A View From Above

Uniforms, smiles and questions about “Coffee? Tea?” – Yeah I am referring to flight attendants. These are the guys and girls who are there for us travelers to make sure we are well-fed, calm and reach our destination happy. I thought it would be fun to ask a few flight attendants some questions. Some are from me and some are questions my dear friends asked a while back when I was creating an outline for this post. To get hold of people to interview was easy. I knocked on my roommate’s door and asked if she would do it. And said I would not vacuum the apartment if she said no. Just kidding! My roommate (that would be my sister) works for Scandinavian Airlines, an airline I have happily used many times. She agreed to answer the questions along with two of her favorite colleagues, Lina and Jessica. They are based at Copenhagen Airport, Denmark.

What 3 things do you recommend for passengers to do throughout the flight to arrive refreshed?

Lina: When flying as a passenger it is a good idea to bring your own sleep kit with earplugs (screaming children and snoring neighbors can be a challenge), eye mask and maybe a travel pillow. I always carry with me a cashmere shawl when flying privately; it can be used both as a blanket when it’s cold onboard or as a pillow. Wear loose, lightweight clothing to travel more comfortably. Walk around in the cabin (not when we are out with the carts or serving coffee) to get the blood flowing and circulation going. Stretch and circle your arms once in a while. Nasal saline spray to clear congestion and moisture dry nose. L’Occitane, Kiehls and Clarins have good hand cremes.

What kind of snacks do you pack for longer flights?

Lina: I always bring nut mix, instant oatmeal, noodle cups (just add hot water) and a meal bar in case I need something quick.

Favorite destination to fly to as cabin crew?

Ida: I love New York! The vibe, the people, the lights and sounds of the city. And Amsterdam when it comes to Europe. Love the architecture, the many artworks, flowers and the friendly people.

Best airport for healthy foods?
Jessica: Hmmm, hard question, I could actually answer Copenhagen, they have both “Lagekagehuset” which have awesome salads or “Joe and the Juice” with fresh fruit juices or smoothies.

Can you give us some advice on ways of getting better priced flight tickets?

Jessica: There isn't a sure way of getting cheap tickets. You just have to search high and low on the internet. There is a rumor that if you book your ticket 56 days before the departure you will get the best price!

Can you enter the cockpit? And see out of the front windows of the plane?
Ida: We as cabin crew have access to the cockpit of course and we can go and look out the windows too if we want that. But our main reason for entering the cockpit is to make sure everything is alright with the flight crew and to give them something to eat every once in a while.

What kind of emergency training do you receive?
Ida: During the 3 weeks initial training we learn everything there is to know about a plane, starting with how it actually stays in the air (aerodynamics) to the evacuation of it in case of an emergency. We also learn first aid, survival skills (in water and on land) and firefighting. The actual coffee and tea-aspect of the job is taken care of during a couple of hours of instructions. Then every year we have a couple of days of recurrent training where the instructors focus more on one of these subjects.

Do you talk smack about the passenger in the back area of the plane? - This question came from a friend and he added: “Because I most definitely would.”
Jessica: If a passenger is rude, disrespectful or if a passenger is unusually kind we will talk about them :)

What are the most annoying things passengers regularly do?
Lina: Passengers who can make the flight run a tiny bit less smoothly are: passengers putting an oversized bag in a bin, leaving 3 inches outside and expecting the bag to shrink and the bin to close. Parents who change baby diapers directly on the seats (someone will sit there afterwards) instead of using the intended changing tables in the lavatories. Passengers who haven’t seen a shower for a month.

What are things that flight attendants LIKE passenger to do?
Lina: A smile and a “thank you” goes a long way. 

How do you manage to stay so fresh and perky during long flights?

Lina: To feel refreshed and get a quick moisturizing fix during long flights I use thermal spring water spray. I try to stay hydrated by drinking lots of still water and coffee to wake me up. I try to avoid carbonated drinks to prevent bloating from the pressurized cabin air.

Is it true what they say about talking in some weird language if the plane is hijacked?
Ida: There is not some weird language or code that we speak in, in case of a hijacking, but we do have ways of letting the cockpit know that something is very wrong in the cabin.

Is there a secret "bunker" (room) in the plane for flight attendants to rest in during long flights?

Ida: Yes there is. But it is not so “secret”. On some of our aircrafts we have a “room” with walls and on some we only have curtains. But the rest area is always in the cabin with all the passengers. It’s not like its hidden downstairs. We don't use this "room" to gossip, but to get an hour or two of sleep. It really boosts your energy level during a long haul flight. The crew is divided into two between meal services and half is "off" in the crew rest while the other half stays active and awake to help the passengers with whatever they need. 

How do you calm during really bad turbulence?

Jessica: I think we stay calm because we know how to react (it’s in our training). We do also know that the plane won’t fall down from the sky. It’s built to handle it. But it’s really important to do what the airhost/airhostess says, sit down and put your seatbelt on, do NOT go to the lavatory. Turbulence is really unpredictable. The captain can see the turbulence on the radar but he/she can’t see how hard it will hit. So sometimes when you think “was that really necessary?” Well, now you know that it was.

Thank you so much Lina, Jessica and Ida for your answers! And thank you to my friends who contributed questions. So kids, if all you can remember from this post is this - "smile and thank your flight attendant" -  life will be better for all of us. And props to my sis for making the awesome drawing!