Their expectations are sky high.
A flight attendant has revealed the biggest in-flight no-nos while coaching flyers when to use the overhead call button and how to flag down a steward.
Jetsetters can click, whistle and even make kissing noises at attendants to garner their attention, but this frequent flyer draws the line at physical contact.
“I’ve been prodded, poked and even pinched before,” the unidentified attendant wrote last month on the Sun’s travel blog.
“There are so many other ways to get our attention as we come through the aisle that it shouldn’t ever come to physical contact, which is a boundary that most of us wouldn’t like you to cross.”
An unidentified flight attendant revealed the do’s and don’ts of airline travel to The Sun. Compassionate Eye Foundation/Justin Pumfrey
Touching a steward is considered “incredibly rude and obnoxious.” Westend61At most, a gentle shoulder tap is enough, “but only in very rare instances.”
“That’s incredibly rude and obnoxious, but beyond that, I’m pretty happy to respond to most ways of getting my attention,” the flight attendant added.
While not everyone speaks the same language and some may “have their own methods” of grabbing someone’s attention, “as long as you’re not obviously being rude or demeaning, we’re happy enough to help you,” the blog poster assured.
The call bell, however, is not to be taken lightly.
The flight attendant revealed the in-air “coke or stroke” motto — when someone rings the button, they could be having a medical emergency, or they may just want a soda.
Because of the endless possibilities for the dreaded call bell, the steward would “rather you only used those for really important things because, if we’re not in the aisles, we’re usually doing something important elsewhere on the aircraft.”
Ringing the call bell for a non-emergency is frowned upon. Peter Bannan
While excellent service is obviously expected, the writer said, there are better ways to grab someone’s attention. Thomas BarwickIn fact, attendants would rather passengers get up from their seats and come find them, instead of ring the bell.
“That way we’re not charging up and down the aircraft, reacting as if someone could be having a heart attack when all they need is a beer,” the Sun writer reasoned.
But kids know how to push attendants’ buttons — literally. The bell becomes even more bothersome when tiny tots incessantly ring it.
“We have the option to turn off their call bell, so they can press away, without disturbing us and our service,” the attendant noted. “There’s lots of other call bells on the plane if you need us urgently.”
If a passenger’s child toys with the call bell, there is an option for attendants to switch it off. HalfdarkThis anonymous writer is not the only airline staffer sharing their baggage online.
Flight attendant Chris Kellum recently took to TikTok to confess how passengers “annoy” him, even prior to lift off, by attempting to squeeze ill-fitting bags into the overhead bins, among other habits.
TikToker Kat Kamalani, who also works as an airline staff member, said people complaining about wailing babies or requesting to move seats because of them are considered irritating.
