CABIN FEVER
Flight attendant reveals the ‘polite’ passenger act that they secretly hate
Plus, see what one rude passenger did to protect her belongings
A FLIGHT attendant has revealed the one frustrating habit passengers have that angers cabin crew despite good intentions.
When people are going on holiday, spirits are often high and as a result, some passengers can show that by being kind and helpful to airport staff.
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However, sometimes this can backfire and end up creating more work and many may not realize that they have overstepped a boundary.
Flight attendant Erica L who has been working for a major American airline for the past two years has spoken out about this exact issue.
Erica, who readily admitted to that she is "on the smaller side" revealed how polite and kind passengers who try to help her out regularly overstep their place.
"I often have passengers offer to help me lift bags or arrange the overhead compartments," she said.
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"This is fine if you're handling your own luggage, but I really can't allow you to move around other people's stuff."
Erica further detailed the lengths customers will go to when handling other people's luggage, including telling the crew that they have made mistakes.
The flight attendant explained that passengers have sometimes physically removed bags from her hands to put in the compartments, but they don't stop there.
She has seen them then go through the compartment and re-organize all of the luggage before closing the overhead storage to "save" them.
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Not only that, but during this organization, some have even removed other people's baggage saying that they did not think it should have been allowed on.
This kind of behaviour not only frustrates passengers who have had their belongings handled and moved about, but it's also a pet hate of crew members.
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Rather than have your kindness backfire this badly, Erica recommends that flyers simply deal with their own baggage.
When boarding the aircraft, quickly pack away your belongings, get seated and let the cabin crew do their job, she said.
However, there is another pet-hate that flyers should be aware of when they stow their luggage.
"We really appreciate passengers who are prepared and careful when boarding the aircraft, including stowing their bags properly," Erica said.
SECRET CABIN CREW WORDS
FLIGHT attendants have a special language they use to talk about passengers, including the ones they find attractive.
There are a number of other secret phrases used by pilots and cabin crew too, some serious and others less so.
- Cropdusting: If a passenger is being very rude and difficult, then it’s not unheard of for a flight attendant to break wind and 'cropdust' past the offender.
- Code Adam: This is used by airport staff to alert other staff of a missing child, in honour of Adam Walsh, a child who was abducted in a department store in 1981.
- 7500: If a pilot "squawks 7500" it means the plane has been hijacked, or a hijacking is a threat.
- Crosscheck: If you hear this phrase, usually made by senior cabin crew, it means that the emergency slides attached to each door have been deactivated.
"But you can go overboard with it, trying to find just the right spot and position, tucking everything in and securing it just so."
This can cause unnecessary delays and frustrations, especially when departure windows are often incredibly tight.
One horror passenger told Erica that she refused to have anyone else's luggage touching hers while in the compartment.
The passenger was so adamant about it that she stood up and held a space next to it with her arm.
This is a big no-no if you want to be a polite passenger.
Instead, be prepared to quickly stow your luggage by tucking away loose straps, closing the zips and taking out anything you will need during the flight before boarding the plane.
Meanwhile, other flight attendants have revealed secrets of their jobs as well as flying hacks.
One crew member revealed just how horrifying it is cleaning the cabin and it spelled trouble for those who like the window seat.
There are also two clever hacks to be aware of for flying.
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One will come in handy for those who pull the short straw and end up in the middle seat and are in need of an armrest.
The other costs just £1.50 and is a game-changer if you find yourself next to a smelly passenger.
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