03 October 2023 , 10:28
655
0
A flight attendant has shared the one habit passengers think they get away with undetected, but that actually disgusts her.
Natalie Magee is an experience cabin crew member who has opened up about her biggest pet peeves – from parents changing babies on tray tables to people walking to the toilet barefoot and clipping their toenails.
Sharing her experience on TikTok, the 42-year-old discussed the most annoying things people do on planes that bother “every” flight attendant. “There are so many (pet peeves)!” Natalie, from Colorado, US, explained. One particularly unpleasant one in her mind is hygiene related and something customers may feel they can get away with undetected.
“(Such as) when people don’t shut the bathroom door or leave the bathroom a mess. Also when you can hear it flush but not the sink so you know they didn’t wash their hands. And people who take up too much overhead bin space and want to put every jacket and small item in there," she said.
Other annoyances include passengers attempting to smoke vapes or trying to sneak their own booze on board. Natalie continued: “(Another pet peeve is) people who hit their call buttons right after take-off to ask for an alcoholic beverage.”
Flight attendant urges holidaymakers to always pack a shower cap in suitcases
It’s not just boozy holiday-goers who are frustrating to deal with – but also parents who let their kids loose. The flight attendant said: “I’m also a parent myself, but when people let their kids put stickers on the airplane or draw on it or leave a dirty diaper in the seat back pocket, I’m horrified.”
As well as these pet hates, Natalie says it’s also annoying when people don't wear headphones while watching or listening to something on their phones or iPads -a habit that doesn't just plague flight attendants but anyone who has been on public transport in the past two years.
She continued: “They expect everyone to be subjected to their music or what they’re watching. Also people who wear backpacks and hit other passengers with it going down the aisle. Not throwing away their trash when we come through and leaving it on the floor. I also get annoyed when people are talking on the phone after we close the main cabin door and won’t shut their phone off or cease their conversation after repeatedly being asked to do so.”
Despite these issues, Natalie loves her job and believes not all passengers are bad. She says that a simple thank you is often enough to make her day. The flight attendant continued: “Honestly, when people say ‘thank you’ when they are getting off the plane (it is really great).
“Or when they take the time to look at us when we are doing the beverage service and say please and thank you, we really appreciate it. I also like people who help others with their bags, especially mums and the elderly as we can’t always help everyone when boarding.”
Natalie says staff think of the aircraft as their home and therefore appreciate when passengers respect it accordingly. She said: “We would love it if people treated the space as their home and were tidy and respectful.
“Also, we know not everyone is travelling for a fun reason. Some people have funerals to attend or are going home to take care of a loved one and people are stressed. A little kindness goes a long way.”