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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
Reader Comments (Page 40 of 40)
Paul Ahkolik Mar 5th 2009 12:41PM
With all due respect to the author of this story, here's a hypothetical yet very plausible scenario, based in part on personal experience flying with regional airlines.
Port engine starts turning, where's my earplugs?
Starboard engine starts turning, where's my earmuffs?
Take-off roll, where's my earmuffs and earplugs?
I'm sorry Miss/Mr Flight Attendant, but the noise from your jet-powered puddle jumper with the thinly-insulated cabin is hurting my ears, so please excuse my noise-canceling headphones.
PlanePrincess Mar 21st 2009 3:26AM
Paul:
The writer isn't complaining about the general existence of noise-canceling headsets and their usage, but about people who are too rude to remove said headsets for a brief moment to do the fairly simple human task of acknowledging the flight attendant when he/she is asking for your drink selection. It's frustrating when someone makes you ask the same question multiple times because they're not thoughtful enough to listen for a few moments. Go ahead and keep those headsets and earplugs in for the flight - I have my own set for commutes and other flying - just please be courteous and have the decency to remove those devices from your ears for a few moments to treat F/A's like a human.
Safe flying!
Paul Ahkolik Jul 17th 2009 1:43PM
PlanePrincess,
With all due respect, I'm guessing you've never had to fly on a regional jet as loud as the CRJ-200, or you might have said something slightly differant.
Secondly, I recall saying "here's a plausible scenario" not something etched-in -stone, or something that actually happened. I was being no more sarcastic than the author of the article.
Thirdly, having retired (medically) from the service & travel industries with fourteen year's experience, I can relate to person who wrote this article. Bottom line, there's a lot of rocket scien....err, propulsion engineers out there who simply don't get the point.
You obviously do get the point that the author of this story is trying to make, and I hope it's clear that I do too.
Safe journies, Paul in KCRP
Incidentally, when did they become F/A's? I always thought they were human, not combat aircraft. ;-)
LAGUY Jul 17th 2009 11:43PM
I get upset with the ones that ask for the whole can...AFTER I have taken the time to watch the bubbles foam down OVER the ice, when if they just ask for it right away...I will start the pour...give them can and glass...then move on to the next passenger so that WE can finish our service before landing. ALSO...there are the passengers that ask for the whole can, and when I come by collecting trash...they give it back to me 3/4 full...if you can't/don't want to drink the whole can...DON'T ASK FOR IT...WASTEFUL!!
Cheryl Sep 28th 2009 6:32PM
Will...i agree. You SHOULD take the bus you miserable old shrew! And maybe you should lose some weight so you fit in the seats that are plenty big for the average person...
gfagundes Mar 1st 2010 4:23PM
LoL... as i read your article i realized that i actually have "those giant Bose noise cancellation headsets" covering my ears right now :)
I thought it was quiet RUDE last week when i flew GRU-DFW and a AA FA (or OA - for oldER attendant) actually had a sheet of paper hanging from the service cart's front edge w/ a handwritten note that read: "CHICKEN OR PASTA, PLEASE CHOOSE :)".
But now, I realize i'd be doing the same after so many "Wha?"s. Perhaps she goes from rude to SMART ASS on my books (with emphasis on the first) ;).
Kristi Mar 12th 2010 1:45PM
I am always amazed at the things people can say when they don't have to show their faces. Insulting someones education, their job and telling them to "get over it" is just plain rude. I always wonder to myself, when reading blog comments, would these people say anything of the sort to your face? Doubt it. Have some manners, people!
Heather.. I GET it!!! I can only imagine how this would test your patience. I don't think it speaks of your general character. I think Mother Theresa would get peeved eventually. Also, everyone on here telling you to "get over it" has probably had a bad day at some point. Venting frustration on your job is okay!
iTard Mar 25th 2010 3:00PM
As long as I am not the one on the clock and paying $400+ for the 2h 'convenience' of air travel I am allowed to listen to my favorite music and mute the great 'deals' that your duty free offers without being rude. Oh, and yes - I'll have a diet Coke, PLEASE. I hope you feel important now. Now let me get back to tracking my flight online before the pilots overshoot the runway by 100miles.
Best,
iTard
p.s. Your cheap headphones are not worth renting for five extra dollars
Joe G Aug 26th 2010 7:38PM
Oh geeeez, your job is sooooooo hard! You had to repeat yourself to a few rude people over beverage service?? How do you bear such a heavy load? C'mon it's a BEVERAGE, not a life or death query. I travel EVERY week. Airlines treat their passengers like crap and then expect us to genuflect when they show up with the one courtesy still remaining - splash of something wet in a plastic cup. You're gouged at the counter for checking a bag (which is unlikely to arrive when you do) you're herded like cattle at the gate, and when you finally board your late, overcrowded flight you're met by "Sky Dolls" who work hard at remaining indifferent and invisible. Yeahhhhhh, you really have the bad end of that deal, dontcha'? For every unresponsive passenger you've had to whip out your sarcastic card for, I'll bet there were 100 others onboard that received their coveted 3 oz beverage and would have appreciated friendlier service. Get over yourself.