Twenty years ago, with my life at a serious crossroads, I applied to every single airline and became a flight attendant. My new job gave me a new and exciting life.
I didn't sign up for that.
I have flown many events in my career, but the Pandemic has changed the most. Covid-19 changed the experience on the airplane if 9/11 changed how we board planes. Everyone was made nervous by it. Politics shouldn't be political.
The airlines were trying to save as much money as possible. Many employees quit to be with their families as a result of the early retirements and other actions they took. There is a shortage of employees. The passenger counts grew faster than airlines could handle. We are short staffed. Ground crews as well as pilots and flight attendants are included. Without ground crews there is no one to park the planes, drive the jet bridges so you can board and get off, load your bags and retrieve them, or take your boarding pass.
Most people don't know that flight crews have time limits on how long they can work at a given time. It is against the law to fly longer than that. It doesn't matter if you have somewhere to go or not, we are done when we get there. Your flight may be canceled due to the lack of back up crews.
Summer is always difficult to fly, but this year is worse. There has been a lot of canceled and delayed flights each week. Many people miss important things like weddings and cruises. There is nothing I can do to help the people who are crying.
It's good to travel. We can re-center because of it. Sometimes you need to feel sand under your toes, smell fresh pine trees, or immerse yourself in the sounds of a new city just to remind yourself that you are still alive. It's important to travel smart this summer. Taking as much of the stress out of travel is possible if you plan ahead. I have been working at 30,000 feet for 20 years.
Leave the day before the cruise. It should be counted as part of your trip. You can stay in a hotel in a new place. Don't forget to have a nice dinner and drink. When you wake up, have some coffee and breakfast. It's worth the extra money. I work on flights that are delayed. The family of eight missed their connecting flight to Rome. They were about to go on a cruise ship. Travel insurance is a good idea.
If you are delayed, you don't have to worry about your next flight. Don't book the shortest layover if you can't avoid connecting, you'll be building in stress and the possibility of missing your flight There is more to a one-hour layover. It was not a chance. Three hours is usually safe.
The first flights are usually not canceled. Flight crews reach their duty limits later in the day when the weather gets warmer and traffic builds at airports. There will be more options to rebook a different flight if your flight is canceled.
Valuable information can be found in these applications. If things go wrong, they will keep you from having to wait in long lines. If a flight is canceled before the flight crew even knows, you can track your bag, incoming plane, and even your luggage. If you need to rebook a flight, the app can give you instructions.
There are flights available. You can't sit with your family if you buy the cheapest seats. When you buy your ticket, it says so. Flight attendants don't rearrange the plane for you to sit together because you tried to save money on a website. If a flight is oversold and no one volunteers to give up their seat, the first family to be bumped will be the ones who used a bargain website.
Don't be "that guy" If you can't figure out how to fit your bag in the overhead, don't hold up boarding.
The flight attendant has a secret about keeping the plane cold. It's worse for people who struggle with airsickness when it's hot. People don't want to use those sacks.
We are aware of that. You might make us cry in the galley.
Don't be mean. We want to get you to your destination. At least you aren't working.
Koerbel has shared her advice on Facebook before.
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