9 Things You Should NEVER Say to a Flight Attendant

Similar to other professions, being a flight attendant is not as easy as it looks like. You might say that think that their main job is to serve their passengers, but do more than that. Flight attendants have undergone rigorous training on flight safety and emergency situations so that they will SAVE you in the event of a tragedy on the plane.

A cabin crew is also a professional who deserves to be given respect just like any other person working in the corporate world. Their jobs are hard enough, and the least you can do is to be fair and polite to them. Asking for help once or twice is fine, but to overuse the phrase “the customer is always right,” is a red flag. Here are the nine things that you should never, ever, say to a flight attendant:

Austrian flight attendant
An Austrian Airlines flight attendant serving refreshments to passengers (under cc)

Avoid Telling A Flight Attendant These Things

So we’ve compiled some important insights about what you should avoid saying to our friendly cabin crews. We hope these details also help you understand why to give you a better educate yourself as a passenger.

  1. “Can you watch my kid?”

Cabin crews are not nannies. Sure, they can help hold your kid for a minute or two, but to give them the responsibility of taking care of your child while you sleep is not a part of their job.

  1. “Can I get more alcoholic beverages?”

Remember that you are in an airplane, not a bar, so you don’t have any reason to get drunk. Even if you can afford the in-flight alcoholic beverages, most airlines would only allow up to two drinks per passenger to avoid causing inconvenience to the other passengers and the cabin crews as well.

  1. “Do you have anything else I can eat/drink?”

Most airlines provide a list of what kind of food and drink they do offer, and it is usually put in the seat pocket just in front of the passenger. Asking them to tell you what they have for today’s flight is too time-consuming, considering that they also have other passengers to tend to.

  1. “Can you lift my bag in the compartment? I can’t do it on my own.”

A lot of people assume that putting bags in the compartment is a part of a cabin crew’s job – but it is NOT. It is merely a kind gesture that most attendants do to provide a better service to their passengers. As a matter of fact, some airlines have already prevented crews from doing so as there are a lot of incidents where they get injured while doing the task.

flight attendant
Flight attendants aren’t robots, and they have rights too! (Wikimedia Commons)
  1. “Give me a good reason why we’re delayed!”

Delayed flights are a frequent scenario in the airline industry, and believe it or not, cabin crews hate it as much as you do. The moment they are informed of the situation, they will gladly relay the information to the passengers. What you need to do is to stay put and wait.

  1. “Can you throw this trash for me?”

Even though you see an attendant going back to their working space after delivering meals and drinks, don’t ask them to throw your trash (or you baby’s diapers!) for you. Why not do them a favor and throw it away on your own when you decide to go to the washroom?

  1. “Which one of you is dating the pilot in here?”

Sure, there are a lot of love stories about the pilot and the attendant having secret romance, but it doesn’t happen all the time. Not to mention that the comment is actually insulting.

  1. “You’re just a plain stewardess in the sky.”

Let’s admit: not all flight attendants will be your cup of tea. Some might not be all smiles or can’t give you a faster service, but there’s no need to give them harsh words! Like most people say, if you can’t say anything good at all, better not to open your mouth instead.

  1. “Are you single? Can I have your number?”

This one is the most offensive thing you can ever say to a tired and a hard-working cabin crew. Hitting on an attendant, or verbally harassing them, can make you end up in jail.

Mistreating a Flight Attendant

What most people are unaware of is the fact that a lot of flight attendants are being treated poorly. Aside from the endless requests of demanding passengers, there are also times when they would receive harsh words that make their jobs harder than ever.

Imagine yourself in their shoes. You need to endure a tiring 12-hour flight while tending to more than a hundred passengers who make frequents requests and give you rude comments every now and then? Yep, that probably sucks!

To conclude, flight attendants are not your personal maid or butler. They are flying with the passengers for two reasons: (a) to ensure their safety, and (b) to make their trip more comfortable and convenient. Never forget that flight attendants aren’t robots, and they have rights too!