14 BIGGEST SECRETS of Flight Attendants!

14 Biggest Secrets of Flight Attendants
14.
Unsanitary Incidents- A lot of passengers like to remove their shoes when they get to
their seat and just relax for the rest of the flight.
But the inside of airplanes isn't always as clean as it looks.
Even though flight attendants clean after the plane has landed, not all messes are accounted
for.
Many unsanitary incidents occur during trips that passengers consider or rarely see like
unexpected bathroom accidents and sickness.
People also change their baby's diapers on the table trays and not every tabletop gets
thoroughly wiped between each flight.
Plus, the complimentary blankets you receive in the coach’s class are only fresh during
the first flight.
Afterward, the sheets are folded and reused.
Oh and just a head’s up when you go into the lavatory, and you’re just wearing your
socks or barefoot, that’s not water you’re stepping in.
13.
Decoding Lights- If you’ve ever been on an airplane, you might have noticed pink,
yellow and blue lights.
They are usually visible inside the cabin, towards the front of the aircraft and make
a little ding when the light illuminates.
But what does it mean?
When the lights chime, it’s an indication for flight attendants that they are needed,
and each light means something different.
When the light is pink, it says the captain or a fellow flight attendant is calling them.
When the yellow light signals on, it indicates a passenger hit the call button while inside
the lavatory.
If the blue light switches on, it means someone on board needs assistance.
On some flights, there is also a green light that could mean a variety of things.
It could let flight attendants know when they are near the gate, or it could indicate that
the cockpit is off limits because the plane hasn’t reached a certain altitude.
But it all varies on the type of aircraft and the carrier.
12.
Safety Grab Handles- Next time you’re on board a plan, take a glance of the handles
by the door.
If you guessed that they were grab handles, you are correct!
But why are they there?
Well in an emergency situation, filled with chaos and panic the flight attendants are
usually found by the exit doors assisting passengers out of the plane.
Scared and alarmed passengers who are rushing out of the aircraft have a tendency to push
the flight crew out of the way and knock them over all the way down to the slide.
So the handles are there as a safety measure for flight attendants to grab on and stay
on the plane if that’s what they’re instructed to do.
11.
Passenger Code Names- Anything interesting that happens on board will be discussed with
the rest of the flight staff.
Meaning anything from annoying crying babies to rude passengers will be identified in secrecy
and all the other flight attendants will know about it.
Flight attendants will give those passengers code names.
For example, one code name might be Bob, which stands for boyfriend on board.
This is the name given when a flight attendant is attentive to a particular passenger and
ensures that he is taken care of throughout the trip.
You might hear flight attendants ask about how Bob is doing and how they’re verifying
to make sure the relationship is going steadily.
10.
All Cargo Aboard- A lot of cargo gets shipped, aside from your luggage there is also dead
people in the hold.
Some people die abroad and need to be shipped home, or some people are very far from their
resting place and are being sent there.
The deceased is packed in wood framed boxes so you would never be able to guess its contents,
except maybe the strange shape might provide a clue that it’s a body.
The deceased is labeled as HR, which means human remains.
So if you hear the flight crew mentioning HR while flying Delta, this just means there
are human remains in the cargo.However some airlines like Easyjet don’t transfer load,
so there won’t be any coffins on the plane.
9.
Visible Windows- During takeoff and landing, flight attendants will lift the shades on
the windows.
While many passengers might think airline staff does this to prepare them for a bumpy
landing, it’s a much more important reason.
In case of an emergency, the flight crew only has 90 seconds to evacuate everyone on board
effectively.
So if the windows are open, it allows a better assessment of the situation.
This allows flight attendants to determine the conditions outside and how to conduct
an emergency landing in case of terrible weather like rain or lightning.
Plus this also allows passengers to report to the flight crew if there is something wrong
outside.
8.
Avoid the Airline Food- Don’t expect a three-course meal on board.
In fact, it might be best to avoid the entire in-flight meal.
If you think the beverages are a safer choice, well think again.
Unless it comes in a sealed bottle, the water used for tea and coffee come from tanks that
are rarely cleaned and are infected with bacteria.
While some flights offer excellent quality food, others do not.
The conditions in which the food is prepared is less than satisfactory, and some companies
that have provided meals to airlines have been served with health violations.
Overall, it’s best to bring your own food before you board or stick to snacks that have
been properly sealed instead.
7.
Limited Lifestyle- Many people think the life of a flight attendant is glamorous.
Not only do you get to travel to the world, but you get to meet dozens of people along
the way!
Well not exactly.
While FA’s are allowed some down time to go sightseeing outside of the airport, that’s
not always the case.
Being a flight attendant means being on schedule for up to 16 hours and it could go up to 18
hours if there are delays.
Sleep is also troublesome after getting off duty.
Not only are flight attendants staying in different hotel rooms, but sleep is hard to
get due to the time difference and jet lag.
While staying in a hotel room has a few perks like a swimming pool or a gym, it can get
pretty restless especially during long trips.
6.
Backend treatment- While many people would prefer a seat in the front so they can leave
first and get better food options, it’s actually the back of the plane that gets the
most attentive service.
Most flight attendants like to avoid responding to calls from the front of the aircraft because
answering one passenger’s questions means that everyone else down the line will have
a request.
Sometimes this can cause problems because most planes don’t carry enough headphones,
blankets, pillows or drinks.
Plus some of the flight attendants spend most of their time in the back, so it’ll be easier
to get their attention.
5.
Limited Pay- Even though flight attendants may look professional and clean in their uniforms,
their image doesn’t paint a pretty picture.
What many people don’t know is that flight attendants aren’t paid until the plane actually
takes off and they only get paid for flight hours, which doesn’t include boarding or
deplaning.
So while an FA could be working 12-hour shifts, you’re actually only getting paid for six
hours of work.
Another surprising fact is that some FA’s are even approved for food stamps.
While it sounds unbelievable, it’s true.
Some flight attendants have revealed they share housing with other airline employees
to save money.
Since the industry is also based on seniority, newer flight attendants have a bit more competition.
4.
Mile-high club- Many people wouldn’t dare to commit such adult acts while in the air,
but some people find it thrilling and exciting.
However, many flight attendants are trained and know what to do when it comes to passengers
getting down and dirty.
It’s pretty obvious to know what’s going on when you see two empty seats where a couple
was assigned to and when the bathroom door is locked, then it’s safe to assume that
some R-rated stuff is happening behind those doors.
While many flight attendants brush it off as long as they’re discreet about it, some
flight attendants will take action if passengers get too loud or if the passengers are reported
by other people.
3.
Hidden Hands- When passengers board, flight attendants stand by the entrance with the
hands behind their backs upon greeting people.
While you might think this is because of hygiene or a security matter, the real reason might
surprise you.
The flight crew stands this way because they are actually counting people.
Hidden in their hands is a clicker and they discreetly count everyone boarding to make
sure they have the correct amount of passengers.
This also helps them keep track of balance and weight limitations.
Sometimes the flight crew counts the passengers after they’ve been seated so sometimes they
count them twice.
So if you see a flight attendant walking up and down the aisle while you are waiting,
then she is probably conducting another passenger count.
2.
Taser on board- Korean Airlines recently announced that they loosened up their usage policy for
tasers on board.
The company’s plan is designed to give the flight crew some leeway in case they ever
have to use tasers.
The policy change was made after an unruly passenger on board became aggressive and out
of control.
On board was 80’s pop/rock singer Richard Marx who jumped in to help restrain the passenger.
The famous musician took to Twitter claiming that the cabin crew was unfit to handle the
situation and his wife also agreed that the flight attendants needed proper training on
how to use the onboard tasers.
While other companies have yet to reveal if they will allow the use of tasers on board,
this gives flight attendants another means of controls to wrangle dangerous situations.
1.
Unofficially Dead- Even though it might be scary to think about, dying midflight does
happen.
When a passenger dies mid-flight, they are likely to be kept in their seat.
Their death is also unpronounced until the plane lands.
According to Quartz, the International Air Transport Association, advises flight attendants
to put a deceased passenger in a new seat with fewer people.
If not, the flight crew might place the person in first class or move them to the galley.
In some rare cases, the deceased might be transferred to the corpse cupboard.
But if all the seats are taken, the dead would be left in their seat.
Some flight attendants would either cover the person with a blanket to minimize a scene
while still showing them respect.

14 BIGGEST SECRETS of Flight Attendants!

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