A flight attendant has shared her thoughts on how you can have the best flying experience available – and it’s all down to you
The summer break has officially kicked off, with schools closing their doors, glorious sunshine beaming down, and holidaymakers eagerly anticipating their first encounter with a poolside lounger to unwind and work on their bronzed glow.
But before you jet off, there’s a piece of advice from a member of cabin crew that may help you.
Kelly from YouTube influencers The Awkward Tourists has served as cabin crew with a leading airline for over six years, accumulating a wealth of essential dos and don’ts that travellers ought to follow for their holidays.
Her number one recommendation centres on prioritising comfort above all else, ensuring you pack absolutely everything conceivable for a hassle-free journey through the clouds.
“Assume there will be nothing on the airplane that you might want,” she warned. “I’m serious!”
“You never know when you’ll get on a plane and there’s no food on board, or your movie screen doesn’t work, or we run out of headphones to give you. If you have special dietary requirements, bring your own food, if you have kids, bring them entertainment and food.
“I’ve had more than one mother become upset when I didn’t have milk for her baby. ‘What am I supposed to feed my baby then?’ they ask, crossly. Well, I have a Biscoff cookie.
“If you get cold easily, bring a jacket, if you want to watch a movie, bring headphones. If you want to play games on your phone, bring an external battery.
“We are flying through the air six miles above the ground at 500 miles per hour, we have a limited amount of resources. If you think you’ll need it, bring it yourself.”
Additional golden rules include avoiding bringing pungent food on board, always treating cabin crew with courtesy and respect, staying well-hydrated throughout your journey, and never venturing into the loo barefoot or in just your socks. “That’s not water on the floor”, Kelly cheekily cautioned.
The comments section was flooded with grateful passengers praising the insider knowledge, with one declaring: “This is so awesome!”. Another chimed in: “I will definitely keep these in mind the next time I’m on a plane again, especially the toilet one.”