1. "The Gift of Fear," by Gavin De Becker, should be required reading for all men and women, especially for those of us who travel, particularly for women who travel alone. I've recommended this book to more flight attendants and passengers than anything thing else over the years. It's saved my life more than once.

2. Skip the first floor. They're easier to break into. That's why you'll never find a flight attendant below the second floor in a hotel. There's a reason for that. It's in our hotel contract.

3. Leave the lights and television on when you're not in the room. Put the Do Not Disturb sign on the door. It gives the appearance that someone is occupying the room, so no one will break in.

4. Stay Healthy: Never leave home without a small antibacterial spray. A mini bottle of vodka works just as well. Hit up the remote, the light switches, doorknobs and taps. You don't want to get sick while you're stuck at a less than desirable layover hotel.

5. Walk with intent. Walk down the street like you have a place to be, like you know where you're going and need to get there quickly. Do that and people will leave you alone.

1. Book wisely. If you need to be somewhere really important, it's probably not a good idea to book your flights with less than an hour between them. Even an hour is pushing it. An hour and a half is good. Two hours, even better. Whatever you do, don't take the last flight out! Delays happen. So do cancelations.

2. Pay the extra fee. If you're the anxious type and travel is stressful, pay the extra fee to sit closer to the front of the airplane and be done with it. Why start your trip out on the wrong foot and the risk a snowball effect. Because once something goes wrong, everything seems to follow suit. Better to be out a few bucks than to miss a flight! It's worth it just to relax.

3. Check your boarding pass. Many airlines print the boarding time, not the departure time, on the boarding pass. Depending on the equipment type (smaller vs. larger aircraft), you can usually tag on another 30 to 40 minutes to your connection time. Read the fine print.

4. Switch seats. Ask a flight attendant if you can move closer to the front of the cabin on landing. Unfortunately, most flights are full these days and just because there's an open seat up front doesn't mean you'll find a spot in the overhead bin for your bag too. If you've booked a tight connection, you might want to make sure your carry-on luggage fits under the seat in front of you.

5. Relax: I know, I know, easier said than done. Just know that while it might feel like it takes forever to disembark, the truth is almost everyone is able to deplane in less than 15 minutes. So take a deep breath and ... exhale. Put in your earphones and play the most relaxing music you have. Then get ready to run. Here's to hoping you wore appropriate shoes to sprint across the airport terminal.

From time to time I get asked questions about bad passengers. I thought I'd share a few of them here.

What's the worst passenger behavior you've witnessed?

I've caught passengers taking other people's luggage out of the bin to make room for their own bags. I'm not joking. They'll pull out a bag, drop it on the floor and walk away leaving it in the middle of the aisle for the passengers behind them to crawl over. Have you ever tried stepping over a 21-inch Rollaboard? Not easy. Happened three times last month!

The funniest?

Recently a woman tried to stow her suitcase in that, oh, what do you call that spot? Crevice? Crack? Between the overhead bin and the ceiling? There's like a millimeter of space there! I don't care which airline you're traveling on, that's not going to fit. Then there are the recliners and the anti-recliners. One anti-recliner got upset at a recliner because she couldn't get her tray table down. I suggested if maybe she removed the gigantic fanny pack from around her waist it might go down. She looked at me like I was the crazy one! One man actually called me over because the passenger in front of him had reclined his seat. I had to point out that, uh ... his seat was reclined too!

What's the most common bad passenger behavior you've seen?

These days, people are so self-absorbed multitasking as they board a flight they don't even say hello to the flight attendant greeting them at the boarding door. They're too busy talking on the phone, typing on their laptops, listening to music and texting as they walk down the aisle to notice their backpacks and duffle bags are whacking people in the head. Recently a passenger got mad at me - ME! - because I wouldn't help him lift a heavy bag. That's because he couldn't get off the phone to improve his one arm bag swing. Two arms always work better than one when it comes to getting those bags into the overhead bins.

Gallery: Galley Gossip: The official laviators club

From time to time I get questions from readers who want to know what the rules are regarding viewing pornography in flight now that Wi-Fi is available on board most airplanes. Thankfully, it hasn't been much of an issue (knock on wood). But planes are crowded, personal space barely exits, and when passengers do things they shouldn't, well, they usually get caught.

Last week on a flight from New York to Fort Lauderdale, a coworker had to ask a 10-year-old boy to turn off the erotica and to fasten his seatbelt. On either side of him sat his younger brother and sister. Across the aisle were his parents who had no idea what was going on until we informed them why he may have been holding the computer screen so close to his face. On a different flight another passenger was caught reading a Playboy Magazine. Next to him sat his young son. What gave this man away was the opened centerfold he was eyeing up and down. When a flight attendant politely asked him to put it away, he yelled at her for embarrassing him.

How common is it to see someone watching something rather risqué on a laptop, iPad, tablet or even the in-flight entertainment system in the air? I can only think of a few instances I've seen something that might raise a few eyebrows. When this happens, I'll gently inform the passenger that there are children on board and remind them that other passengers seated nearby might find what they're viewing distasteful. Nine times out of ten they'll either fast forward through the scene or turn it off – end of story.

1. FAAWait - During a creeping weather delay a flight attendant who also works part time as an air traffic controller told me about FAAWait. It's his favorite app. One click and we knew which airports across the country were also experiencing delays, how long the delays were averaging, and what had caused the delays.

2. MyRadar: Recently a fearful flier on board one of my flights spent three hours watching the weather light up his iPad screen: blue, green, red - wow, so much red! He knew exactly when to expect turbulence, how bad it might get, and how long it would last. Knowing this kept him calm. At one point he even turned around in his seat to let the crew know it would be smooth flying from here on out. Two seconds later the captain called to tell us the exact same thing, it was safe to get up and finish the service. Since then I've been recommending the app to anyone who mentions they're afraid to fly.

3. WhatsApp: An Emirate's flight attendant from Bosnia based in Saudi Arabia told me about this app on a flight from Miami to New York. WhatsApp makes it possible to send text messages to friends and family out of the country free of charge. There is virtually no cost to stay in touch with loved ones. You can even share audio and video messages.

4. Twitter: Still the best way to get breaking news! You don't need to "get it." Just learn how to use the hashtags to find information as it's happening. For instance, not too long ago I was at an airport that was being evacuated and no one knew why. That was my cue to search the airport code - #DFW. That's how I found out there was a bomb threat on an incoming flight. I learned this from passengers who were actually on board the flight and tweeting about it as they taxied to the gate.

5. HappyHourFinder: Flight attendants don't make a lot of money. In fact new hires start out making less than $18,000 a year. And yet we're subjected to overpriced hotel and airport food on a regular basis. This is why we take advantage of happy hour specials, particularly ones that include half priced appetizers, which might explain how I ended up at Vince Neil's Bar, Tres Rios, in Las Vegas two hours after learning about the app in the crew van on our way from the airport to the layover hotel.

Where are you from, Ahmed? Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. I'm Jeddah based.

What are the requirements to become a flight attendant for Saudi Airlines? High school minimum, English language (reading writing and spoken fluent), minimum age is 19, maximum age is 35, flight attendant diploma or courses has a priority.

How long was your flight attendant training? 3 months. But the new procedure is 6 months.

What's the best thing about being a flight attendant for Saudi Airlines? Benefits. We receive 14 salary per year in addition housing and transportation allowances, many free tickets, 24 hour insurance for accidents, and social position.

What is the average time on the job as a flight attendant for Saudi Airlines? Retirement age 60 years or 40 years flying. Male flight attendants don't have contracts. We are government employees. Female have an open contract. 25 years maximum.

Are female flight attendants recruited from other countries? Yes. We recruit from Morocco, Tunis , Egypt , Sudan , Ethiopia , Algiers , Albania , Bosnia , Turkey , Lebanon , Jordan , Syria, Pakistan , India , Philippines , Malaysia , Indonesia and Bangladesh. We don't have any flight attendants from Saudi Arabia or The Gulf Countries.

How do you think being a flight attendant in the United States differs from being one in Saudi Arabia? Being a flight attendant in Saudi airlines is more secure then USA because we belong to the government and Ministry of Aviation and Defense. Nobody can fire you due to bankruptcy of the company. We receive a salary and benefits no matter what happens to the company.

Favorite airplane? If it's not Boeing, I'm not going - hehehe

Longest flight? Washington and New York is our longest flight. 14 hours of flying.

Favorite route? Flights to the US so I can reach my required flying time in three flights only.

Least favorite route & why? London. Some of the passengers cannot ask for anything without mentioning their British passport.

Hi Heather, My wife is a flight attendant and for some time now I've been looking to make a career change and was thinking of becoming a flight attendant myself. I can see how she enjoys it and has fun with it and I'd like to try it, too. Do you think it would be a good or bad thing to bring up in an interview situation that I am married to a flight attendant or does it matter at all? Obviously being married to one gives me a greater insight and depth of understanding of the job and what it involves compared to many other candidates. I have a degree in Microbiology so I have somewhat of a brain, although my wife might debate that with you. I also co-managed a bar in Ireland before I came to the United States so I know what it's like to have to deal with difficult and intoxicated customers. I also was an airport screener for a while and I'm a state certified emergency responder. I'd like to think these things would make me a strong candidate. Just curious what you think. Thanks for your time, Brian.

Based on your work experience alone, you sound like the perfect candidate to me! You're comfortable cutting people off handling intoxicated passengers, you're familiar with the responsibilities that go along with working at an airport, and you have a pretty good idea of what life is like in the sky. Being a certified emergency trainer will only make you more attractive to the airlines. Your wife, I'm sure, has mentioned that no one ever dies in flight, right? At least not until a doctor can make an official pronouncement. This might be why so many flight attendants have nursing backgrounds. Some are even senior enough to hold a flying schedule that allows them to balance a nursing career at the same time. These are always my favorite flight attendants to work with because when there's an emergency in flight, they tend to take over. That being said, I truly believe it's your wife that makes you a standout.

I'm scheduled for a flight attendant interview on Tuesday! I've been through the process once before so I am familiar with the questions they may ask, but I'm just not confident in my answers sometimes. The hardest part is answering behavioral or situational questions. When they ask, "Name a time when..." I find it really hard to recall examples from my past work experience. I have trouble with these questions and I'm not sure what a good answer may be. I hope you can help. Here are a few examples.

1. How do you handle stress?
2. Name a time when you were under a lot of stress and how did you deal with it?
3. Describe a situation when you had to make a quick decision?

Krista

You've been through the interview process once before, so you already know what to expect. That's half the battle. Try to relax and don't forget to smile. Being able to keep your cool during a stressful situation is a big part of the job. The fact that the airline called you for a one-on-one interview says a lot about you. Thousands of people apply for the job, but very few applicants hear back from the airline. Remember that next time you're not feeling overly confident. And try to have some fun.

When it comes to answering interview questions, the most important thing to do is let the airline know you're a customer service oriented person - as often as possible. Talk about how you go above and beyond the call of duty to help people. Airlines are looking for flight attendants who are friendly, work well with others and take pride in their job. Try not to read too much into the questions. There's no such thing as a right answer. You don't have to share life-altering events for an airline to realize you'd make a great fit. Think in terms of the job. Keep it simple.

I can't answer the questions for you, but I can give you a few things to think about when it comes to stress and making quick decisions.

I would love to become a flight attendant. I live close to Fort Lauderdale airport, only about 30 miles from Miami International Airport and 80 miles from West Palm Beach Airport. I also have two teenagers (13 and 16) so that's where my question begins. If I live in Florida but my base is in New York, will I have to agree to relocate? How does that work if I live in Florida and have kids and a husband? Would the airline pay me to fly out to my base station every time I need to report to work or do I have to pay for that? Or would I just have to move there? This is what I don't really understand. - Gladys

On the flight attendant job application you'll probably find the question, "Are you willing to relocate?" Check the box "no" instead of "yes" and it's safe to assume you probably won't get called in for an interview. It's common knowledge that flight attendants must be willing to cut their hair and go anywhere.

After you've successfully completed training, you'll probably be put on probation. At my airline, probation lasts six months and new hires on probation do not receive travel benefits during this time. New flight attendants who choose to live in another city are on their own when it comes to covering the expense of getting to and from work during the first six months. Once off probation, commuters at my airline fly for free by standing by for an open seat. This is called non-reving because you are now a non-revenue passenger. Keep in mind there are very few open seats available on flights today, especially around holidays, during weekends and all through the summer. I've actually seen flight attendants come to blows over the jump seat on the last flight out. Which is why you're lucky you live so close to three airports. You have options when flights are full or when delays and cancellations affect air travel.

You know you're a commuter when you pack 20 pairs of pantyhose inside your crew bag. This is what I was thinking as I packed my suitcase to go back to work last week. Of course two seconds later I had to stop what I was doing so I could update my Facebook page with that very thought. Priorities, people! It didn't take long for the hilarious comments to come rolling in. That's when I knew I had to create the list: 10 signs you're commuting, non-reving, or traveling standby.

But first a little airline 101:

NON-REV, NON-REVING, NON-REVENUE PASSENGER: Airline employees and/or eligible family members and friends who are traveling on an employee pass. Travel passes are also known as buddy passes. Non-revs will standby for open seats.

COMMUTER, COMMUTING: is the process of getting to work, in other words, flying to one's base city. Commuters are Non-Revs, but non-revs are not always commuters.

STANDBY PASSENGER- A passenger or airline employee who is waiting for an open or available seat on a flight they are not ticketed on. Full-fare passengers will often "standby" for earlier flights, while non-revs and commuters standby for every flight.


1. You know 10 different ways to make your uniform look like you're NOT in uniform – so you can have a cocktail. - Kelley Fulmer

2. Your workday starts 15 hours before you sign in or get paid. - Beth Henry

3. A three-hour delay doesn't even faze you as long as you have boarding pass in hand! Or for that matter an hour sit on the taxiway doesn't bother you simply because you're on the aircraft - Sonja Hollen