An ex-flight attendant is sharing the details of exactly how, why and when crews ‘check out’ passengers and the reason has more to do with health and safety than attractiveness
A former flight attendant has lifted the lid on why some members of staff “check out” passengers when they get on the plane.
Divulging trade secrets and tips, the attendant who says they worked for a major airline says there is an important reason they eye up the general public as they get comfy in their seats.
Part of the TruTravels team, the flight attendant acknowledged that there are “so many stories of code words for hot passengers” admitting that they certainly don’t go unnoticed by the crew. “We see them and talk about them. But we’d rather just straight up say ‘that businessman in 2A is kinda [sic] fine’ than use some code word”.
That said, the attendant revealed that there is a legitimate safety reason that requires them to assess passengers. “We check you out to see if you’re looking well, healthy, in a fit state, aka not hammered and who would be helpful in an emergency.”
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While the greeting by flight attendants as passengers board is often attributed to common politeness or mandated etiquette, this is usually the point where crew members assess passengers. If passengers are too inebriated to fly, it can pose a health and safety risk and they can be removed from the flight.
Additionally, flight attendants need to assess who can provide physical assistance in the unlikely event of an emergency – looking out for a specific type of passenger. “We call them ABP’s (able-bodied people), the sort of people who can help you throw a door off and help passengers down an emergency slide. You know, the important stuff.”
It is for this reason that only able-bodied individuals are allowed to sit in the seats next to emergency exits. These seats are typically highly coveted – despite sometimes coming with added booking charges – because they offer extra legroom and there is no row immediately ahead.
However, the privilege of extra legroom comes with great responsibility; these passengers are required to be ready to assist in emergencies.
Reflecting this commitment, Ryanair’s terms and conditions state it reserves the right to ” change your allocated seats at any time, even if you had reserved it, if we need to do this for operational, safety or security reasons.”
The airline’s guidelines state that passengers who want to sit in rows 1, 16, or 17 – where the emergency exits are located – must meet specific requirements. These include being over 16 years old, capable of assisting in an emergency, not travelling with an infant, not needing any special assistance at the airport, not requiring a seat belt extender, and not having booked an extra comfort seat.
Another trade secret the former flight attendant shared is why aeroplanes are so cold. “This is for a few reasons, but normally temperatures should stay at around 21 degrees [Celcius] mainly because anything above people start to faint (trust me, this happens most flights).
“Although the flow of air throughout the plane makes 21 degrees feel more like 15 degrees, and if you’re [sitting] near a door, that suctions gonna freeze [you]. So, that’s the price you pay for extra legroom.”