ON A LIGHTER NOTE-THE PROPER WAY TO ACT ON AN AIRPLANE!

I feel like my blog has been a bit "heavy" lately as I've blogged about Elizabeth's attachment issues. I thought it was time for a more light-hearted, yet informative post. :)


ok-I think it's safe to say that most of y'all know I'm a flight attendant for an amazing airline. :) S*uthw*st Airlines is, in my opinion, one of the best...if not THE best airline out there.

I have been at SWA for over 10 years now-hard to believe. My first 5 years, I flew ALOT. 4-5 days a week, sometimes more....for those out there who say "big deal! I go to work 5 days a week"..keep in mind..your pilots and flight attendants do not get to come home at the end of their days. Most of the time, we are on the road for 3 days at a time. You get used to it, but it's a different lifestyle.

When we had Andrew, we debated about me quitting, but decided to stick it out....flight attendants have some amazing perks...one of them is getting to make our schedules....so since we had Andrew, I give away the majority of my schedule and only fly once a month. It's SUCH a blessing!!

I wrote this while on the road...and every time I go fly I think, I really need to blog about how you can make flying easier on you AND on your crew!

So here are a few things to remember when you get on an airplane:

*remember your manners!!!!!!!!!!!! Please and Thank-you and Excuse me go a really long way!! A REALLY LONG WAY.

*Please do not demand things of us flight attendants, ie: "gimme another C*oke." again, please goes a long way!

*Please do not talk to us with your mouths full of food...I cannot tell you how many times people have inadventently spit peanuts on me while trying to tell me what they want to drink. I'd rather wait 30 seconds for you to answer the question "can I get you something to drink?" than to be showered with chewed up nuts.

*when we are handing you your beverage and/or snacks...please hold your hand out and look at us...smiling and/or saying thank you would even be nice. it's just plain old manners again. It happens ALL the time...you bring someone their drink or peanuts and they just point at their tray -not even looking up at you. Personally, I think that is REALLY rude.

*Flight attendants are not there to discipline your children. That is THE PARENTS job! I have been asked many a time, "can you get my son/daughter to do......?" grrrrr. Amazingly, I can. I can nicely but firmly tell a child they need to do xyz and they comply. hmmmmm. maybe mom or dad should try that. :)

*Please do not argue with us when we tell you something needs to be done for safety....ie: your child cannot sit on your lap during taxi or take off if they're over the age of 2...it's not my rule, it's the FAA's....but that was a "discussion" I just had to have the other day. Same with stowing or checking your baggage or turning off your electronic devices.



*oh goodness..now don't get me started on the electronic devices!! When we tell you they need to be turned off....PLEASE turn them off. That rule is for everyone...not everyone except you.

And if I have to personally tell you more than once to turn your device off(99% of the time that would be a cell phone!) , I'm going to start getting irritated. I think my all-time high is having to tell someone 4 times....my next step was calling the flight deck to have them return the plane to the gate so that very important person could continue their very important phone call in the luxury of the terminal. :)

*if you choose to sit in the emergency exit row, we MUST brief you about your duties. please listen to us instead of ignore us and please don't tell me "sure, I'll be the first one out!"...cuz most likely, you won't be. :) You will be responsible to help others out of the aircraft. hehehe! :)

*during the pre-flight emergency demonstration...it'd be nice for you to pay attention. :) If you don't feel like paying attention, I can't make you ...but PLEASE do not interrupt others that are trying to listen and please do not talk loudly, in an effort to talk OVER the emergency information. That happens all the time. It even happened to me the other day -these 3 guys were talking so loudly that I couldn't even hear the other flight attendant giving the information..and I was supposed to be demonstrating!!

*Personal hygiene issues:

~do not put your feet on the tray tables.....people eat off of those.
~please do not clip your nails, either finger or toe, on the aircraft. That is something you should do at home, not in public!
~please do not paint your nails on the plane. The odor of nail polish is very strong, especially in an enclosed metal tube.
~keep your shoes on if you get up to walk around. ESPECIALLY if you are going to the bathroom. The liquid on the floor of the lavatory is almost certainly not water. If I am your flight attendant, I actually won't let you go in to the lavatory without shoes on..you can get mad at me if you want, but I'm just trying to protect you! :)

*I know those seats aren't huge and you really don't have a ton of room, but PLEASE do not hang out into the aisle. That is OUR working space. I come home from every trip with bruises on my legs from elbows and knees I've inadvently bumped as I've tried to walk up and down the aisle...and I'm a size 6 girl. Every flight has at least 1 person, often many, who have some part of their body hanging out into the aisle...feet (so we can trip on you and spill our drinks!), knees, elbows, head...and my personal pet peeve - reading the newspaper in the aisle even though you're still seated in your seat.

I'm quite sure I have more helpful hints to pass along, but these are all I could think of for now. :)