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Galley Gossip: Hanging business class coats (it's just a flight attendant thing) {Gadling}
Apr 25th 2009 8:05PM Trash Management! That's my thing. I always double bag (ok, sometimes triple or more) the trash cart and when I pick up trash I dump the contents in the cart and neatly stack the cups, food trays, etc. I became obsessed with this when I was new and did a lot of international flights. We'd always run out of trash space and wind up shoving bags of trash in empty carts that would then start to leak... Even if I'm not picking up with a cart, I use an empty trolley bin: place a white trash bag in one end to dump contents and stack cups. I put newspapers and empty cans in empty cart bins, not in the trash. I have a really hard time restraining myself from MAKING my flying partners do it this way. I show them and hope for the best--its best if I can get them right out of training and program them.
I'm so bad that I could be doing a Milwaukee-Minneapolis turn and I just can't not stack my trash.
I am totally on with Jay about the ice cracking too. I can't stand icebergs in my drawer.
OH! And I can't take a passenger (no matter what class of the cabin he/she is in) anything--not so much as a pack of snack mix, without it being on a linen lined tray. I think it comes from when I always worked business class and was required to pick-up and deliver with a tray.
I'm pretty aggressive about second coffees after the service and water walks every 15--especially on international flights where people are always dosing and waking in intervals.
I'm ALWAYS in the aisle. And I constantly pick up trash. Its my thing.
Galley Gossip: A question about why flight attendants are fat, old, grumpy, lazy and ugly {Gadling}
Feb 18th 2009 1:36PM Heather,
I am going to assume that you are a well put together FA when I ask this question...Can you honestly say that you have never been embarrassed to walk through the terminal with any of your flying partners?
You know the ones. They don't starch their shirts--or worse, they wear "the dress" because they think it doesn't need to be ironed (even on a 4 day). If they wear a jacket, the elbows are shiney from wear. The shoes have never seen a bottle of polish and they have "cart toe" so bad you're not even sure what the original color was.
Her hair is probably halfway down her back and in desperate need of a comb--or perhaps she's sporting the "cheerleader" ponytail (complete with whispies) that is just oh-so professional.
And don't even get me started on the ones with the skirt up to THERE and the 4 inch jumpseat heels.
Be assured, I am far from the 115 lb petite beauties of yesteryear. Honestly, I am short and pudgy--but my uniform is always clean and pressed (even on reduced rest layovers), my hair and make-up (the minimum amount) are clean and tidy. My shoes are clean and polished. (I usually block between 100 and 120 hours per month doing domestic--so there's a lot of mileage on me, but I keep it together.)
It doesn't take that much effort to look professional--and I think that is really what this whole discussion comes down to.
It’s not about being attractive (except maybe to Big “tiny Penis” Daddy)--many of our fellow US based FAs give the appearance of being haggard and tired and...well, unprofessional.
I recently worked a trip with an FA who was a damned good FA--exactly the person you want in the jumpseat with you in an emergency. However, she was an unholy mess in the appearance department--wrinkled dress, ladder in her hose (for 2 days!), scuffed shoes, fly-away hair.
I couldn't figure out why I was so run-down on this trip until I realized--the PAX asked me for EVERYTHING! She would go through w/ the trash cart and a minute later I'd walk the aisle empty handed and everyone would try to hand me their trash.
She would be doing a water walk and PAX would wander back to the galley to get water from me.
She is an amazingly warm and outgoing person, but to the PAX she was unapproachable and did not convey confidence—just because of her appearance.
Galley Gossip: A question about why flight attendants are fat, old, grumpy, lazy and ugly {Gadling}
Feb 18th 2009 12:52PM Heather,
I work for a major US carrier that has many Asian routes and I beg to differ with your statement.
The majority of the PAX on my Asian flights are far more demanding and fussy than North American or European customers.
It is primarily a cultural difference that I do not take any issue with since I understand that in their cultures our position is viewed as that of a servant, not a professional. Most are not at all "polite" by western standards, although usually quite respectful.
-M
Galley Gossip: A question about traveling with kids and scoring an extra seat {Gadling}
Nov 23rd 2008 11:51AM "…you would be required by Federal Law to strap down the toddler to a seat with a belt that is designed for an adult."
Obviously you are not a "real flight attendant" or you would know that Federal Aviation Regulations (121.311, 91.107) allow a child who has not reached his/her 2nd birthday to be held by an adult during all phases of flight, including taxi, take-off, landing and any time the seatbelt sign is on. There is no caveat to this policy, therefore regardless of the availability of a seat (purchased or otherwise); the child may be held under the guidelines of “Federal Law.”
Furthermore, most (if not all) US carriers have their own policies (which are not Federal Law) that require a child to weigh no less than 25 pounds to safely use the aircraft seatbelt alone. If the little one is less than 25 pounds, an FAA approved child restraint must be used when occupying the aircraft seat for taxi, take-off landing and any time that the seatbelt sign is illuminated—the use of “a belt that is designed for an adult" would actually be prohibited by your own airline.
I wholeheartedly disagree with allowing lap children, but I know the FARs and my own company’s policies. Perhaps you should get out your manual and review FARs, your company’s policies and talk to your Inflight Supervisor about what is lacking in your carrier’s training program that causes you to speak with so much confidence in your ignorance.
Galley Gossip: A question about traveling with kids and scoring an extra seat {Gadling}
Nov 21st 2008 10:37PM Heather--here is a great oportunity to advocate the CARES restraint for children 22-44 pounds!
As you know from my reply to your previous article, I think the FAA and industry as a whole does a huge injustice to families by allowing parents to feel that it is safe to hold a child when we all know it is not. However, things being what they are, I would never question a parent's choice onboard my aircraft.
I do take every chance I get to suggest purchasing a CARES restraint. It is compact and fits in your purse or carry-on and is therefore especially perfect for the situations when you get lucky and have an openseat available. It is enough of a drama to drag the car seat around when you've purchased the seat, let alone for a "just in case" scenario.
I cannot not think of a single parent that I have told about the device who hasn't been grateful to know they have this option. One mom even told me that she didn't purchase the seat because its difficult to handle the 16 month old, 4 year old, luggage, etc--she was traveling alone. It wasn't the cost of the seat at all--just the logistics.
http://www.kidsflysafe.com/
Galley Gossip: A question about moving from coach to first class when there are open seats {Gadling}
Nov 16th 2008 10:38AM FYI: Those were the Flight Attendant's meals, not yours. They are boarded for us since we rarely, if ever, have time to get something to eat at the airport. And where would you suggest they eat? The on-board employee lounge? In the lav?
Personally, I've always had a hang-up about eating in front of the passengers. Even if I go hide in the aft galley, someone comes along and wants to chat and inspect my food (this never happens off the AC, its very odd).
I can't believe that you got a free up-grade and are snarking about the FAs eating their lunch? And furthermore, some airlines even charge the crew for those meals.
Galley Gossip: A question about traveling with car seats and strollers {Gadling}
Oct 21st 2008 1:30PM I would first like to say that your point about knowing how to install a child restraint is a very good one. When I first became a Flight Attendant I was absolutely amazed at the number of people who have no idea what to do with the thing!
As for lap children...I cannot deny that I am absolutely terrified by them and shocked that you make light of the fact that the practice is allowed. In the event of something like a down draft or aborted take-off there is no possible way to restrain the child--no matter how tightly you are holding him. And as all of us in the industry know, there is no warning that these things are about to occur and it is physically impossible to hold on to anything.
Aside from that, as a Flight Attendant I've no doubt that you have experienced all of the same scary situations that I have--the lap child on the aisle seat that is not being held tightly, if at all (even though you briefed the parent), and the wee one winds up in the aisle during the take-off roll. Or how about when one parent hands the child across the aisle t othe other parent during landing. My favorite is the sleeping parent with lap child--completely oblivious.
The fact that the FAA and the airlines allow this to happen misleads parent to believe that the practise is safe.
It is not safe and should not be legal, and while you made the point that many people are "struggling," I always wonder how that parent will feel if anything happens. How do you live with the decision that your child's life and safety were not worth the price of a ticket? I cannot imagine struggling with that for the rest of my life.
Galley Gossip: What is RIGHT with the airlines? (There's got to be something!) {Gadling}
Oct 2nd 2008 10:15AM Moreover, I would strongly suggest that you travel better prepared if anyone in your party has a medical condition.
Dealing with a medical emergency on an aircraft is less than ideal--at the gate or in the air. And by pleading (as most people do) for OJ, you've basically said "My husband has a serious medical condition and we are completely unprepared to deal with it so we've brought it on board this plane for you to worry about."
And as Frank points out, most of these people have no medical ID tags and refuse all follow-up attention. They just wanted a drink and feel they must make some excuse.
And finally, ask yourself "What if the aircraft had not yet been catered and there was no orange juice?"
I can assure you that whenever I get these requests, you get a great big smile followed with "I'll be happy to. Anything else?" But never underestimate the alarm that has been sent up amongst the crew the very second I reach a phone.
You see a request for OJ, we see a potential medical emergency. I do wish that some of my flying partners were a bit better at not showing that on their face--but you will never make a Flight Attendant understand why you would get on an aircraft when you are that ill. How can getting to LA be worth risking your own health and the safety of everyone on board that aircraft?
Plane Answers: Rudder pedals, window shades and a call out for an actress {Gadling}
Sep 22nd 2008 9:56PM It was most likely an inside joke amongst the crew.
Plane Answers: Rudder pedals, window shades and a call out for an actress {Gadling}
Sep 22nd 2008 9:54PM Window shades up and cabin lights dimmed...
Most of you were on the right track here. The reason that most airlines require this is so that the crew and passenger's eyes are adjusted to the "natural light" outside of the aircraft. The reasoning is essentially that should an evacuation become neccessary, you will not waste precious moments while your eyes adjust to the sudden brightness or darkness when assessing conditions outside the window.
Its one of the scenarios we went through in training at my airline and I think we were all amazed at the difference it made in our ability to quickly observe smoke, debris and other hazzards. It has always made me wonder why all airlines do not practice this safety procedure.
As for the airliner that closed its window shades for an emergency landing, I would guess that it may have been a one off security procedure for that situation because of the landing location. I cannot imagine any airline having any such policy since it is an action often associated with the hostage situations of the 1970s and 1980s.
