15+ Stories That Prove Being a Flight Attendant Is Not the Easiest Job

Flight safety instructions are not up to the whim of pilots and flight attendants, but a set of mandatory rules that help make your flight as comfortable and safe as possible. Unfortunately, not everyone understands this and often behaves defiantly toward the aircraft crew, which can even lead to a flight delay.

At Bright Side, we decided to find out how pilots, flight attendants, and passengers react to troublemakers on board. Read on and you’ll see that aircraft crew members get into trouble not only inside the airplane but outside too.

• I’m a current airline captain and have been flying for over 12 years. It’s really irritating when passengers take safety equipment home. It may seem innocent, but we have to have a minimum amount of safety cards, life jackets, etc. on board. Every time one goes missing or we fall below the minimum amount, it’s a phone call to maintenance. One time a passenger inflated the life jacket on board and caused an hour delay once we landed, after getting the police involved for damage and making phone calls to maintenance. © Jpinlondon / Reddit

• It’s really irritating when someone’s poking or grabbing at me to get my attention! But for real, don’t poke people! Especially if I’m speaking to another passenger. I can see you waving at me, but I’m not going to interrupt my assisting someone else because you want me to take your trash. Just give me a second and I’ll come to you next. There’s just no need to touch people or grab at them. Once, I was so irritated at someone’s incessant poking, I turned, looked them in the eye, and poke-poke-poked them right back and said, “What do you need?” © dazey_chain / Reddit

• I’m not a flight attendant or pilot but I’ve traveled frequently for work for several years. The single most baffling thing about passengers is how many people can’t wrap their brains around packing their stuff into overhead bins. Why is it so hard? If your jacket or handbag can’t fit, put it under your seat. Why are you standing there trying to shove your item into an already crammed bin? © WATTHEBALL / Reddit

• One flight I was on, people started standing up as we were taxiing to the gate! Probably, the pilot caught wind of this and slammed on the brakes. A few passengers fell. He got on the mic and said he wouldn’t be moving until people got back in their seats with their seatbelts on. They complied. The rest of the taxi was silent, like a carload of kids who just got yelled at by dad. © AhFFSImTooOldForThis / Reddit

• My worst experience with customers is when the weather is bad and we have to either wait or make a no-go decision. My personal favorite is the guy who screamed at me while I was in the terminal getting coffee because his flight wasn’t leaving on time. The whole northeast was shut down for thunderstorms and low ceilings, but his iPhone said it was okay for us to go so he had to tell me how bad I was at my job. © 121guy / Reddit

• I’d say one of the most irritating and annoying things is when people ignore or fight our instructions concerning safety regulations. I don’t enjoy telling you that you can’t have your bag in an exit row, that you need to put your important laptop away for take-off and landing, and that you should stay seated when the seatbelt sign is on. And no, it’s not negotiable. © Airsteps350 / Reddit

• Flight attendants don’t get annoyed at you for going to the bathroom during descent because you are breaking the rules. We get annoyed because we know how dangerous it is and risky, and we don’t want to do additional paperwork when you get injured. After working 4-5 flights a day, 3-5 days a week, for 8 years, I have a lot of experience with turbulence during descent plus rough landings if you don’t come out in time. © mrsbeequinn / Reddit

• The best passenger is the one that tells me what they want in their coffee or tea or cold drink without me having to ask them! Next time a flight attendant asks you what you would like to drink: be specific! “A coffee with one milk and 3 sugar,” “A coke with ice on the side,” “A water with a splash of cranberry,” etc. Just tell us how you want it to be served so we can save our breath and move on to the next person. © doordonot19 / Reddit

• On a connecting flight from Calgary to Ottawa, my husband and I were seated next to a girl who had a beautiful bouquet of flowers in her lap. Then a lady came in, saw the flowers, and started kicking off about allergies... demanding that the girl be moved to a different seat at the back of the plane. The flight attendant walked away and when she returned she informed the girl that she could move to first-class with her flowers. The lady instantly starts complaining about why she wasn’t given the free upgrade. The flight attendant ignores her, we wish the girl a happy flight, and now all of a sudden we also have an extra empty seat to stretch out a little more for the 4-hour flight! © amzitosnup / Reddit

• I was on a flight and a tall guy spent about half of the flight standing at the front of the plane doing stretches, staring at the crowd in front of him, and talking loudly to the person sitting next to him. People would get up to go to the toilet and he would seem surprised like, “Oh, you need to get by? OK, let me squeeze my huge body back into my aisle even though I could simply sit down.” The same thing would happen when the person came out of the toilet. This was repeated multiple times. I realize flying is tough for tall people but I think the whole plane wanted to shout, “Sit down!” © BaconReceptacle / Reddit

• It’s irritating when people ask me for directions at the airport. Or about where baggage claim is? Do you know how to get to the highway? Where’s the rental car booth? Which gate is going to Chicago and is my flight on time? I don’t have answers. Chances are I’m not really even sure what city I’m in when you ask me. © poser765 / Reddit

• My mother is a flight attendant and one thing I always hear her complain about is how people try to stack all the little plastic cups and bowls that come with the meal. Those trays go into the cart as they came out, meaning nothing is stacked, and there is no overhead for it to enter unless she unstacks it, which as you can imagine is not fun. Yes, the intention is nice, but still. © Tsunami6866 / Reddit

• I’m a pilot. After a flight, I usually stand by the flight deck and say goodbye to the passengers as they exit. I get a lot of people that ask how old I am. That doesn’t really bother me (I’ll probably be sad when it stops), but please don’t touch me as you are saying it. Seriously, strangers trying to pinch cheeks and pat my head. Lady, I’m not your grandchild, I’m your captain. © Airport_Hobo_ / Reddit

• We went to the Maldives for our honeymoon, and half of the plane had on a “wifey & hubby” T-shirt or some visible indication that they were just married. I was so glad that we hadn’t done that. I’m guessing that every flight crew deals with not-so-subtle attempts to get free upgrades, especially to certain destinations. © sarcastin**** / Reddit

• My wife works at the ticket desk for a large airline. Once, a college athlete showed up late to a flight, was told she couldn’t board and started yelling, screaming, and cursing at all of the employees. The competition she missed the flight to was for Olympic try-outs. How late was she you ask? She showed up 2 hours after the flight left. © Tthelaundryman / Reddit

• I’m a pilot for a major US airline. I’m fortunate enough to have a reinforced door that separates me from the traveling public, but some things still stand out in my mind. It’s really irritating when people stop me in the terminal to ask for information about their flight. I don’t possess universal knowledge of every single flight for every single airline. Direct your attention to the departure boards, or just Google your flight number. © PlaneShenaniganz / Reddit

Have you experienced any troubles with the aircraft crew? Tell us about it in the comments below.