I’ve always assumed that our friendly flight attendants would have some great stories to tell about their experiences, and possibly some great travel tips for the rest of us. Plus, I’ve always been curious about what that job is really like. Recently, I got the chance to interview not one but two flight attendants (be sure to read to the bottom to see their travel must haves).
To make sure they were totally comfortable telling all, I promised to keep their names, and the names of the airlines they work for, a secret. So, to protect their identities, we’ll just call them Thelma & Louise.😁 Here’s what they had to say (be sure not to miss the “mile high” question)…
ABOUT YOU BEING A FLIGHT ATTENDANT
How long have you been a flight attendant & what first got you interested?
Thelma: I’ve been flying for a little over 25 years. I’m still considered fairly junior at my company.
Louise: I’ve been doing this for 18 years. I got interested because my dad worked for AA so I always flew my whole life and wanted to keep doing it.
What do you wish travelers knew about you/flight attendants?
Thelma: That most of the time, when we ask you to do/not do something, it’s for reasons of policy and procedure or federal law, to which we are held accountable. Not because we want to be the boss of you. Please believe me when I tell you, no one wants to be the boss of you less than me. Particularly, when grown adults can’t work out for themselves something like whether the window seat shade should be open or closed.
Louise: That we are people too with lives and families and we get just as frustrated when there’s weather and delays.
What’s a typical day/week look like for you (how often are you flying & how long is that day)?
Thelma: It’s really more easily relatable on a monthly basis. We are given a month’s schedule of flying at a time. At my company, the trips are anywhere from a turn (1 day, return where you started) to 6 days (generally, these are overseas where the service isn’t daily). The length of your duty day is governed by the contract you work under, destination (domestic versus say ultra-long haul) and ultimately the FAA.
Louise: I only fly around 70 hours a month so, that’s around 14 days a month. This month I’m only flying weekends and they are 2 day trips. 3 legs the first day then one leg home.
Do you get to see the places you go to or is it just there and back?
Thelma: Layovers vary greatly. Sometimes you have enough time to see a city, sometimes it’s going straight to bed. Usually overseas you get at least a day.
Louise: We have all kinds of trips from turnarounds to long international layovers. Some layovers are just long enough to sleep but some are 18-30 hours and you can get out and see the city.
How much traveling do you do outside of work & do you fly for free (your family too)?
Thelma: Not as much as I did when I was young and single. Although my immediate family and I all fly at no cost, it’s only when there are empty seats available. That’s a lot more complicated than you might think.
Louise: We travel a few times a year and me and my husband and son are free domestically. We pay a small fee for international flights.
Do flight attendants make good money?
Thelma: In my opinion, money is always good. 😉
Louise: I do now because I’m at top out pay. You hit your top pay at 15 years and we get a small raise every year after that. Depending on how many hours you choose to fly, we have lots of FAs making over $100,000 a year.
Do you work with the same crew often or is it always a different group?
Thelma: Usually with different people, although on the larger planes, I often know a person or two.
Louise: I usually work with different crews all month.
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THE FUNNY & THE GROSS
What’s the funniest, weirdest or coolest thing you’ve seen or experienced in your job?
Thelma: I’m pretty sure my definition of “weird” at this point has grossly departed from the norm. You’re a mom. Think of when you get in a car with your childless friends and they’re all “Sorry for the mess” and its like 2 random Starbucks napkins and mentally, your realize the goldfish/dog hair/lego encrusted floor of your minivan could feed, clothe, and shelter a family of 4. Kinda like that. Fortunately, “funniest” is usually just “weirdest” that’s had some time and distance. The views from 30,000 will always win any “coolest” award in my book.
Louise: Well, my husband is also a flight attendant so it’s always funny if we ever fly together because people never expect that! I’ve had several celebrities. My favorite was Norman Reedus from The Walking Dead. I’ve also had Nolan Ryan and Samuel L. Jackson asked if we had any snakes on the plane.
How clean is the plane/how often do they clean it and what does that entail?
Thelma: It’s not. Not enough. Certainly not enough for you to let your babies crawl on the floor. Or go to the lavatory without shoes. Ya know what – shoes in general are a great idea on a plane. Keep them on. I don’t care how pretty your feet are, no one wants to have them bare, up close and personal. Or maybe they do, but that’s the subject for a completely different kind of blog.
Louise: It’s not that clean! It gets cleaned overnight but in between quick turns it’s just a quick sweep as fast as possible so there are germs and people still try to go into the lav barefoot. 😬
Ever caught anyone trying to get into the mile-high club (we ALL want to know)?
Thelma: HAAAAAA! Many M A N Y times. Sometimes in the seats. Sometimes in the bathroom. Once in the crossover space on a widebody (dual aisle) airplane. My greatest claim to fame is watching 3 people trying to cram themselves into one of those tiny lavatories all at once. Until someone brought up that there aren’t enough O2 masks in there for all of them and we had to pull them out. And the people who drink and take Ambien always end up taking off their clothes for some reason. Not in a sexual way necessarily – they just wanna be naked. It’s a real thing.
Louise: Yes, I caught a couple going into the lav together on a flight from NY to LA and we waited until they got out then gave them champagne and welcomed them to the mile high club – they were very embarrassed!
FLIGHT ATTENDANT TIPS
Are there any special perks we could be getting that we don’t know about? (Economy)
Thelma: I think the last perk left economy class in 1997, but it never hurts to be nice to the flight crew.
Louise: If you’re nice and move to accommodate a family, I’ll give you a free drink or free food.
Any way to get an upgrade to business or first class?
Thelma: Not once you’re on the plane without swiping your credit card. It’s actually a terminal offense for us. Unless there’s extenuating circumstances/an emergency and we have to move someone. See tip #1.
Louise: Unfortunately not really anymore.
What are your pet peeves – what do you wish everyone would do or stop doing when they fly?
Thelma: Pause the movie & take the AirPods out. I promise the Infinity Stones will still be there after you tell me whether you want a coke, water, apple juice, nothing. Oh, and quit drinking alcohol and taking Ambien. I know, I know. You’ve done it a million times and it doesn’t affect you, but uh yeah it does.
Louise: Crowding the boarding area before boarding begins. Also coming on the plane and going straight to the bathroom the terminal bathroom is really much cleaner than the lav. Also not having courtesy for their fellow passengers.
What if I really have to go potty but the seat belt light is on – how much trouble are we talking here?
Thelma: You know, sometimes I think people forget that you are hurtling through the air at an average of 500 mph. You know how you sometimes get that weird roller coaster drop feeling out of nowhere? That’s clear air turbulence which has no way of being detected other than what aircraft ahead of you are reporting. If that sign is on, there’s probably a reason. If you’re on the ground moving at a snail’s pace to take off, the captain has to stop the plane anytime a passenger is out of his/her seat. If you’re in the bathroom, there’s a good chance the plane will lose its place in line. Think patio seating at Joe T Garcia’s (a very popular, very crowded restaurant in Fort Worth, TX) on a Saturday night. You really don’t want to have to be at the end of that more than once.
Louise: I’ll let you go, but it’s an FAA rule that we tell you the seatbelt sign is on so you’re up at your own risk.
What do you do to stay healthy around so many people all the time?
Thelma: I wash my hands so much the lady at the nail salon once asked me what the heck I do to them.
Louise: I take vitamins and wash my hands like crazy.
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What does your carry on look like – what things do you always pack?
Thelma: It’s small enough to fit under my seat and big enough to hold my purse, so I only have 2 bags. It also has a detachable shoulder strap in case I have to check my suitcase.
- A travel blanket because I freeze (they sell battery operated personal fans for people that have the opposite issue)
- Emergency snacks
- Something to amuse myself
- Portable charger
- Gum
- Travel sized hand sanitizer
- My patience
- The usual stuff
Louise: I have a standard roller-board.
- Workout clothes
- A small backpack for my layovers
- My toiletries bag.
The top 3 places you’ve been & why?
Thelma:
- Rome: Whatever you are into – be it history, food, architecture, shopping, religion…you pretty much have it all there.
- Iceland: Might just be the most stunning place I have ever been, although the Canadian Rockies are a close second.
- Hmmmm, keeping it to just 3 is hard so I’m going to cheat a little and say any place that isn’t home. I’m constantly amazed at how many things are within a relatively easy reach of a few hours drive (from Dallas/Fort Worth, TX). Johnson Space Center for example, Longhorn Caverns and Dinosaur Valley. You don’t have to make a huge commitment in time or expense. Just get out of your neighborhood.
Louise:
- Anchorage, Alaska: It’s gorgeous and hard to believe it’s the United States.
- Florence, Italy: The food is amazing.
- Paris: It’s Paris!
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Any travel hacks/tricks you’ve learned?
Thelma: Remove the “hook” from your rollerboard if you end up checking it. Same goes for any clip on/off parts of strollers or anything else going in the belly of the plane. Also I have a paper copy of the info page of my passport on every piece of luggage I carry. One of the things I do since I always have my tote under the seat with me, is to pull it out after take off to the area where your feet go when it’s stowed. That way I have room to stretch out my legs as well as a foot rest. But, I’m short, so that might not work for everyone.
Louise: I can’t think of anything right now.😬
Is there a “best” or “safest” seat on the plane & why (besides first class & exit rows)?
Thelma: If you are susceptible to motion sickness, the seats closest to the wing are the most stable. Most planes tend to get bumpier towards the back.
Louise: I always read the safest place on the plane is in the back I don’t know how true that is
Any tricks to getting those seats to lay back more?
Thelma: Don’t I wish.
Louise: No, they’re pretty set the way they are.
Any travel gadgets that you absolutely love?
Thelma: This carry-on memory foam foot rest & this travel pillow.
Louise: Definitely a portable phone charger and I also have a cup holder that fits onto the handle of my roller-board.
And there you have it! Everything you ever wanted to ask your flight attendant (or at least most of it). I really enjoyed interviewing these ladies and learning a little more about their jobs and I hope you did too. Can you imagine working with a different group of people every day? I will definitely be keeping my shoes on, packing my hand sanitizer & sanitizing wipes & taking my vitamins from here on out! I will also be trying out Thelma’s travel pillow. Please comment and let me know some of your favorite takeaways!
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Until next time…
Until next time…
About The Author
My mission is to inspire and empower families to prioritize travel now, creating unforgettable memories and deeper connections with their loved ones.
I provide guidance and practical solutions to help busy parents integrate travel into their lives, fostering joy, fulfillment, and stress-free adventures. Don’t wait until it’s too late; the time to travel is now.
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