09 January 2024 , 12:19
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A flight attendant has shared her insider knowledge on how to charm your air hosts and hostesses next time you fly to guarantee a smooth trip.
Esther Sturrus, 22, who has been a flight attendant since 2019, revealed her favourite type of passenger to meet on board a plane and how passengers can best avoid being a headache for cabin crew. Esther said that, unsurprisingly, her favourite type of travellers are “polite and friendly” passengers who are “courteous and engage in friendly conversation”.
However she shared that she and her fellow cabin crew dread people who do not follow on-board etiquette and commit cabin faux pas like leaving personal items outside of their own space. Esther has a TikTok with over 223,800 followers where she shares travel tips and stories from the skies and insider knowledge on what its like to work for an airline.
Other travel tips have included a warning to tourists to keep an eye out for hidden cameras in hotel rooms as well as handy tips for travellers to keep their clothes smelling fresh when flying for long periods.
Esther has 223,800 followers on TikTok, where she shares travel tips and stories from her job (Jam Press/@esthersturrus)But this time she has shared which passengers she would prefer to meet and help on one of her flights, along with her opinion of different typical types of airline passengers. “My favourites are polite and friendly travellers,” she told Need to Know. “I appreciate passengers who are courteous and engage in friendly conversations, creating a positive atmosphere on the flight. I also appreciate considerate parents.
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“Families who are well-prepared and considerate of other passengers make the journey smoother for everyone. Adaptable individuals are also great.” The flight attendant, from the Netherlands, also said that people who “remain calm and adaptable in unexpected situations” also “contribute to a more pleasant experience for the entire cabin”.
However there are certain types of traveller she would rather not cross paths with, Esther admitted. “Individuals who engage in disruptive or unruly behaviour can create challenges for the crew and fellow passengers,” she said.
“I'm also not a fan of excessive complainers. While feedback is valuable, passengers who consistently complain without allowing for solutions can make the atmosphere tense.”
While she said that the good outweighs the bad on flights, with most passengers behaving well in the sometimes cramped and difficult environment of a long flight, she said there were things everyone could do to keep travel smooth for the whole plane.
A lack of awareness as to “basic cabin etiquette” such as “keeping personal items within one's space” can cause problems on a flight, she said.