I’m air cabin crew AMA!

[Polarbearflavour]

Well I was until recently!

I’ve flown for 3 airlines. One in the Middle East, a low cost and then a very large British airline.

[GummyGoddess]

Do you get tired of being so nice to people all day who are really ungrateful and rude? Do you think it's worse than a ground public facing job since you can't get away?

Is it true that blankets, ear buds and similar aren't cleaned properly?

[Polarbearflavour]

What's the most embarrassing thing you've found passengers doing?

Masturbating in their seat to porn, he got a stern telling off!

Have you ever served first class and if so, what's that like compared to serving on a budget airline?

I wasn’t first class trained but I did work in business class. The cabin is much smaller and standards are much higher. All the service has to be done in a specific way. I was also more aware in how I spoke with and interacted with the passengers in business. We were meant to address them by name where possible, hang up coats and jackets and be able to recommend food and wine choices.

I was more at home working down the back in economy!

[Polarbearflavour]

What do you do for disabled passengers? Eg. Wheelchair users who have had to check their chair at the gates.

Do you have to stay until the disabled passengers have been collected and what do you do when it's a very long wait for them?

Anything else helpful you think disabled passengers should know?

Wheelchair uses are assisted on board by the airport ground handling assistance company. As crew, we greet and assist in helping stow bags where needed etc. Crew cannot physically lift passengers or move them.

There are often delays in the ground services company taking passengers from the plane. At the end of a trip, the cabin manager and another crew member will stay with them. Normally it’s apologising, chatting to them and making them as comfortable as possible.

The cabin crew are there to help - don’t be afraid to ask!

[Polarbearflavour]

On your interview did you have to put on the uniform and lipstick and be judged on your looks? I’ve heard that about one airline.

Virgin Atlantic did this years ago! They don’t now. The Middle Eastern airline was a lot stricter on looks! I was weighed at interview and I had to walk up and down in fromt of the interviewers. The low cost airline was also really keen on re-applying lipstick all the time. I once has it written in an inflight appraisal that I needed to apply it every 30 minutes!

Are you trained to not outwardly show fear? As I am a nervous flier, and am always trying to read the faces of the cabin crew. In my head, if they don't look worried, then everything is okay- is that a good indicator?
Not really trained - just told to smile and not look worried whch isn’t really very helpful. One trainer told us to make sure we powdered our noses and put on some lipstick before an emergency landing as that would reassure the passengers.

What's your experience of the differences between first class, business class and economy? I've never been in anything other than economy so am curious!

Premium economy on long haul makes it more bearable and isn’t as expensive as business class. I wouldn’t pay for first class personally. Business class is nice if you can afford it for long haul. Flat bed just makes it more bearable and not having to queue for the lavatories!

[Polarbearflavour]

I'm flying next week (4-5 hour flight) with my 2 year old for the first. Any tips on maybe the journey as stress free as possible for me and the people around us?

Ask for help from the crew. Hopefully they will help you to your seat and with your bag without you having to ask - I would have! Take advantage of priority boarding to get settled before the vast crowd of passengers gets on. Take what you can to amuse your little one onboard and snacks.

Most crew love children. I’m not saying that you should foist them onto the crew but if I had time on a flight I would pop by and hold your little one etc if I could see you needed a moment!

Who was the nicest and worst celebrity you met
Sophia Loren was gorgeous - she was lovely! Brad Pitt was utterly charming and SO handsome.

Also liked John Simm, Prince William and Blue.

Worst? A famous 70s/80s Welsh female singer who only spoke to the crew via her husband!

[Polarbearflavour]

Did you enjoy it? Why did you decide to leave?

I liked the variety, the posh hotels and free travel. I disliked unsocial working hours and there and back flights where you don’t leave the airport and fly back to the UK.

I left because passenger behaviour got worse and the sheer rudeness and stupidity of some people really wore me down. And the actual job itself is really unchallenging. Oh and airline management is crap. Bringing in new crew on cheaper contracts and trying to divide and conquer. Really nasty tactics.

*What is your view on 2 matters if extreme contention on MN:

1. Passengers reclining their seats
   
2. Families who have not paid to reserve seats needing it expecting other passengers to move so they can sit with their children.
   

And now, this wake turbulence business: is it actually safe? I bet I would have screamed!*

1. Passengers do technically have the right to recline. I would always ask them to put their seat upright for meals. The low cost airline did this the best by not having reclining seats! It’s always polite to tell the person behind what you are about to do and recline only a little as needed. And not at meal times.
   
2. I would advise paying to reserve seats. I think it’s poor that airlines charge to reserve - it’s yet another way for them to make money. The cabin crew will try to help as much as they can but ultimately they cannot force other passengers to move.
   

Wake turbulence is rare. It has caused crashes in the past (very few) But it’s not something you should worry about.

[Polarbearflavour]

Do you get tired of being so nice to people all day who are really ungrateful and rude? Do you think it's worse than a ground public facing job since you can't get away?

Is it true that blankets, ear buds and similar aren't cleaned properly?

Yes! That’s partially why I left. Unlike other customer facing jobs, passengers do have to obey all lawful commands. So unlike working in a shop or restaurant, they do have to sit down, fasten their seatbelts etc so crew have more authority.

The blankets and headphones get gathered up. As far as I know, they do get cleaned. Somebody told me that people with learning disabilities clean the headphones as part of an employment programme. I have no idea how true that is.

[Vicky1990]

Do you think that alcohol should not be served before and on the flight to help maintain good behaviour.

[Polarbearflavour]

Do you think that alcohol should not be served before and on the flight to help maintain good behaviour.

I certainly think that drunken passengers shouldn’t be allowed to board. But I don’t think alcohol should be banned. People who are dicks will be dicks whether they are drunk or not in my experience!

[PavlovianLunge]

A famous 70s/80s Welsh female singer who only spoke to the crew via her husband!

Had she been to France? Did she get lost there?

[Aanniilleess]

Hello lovely! I really hope you may still respond on this thread. I'm not sure if anyone has asked this as I can't scroll for some reason! - apologies if so! - but may I ask what your work hours are like? I'm a single parent with two children, and my dream one day is to be cabin crew, or some role in an airport (AV geek completely 🤓). I don't believe it's possible at this stage in my life, but I'm genuinely not sure of work hours. Sounds daft, but is it ever possible to be 'part time' cabin crew haha 😂. I feel I'd genuinely be available 9am - 6pm 6 days a week, but I feel this still isn't enough for a career as cabin crew 😵.

[Arnoldthecat]

Do BA long haul aircrew think they are special and are they trading on passed glories?

[JellyBears]

Arnoldthecat my friend is a ba hostes and she defo doesn’t think she’s special.