Flight Attendants have many stories to tell : here are the best hidden secrets they don’t want you to know about.

1. They study you as you enter the plane

Hi how are you… It’s not a simple polite greet. Flights attendants will help you find your seat. But also quickly study who you are and if you can be a potential disturbance.

2. Flight attendants are not waiters

You are not in a restaurant. Flight attendants don’t work for tips. Yes, they serve you food and drink and can occasionally flirt a bit, but they are trained professionals, ready to fly you to your destination in the best possible way.

So a bit of respect yes ? If you wanna call them or need something, there’s a button. But don’t use it too much. They don’t like it. Just be a regular passenger. You don’t need THAT many glasses of water.

3. Flight attendants are not paid well

The average Flight Attendant salary in the United States is $81,157, but it can go as low as $65,140 and as high as $100,624. Although some companies pay less. Some reports wages of $38,000.

4. Airplane food is ewww

Airplane food is not healthy. It’s full of salt, sugar, fat, and carb content. If you are a frequent traveler, best bring your own snacks really. But you might already know this. In economy class, food is most of the time disgusting.

5. Make sure to check for extra costs

There’s the price of the ticket, but plane companies now add a lot of extra inflight costs. Check what is included in the price of your ticket, like luggage, food and drink, entertainment or internet. Make sure to take a hand luggage with clothes in. That way you can avoid paying for an extra bag.

But be very careful about hand luggage, check size and dimensions before boarding the plane, because companies also charge oversized bags.

6. Planes are kinda dirty

Like in every public transportation, seats are not cleaned well inbetween flight, so the passengers before you may have spat, vomited or else where you are currently seating for 8 hours. There’s cleaning before each flight, but best not lick your seat…

8. Do you really need yo turn off your smartphone for take-off and landing ? YES 

Before the plane takes off or lands, flight attendant will kindly ask you to turn off your electronics. It simply can disturb communications between air traffic control and pilots. Lost communication is not a light problem during take offs and landings. Pilots need those informations. Airplane mode is safe, but just do it ok ? It’s not that much effort.

9. Those hidden cabins for long flights

Where do they disappear during those 11 hours flights ? Suddenly, almost every Flight Attendant seem to have escaped the plan only to come back a few hours later to turn the lights on, while you are still sleeping. There is a secret cabin upstairs where they can take nap. It’s not big, but it’s comfy enough. And also the home of the mile high club ? hehe, you…

10. Alcohol is limited, coffee not recommended

Like a very good bartender (but we told you earlier, they are not waiters!) a Flight Attendant will carefully watch what you drink, if it’s alcohol. They don’t want and don’t need a drunk person on their plane. They will cut you off.

Coffee ? Don’t drink that. First, it’s not good for you to get too excited in a very small seat for longs hours, and second, it’s best to skip anything that wasn’t sealed in a bottle few seconds before. Tanks that contain water of coffee can be a bit dirty. Yes, i will have that tomato juice instead thanx. Or bring your own water…

Bonus: Don’t ask for an upgrade

Don’t want to spend a day in economy class ? Might as well ask a Flight attendant for an upgrade. Well don’t. Upgrades are usually made at the gate or with other factors. But if you seem nice enough, you could get a better seat in your economy class. Better than nothing…