bought to bring on the plane. Time passes. Now it's time to take my regular medicine. Must take it. No water. I get up, go ask FA for bottle of water. She gives me the nastiest look and proclaims loud enough for ALL on the plane to hear "YOU should have bought water before boarding!".........well uh,,,,,,biotch, I did. But that was a long time ago and I would not have bothered the FA had I not needed it. She begrudgingly gave it to me and shot me dirty looks the entire flight. How sophomoric is that?
If sometimes we,the passenger seem surly; it's because we too are tired. Maybe we've just flown to a funeral to bury a loved one. Not all trips are for pleasure. Maybe I too am annoyed by the drunks on the plane.............which begs the question--why is liquor available on planes? I don't drink and do not care to be annoyed by others who do consume it but lose all sense of reason after doing so.
Quote:
Originally Posted by FlightAttendant
As an active FA, I must say that this thread is fascinating. First of all, let me say that I, too, am annoyed with surly, angry FAs. BUT those are the minority. I know that when I go to work, I leave my personal issues at home. I am there not only to do the safety part of the job..the most important in my opinion, but to try to make the flying experience as nice as it can be for my passengers. I smile, I accommodate, I truly CARE if the passengers enjoy their flight!
Drunks, hostile people, fear-of-flying people, terrified young kids who are ripped from one parent to go see the divorced other parent in another part of the country, demanding people, people who think its just fine to come on board and want us to relocate 5 other people so they can sit together, etc etc..I could go on and on. If sometimes we seem surly, maybe its because we are tired, hungry (some days we don't get off to eat), abused by some rude passenger, etc.
You have a right to expect professional service when you fly. Honestly. But please, realize that there are some days when our job is very difficult. Personally, I love my job and I hope it shows.
I'd applaud airlines getting rough on carry-on sizes.
Reflecting back on my 2 years of flying, I can say that the only thing that truly drove me crazy was carry-on luggage. There are very few airlines and gate agents who actually enforce the rules and there were very few flights where we didn't have to spend time taking bags from under seats that clearly didn't fit, or trying to find space for someone who brought their bags on.
My biggest pet peeve were the foldover bags. They are monstrous and should never be allowed. Most of the time, every single person in first class had one so not only were the first class bins full but the next bins in coach were full too. That meant that the people at the bulkhead (who have to put everything in an overhead bin because there isn't a seat in front of them) used the overhead bin BEHIND them, and so it goes.
Drunk passengers are obnoxious too but we didn't have to deal with them on every single flight like we did overhead bin space and luggage.
There's an airline in Europe, based out of Ireland, called Ryan Air. They are the el-cheapo airline that makes you pay for everything (beverages, snacks, food, etc), but they are doing great business and fly full planes all over Europe. They are a cattle car, everyone boards at the same time, but they are militant about luggage. There is a little plastic board that you have to get your luggage through and if it doesn't fit, there is a person who checks it and loads it on a cart. No seat assignments, no food, no beverages, checked overhead luggage. Wow.
Do not make any advertisement for Ryan Air , please.
They are thugs; and I mince my words.
I flew with them once, not twice because for the first time in my life (and I fly till I am 6) I wasn't allowed on the flight back, they handled us like crap.
I will never fly with that company anymore, even for free.
Seriously, I would love it if the flight attendants started cracking down on the ridiculous carry-on luggage people bring on the plane.
You wanna know why it takes 30 minutes to get off the plane? Because a bunch of inconsiderate goombas don't feel like checking their luggage (which by the way, comes nowhere near the little box that demonstrates the proper size).
Don't get me started on flight attendants...Too late...I have to deal with them everyday.
Once when I was riding on different airline, there were 15 off duty flight attendants also riding. They were allowed to board first. Everyone had two oversized rollerboard suitcases plus an overnight bag. The rollerboards would only fit lenghtways. When the other 125 passengers were allowed to board, half of the overhead bin space was already gone. The last 40 passengers had to gate check their carry on bags.
Any chance you are being melodramatic? I was a commuting F/A for over 10 years and I can assure you I have never, ever seen any F/A's bring TWO rollerboards (even when I did international and was away from home for 21 days)!!!
Any chance you are being melodramatic? I was a commuting F/A for over 10 years and I can assure you I have never, ever seen any F/A's bring TWO rollerboards (even when I did international and was away from home for 21 days)!!!
Agreed. The most I've ever seen a FA carry was a rollerboard, a tote, and a pocketbook. Plus maybe a small bag with magazines or a meal or something along those lines.
So when she says something like "It's not our job to provide playing cards, etc." - well, yes and no. It's not their job to provide every little thing that everyone asks for, but they are to provide whatever they can, like a deck of cards, or magazine, or aspirin (all planes should stock a cheap bottle of aspirin in their first aid kits). Yes, some people will be jerks and take advantage; but that's part of dealing with customers.
So, now we are supposed to carry around decks of cards, magazines and aspirin? Not to sound rude, but it's an airplane, not a resort! We make peanuts as far as paychecks go trying to put FOOD on our own tables. Guess what, they sell ALL of those things INSIDE the airport for those that did not plan ahead...
Agreed. The most I've ever seen a FA carry was a rollerboard, a tote, and a pocketbook. Plus maybe a small bag with magazines or a meal or something along those lines.
The golden rule for flight attendants is simple: You bring it, you sling it!!! And that goes for pax!!!
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