UPFRONT/GO
Secrets From a Flight Attendant
Keep your cool this fall with these smart tips from a veteran of the skies
LAST YEAR’S holiday travel season made news for all the wrong reasons, as delayed flights caused frustrations for many travelers. Heather Poole, 52, a longtime flight attendant and author of Cruising Attitude: Tales of Crashpads, Crew Drama, and Crazy Passengers at 35,000 Feet, offers advice on how to make your trip more pleasant.
Allow for screwup time.
The only thing consistent about air travel today is inconsistency. Leave two days early if you’re heading to a special event. Schedule connecting flights with layovers of at least 90 minutes. Book early flights so you have all day to deal with whatever may go wrong.
Download before you go.
The airline’s app is where you’ll find flight info, your boarding pass and in-flight entertainment. I also like the FAAwait app; one tap shows which airports are experiencing delays.
Pack like a pro.
Flight attendants travel with only a rolling carry-on and a tote bag. Just pack black clothes and be done with it. Bring only two pairs of shoes. If you leave something at home, use this as an excuse to buy something new.
Scan security.
A short line may not be the best path. A long line of frequent fliers (look for solo passengers holding laptops) will move faster than a line with a family with a baby.
Be sure to eat!
With air travel, you can never be certain when you’ll get your next meal. And don’t forget to share packaged snacks with the crew. There could be more attention in it for you.
Always bring a sweater.
Airplanes are like movie theaters: They’re freezing! And wear sneakers to move quickly through the airport. Closed shoes have another benefit: That isn’t always water on the restroom floor.
Make eye contact.
Say “hello,” “please” and “thank you” to your flight attendants. Courteous passengers are the ones I go above and beyond for. To make a flight attendant’s day, say, “I don’t know how you do it.” It’s nice being seen. Coffee-chain gift cards are nice too.
Let it go!
You can’t control delays, cancellations, bad weather, your seatmate’s arm hair rubbing against you, the smell of tuna two rows behind you or a crying baby across the aisle. Getting stressed out will only ruin your trip. Do what I do and create a playlist of calming music.