Click on a label to read posts from that part of the world.
Galley Gossip: Flight Attendant Pet Peeve #1: Answer please!
I'm working the very last leg of a three day, three-leg-a-day, trip. Still with me? Good.
I'm rolling down the aisle behind a 150 pound cart loaded with ice, soda, beer, liquor, and snacks for sale, along with inserts on top filled with cups, napkins, juice, water, and a couple of hot pots of coffee and tea. Nine times out of ten, I'll probably reach your row and ask the question of the day: "Would you care for something to drink?"
And three times out of five the response will be, "Wha?" And that's a wha without the T.
Normally when faced with this type of situation, I force a smile, grab a napkin, and wave it while eyeing the tray table locked in the closed position in front of you. "Something to drink?" I'll ask again, and while I ask this question I find myself wondering why you haven't taken off the Ipod or those giant Bose noise cancellation headsets covering your ears when you see me standing at your row.
"Wha?" you ask again, scrunching your eyebrows together, because, for some reason, you're not understanding what I'm saying, even though I've been standing behind a beverage cart for the last fifteen minutes slowly inching my way towards you.
I try again, "Drink, something to drink?" now playing a game of charades as I put a pretend cup to my lips and tilt my head back, repeating the word, "Drink? Drink?"
Finally the headset comes off, you smile, and I actually hear, "I'm sorry what?"
Lately flight attendants have gotten a bad rap. Trust me, I've heard the horror stories. And I know they're out there, the bad flight attendant, because I, too, have had to work with a few of those flight attendants. It's not fun for either of us. But keep in mind there are also good flight attendants out there who really do enjoy their job. Like me. But even I get annoyed and a little short when I encounter a passenger like the one above. Remember I have now asked the question, "would you care for something to drink?" which has been shortened to "something to drink?" and shortened again to just "drink!" AT LEAST 960 times in the last three days. And that doesn't count the number of times I've been ignored, causing me to ask the same person the same question three times in a row. It's the kind of thing that could make a flight attendant go a little crazy. Or maybe a lot crazy. So crazy she may actually rip a piece of paper off the cart, grab a strip of tape, scribble a barely legible note, tape it to her airline ID and wear the thing around her neck as she rolls down the aisle behind the heavy cart.
"Something to drink?"
"Wha?"
I grab the ID around my neck, the one with the scribbled note that reads, Drink? Please answer! and hold it up with a smile.
The passenger nods, and asks, "What do ya have?"
I take a deep breath. "Coke. Diet Coke. Pepsi. Diet Pepsi. Sprite. Diet Sprite. Dr. Pepper. Diet Dr. Pepper. Ginger Ale. Diet Ginger Ale. Club Soda. Apple Juice. Cranapple Juice. Orange Juice. Tomato Juice. Grapefruit Juice. Coffee. Tea. Water. Tonic Water."
"Umm...I'll take a Coke."
Still with me?
Good.
Filed under: Food and Drink, Airlines, Galley Gossip
Get a WordPress.com Blog
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 40)
Justin Glow Jun 4th 2008 9:12AM
It's weird -- I do the complete opposite.
Once the cart makes its debut, I'm in drink mode: I flip to the back of the in-flight magazine to survey my choices, usually contemplating between coffee or juice. Then, when the cart is a few rows away, I look directly ahead, focusing on the task at hand. Juice, I decide -- I want juice. And when the flight attendant finally makes her way to my row and looks in my direction, I freeze up, freak out, and make a sudden change to coffee.
mickey woodring Jun 6th 2008 8:59AM
I'm usually asleep within 5 minutes of boarding.
So no soda for moi!
Julie Jun 6th 2008 11:50AM
Things will never change. I was a TWA flight attendant in the 1960's, and the same thing used to bug me, among other things. But these people didn't have earphones in their ears. They were just plain rude.
John R. Schmieder Jun 6th 2008 12:58PM
Do away with them and make everything self serve at a buffet table in back.
xtinee702x Jun 6th 2008 1:33PM
HAHAHA... thats so funny! I do the same thing. You see the cart coming down the isle, and all of a sudden Im having a battle in my head as to what I will choose, and then I start to worry, hwat if she doesnt see me or anything and I get missed!!
chris Jun 6th 2008 3:17PM
You are a man after my own heart.
ck Jun 8th 2008 4:09PM
I had a captain once who assigned a name for those ill-mannered idiots who walk around all day, lost in their tunes, dangerously obliviously to the world around them. He called them "i-Tards." I hope the name catches on. What makes me laugh is that there has been legislation proposed to prevent people from walking around on busy streets with their headphones blasting, because some were so clueless, they stepped out into oncoming traffic and were killed. I say, why bother? Seems like Darwinism in action to me.
Will Jun 8th 2008 4:19PM
sorry heather or gladys or whatever yr name is I am so freakin uncomfrotable in crappy cheap a__ seat the one with no padding a terible slant forward where I cant fit my elbows between the arm rests so I dont intrude on the passenger beside me, irritated at being told I should put the window shade down so I can't look out at tmerica instead of the inane watered down movie after having been told I can buy a lunch fo just $10 that woudl cost me $8 at the inflated terminal prices, I truly dont intend any rudeness by not responding instantananeously and brightly to your inquiry, after all the soft drinks and water, all 8 oz plastic drinking container of it since it seems for the time being to be included in the cost of the fare, but just let me suffer quietly .. its not quite as bad as kidney stones but its getting there and the thought that you have YR panties in a twist cuz am not Mr Cheerful.... well, that just adds one more wonderful feature to the whole refreshing and cheerful ambience.............
dmartinis@aol.com Jun 8th 2008 6:53PM
Great reply!
dmartinis@aol.com Jun 8th 2008 6:54PM
Great picture, and a great comment!
Scott Macbride Jun 10th 2008 8:10AM
Heather Nice to see your name after all these years.
Hope your well...... Scott
SignGuy Jan 9th 2009 2:22PM
Way to go Justin. That's the way I fly - except is a Bloody Mary. And as for Will (I've sat by him to many times) . . . do us all a favor - take a bus!
Bert Jun 4th 2008 9:36AM
I do a pre-flight prep. Pull out a few fivers and put them in my magazine, shirt pocket, or some small opening in my laptop.
It doesn't take me more than two questions to get my beer.
A(1): Beer, please.
A(2): Whatever is closest to the ice-pack and is not "light", Canadian if you have it
A(3): Thanks, and see you later!
I don't choose forward seats to get out quickly, it's to get the beer faster!
Bob Jun 6th 2008 6:20AM
Next time you land, you might want to think about AA
RD Jun 6th 2008 10:30AM
I'M WITH BERT...FLIGHT ATTENDANTS HAVE MORE IMPORTANT THINGS TO DO THAN PUT UP WITH SOME BOZO WITH A HEADSET ON...
I'VE FLOWN MORE THAN A MILLION MILES AND HAVE SEEN THESE IDIOTS MORE THAN ONCE...AND YES, I'VE ENCOUNTERED THOSE FLIGHT ATTENDANTS THAT I HOPE TO NEVER SEE AGAIN
bparkercmh Jun 6th 2008 11:08AM
Love it! Booze it up!
Willy Jun 4th 2008 10:40AM
Is it impolite or annoying to ask for the *whole can of soda*? Seriously. A full cup of ice usually results in about two sips of drink, which is usually insufficient.
Justin Glow Jun 4th 2008 11:35AM
Funny you ask that. I was on a flight recently, and the lady next to me asked for the whole can. The FA obliged with no apparent issue, but I thought it was a strange request -- the first time I'd heard it.
DJ Jun 4th 2008 11:55AM
I have always been given the full can of soda...which I usually don't want.
Michael 8-) Jun 4th 2008 1:41PM
I noticed awhile back that airlines stopped giving full cans to save money, and most flight attendants stopped... but my husband asks every time for a can and they never flinch.