“You’ll be surprised by how much a flight attendant can learn about you simply by greeting you at the door.”
The following written content by Alexa Erickson
People fly for all sorts of reasons, which means their moods, their expectations, and their luggage will differ greatly. These days, with air travel limited due to the global COVID-19 pandemic, the simple act of flying has taken on a whole different timbre, with new rules, perceptions, and seemingly strange things banned from planes.
Flight attendants are experts on every aspect of air travel. They know what to look for, what sets off alarm bells, and how to handle a variety of situations at a moment’s notice. Their duties are evolving with COVID, and working in this environment is a whole new ball game for them—just take these things flight attendants can’t do anymore. As soon as you step onto the plane, you can bet that they’re making some snap observations—it’s one of the things your flight attendant won’t tell you.
Are you friendly?
When you step onto the plane, you’re usually giving off some kind of energy, and flight attendants are in a special position to observe it since they’re usually welcoming passengers onto the aircraft. “If we are greeting at the door, we notice if we are acknowledged by a smile or a returned hello,” says Avalon Irizarry, a flight attendant for American Airlines. And, unsurprisingly, if you do return their greeting, you’re automatically going to make a better impression. It also helps to use the one word that will make a flight attendant like you.
What are you wearing and carrying?
If you notice a flight attendant scanning you up and down, chances are they’re observing your clothing and accessory choices. “You’d be surprised at what people wear!” says Irizarry. When you’re sitting for hours in a metal tube, it’s interesting to see people sporting stilettos and complicated clothing that looks uncomfortable and impossible to adjust and remove when you need to go to the bathroom. Find out some more things flight attendants say to avoid wearing on airplanes.
And of course, nowadays, if you’re not wearing a mask or wearing one incorrectly, you’ll likely instantly put flight attendants on alert. Viral videos of anti-maskers making a scene and delaying entire flights have been dismayingly common over the past year. Delta Airlines alone had to ban 880 passengers for violating mask rules during 2020. Of course, you can be exempt from wearing a mask if you have a valid medical excuse and permission from a medical professional. But if this is not the case, keep your mask on unless you’re eating and drinking. If you wear your mask and keep it on, your flight attendant will definitely be grateful. Read more from RD.
