7 Things That Make Flight Attendants Ridiculously Happy

Did you know there is a right way to be as a passenger on an airplane? Meaning, there’s a way to be the best passenger ever? In other words, there are things that make flight attendants ridiculously happy. Wondering how to shine on your next flight? Keep reading. And we can promise you this—it’ll definitely make traveling easier for everybody.

1. Don’t Shout

There’s no need to shout while talking on an airplane—to flight attendants as well as to other passengers. Plus, some people may be trying to sleep—unless you’re talk-shouting next to them.

2. Use Your Headphones—But Not Too Much

When you’re on a flight with a couple hundred other people, do you want to hear the music they’re listening to or the game they’re playing? Don’t forget to use your headphones, but not at a blaring volume. After all, you may start shouting when someone speaks to you, since your volume is so high. And remember—chances are, not everyone around you wants to hear what you’re listening to.

3. Don’t Expect Flight Attendants To Be Babysitters

Yes, many of us have read stories about flight attendants or passengers helping parents out with their children on a flight. However, it’s not a requirement. When asked about flight attendant pet peeves, Anna Aplatt, a flight attendant for two years, told Reader’s Digest, “Asking me to watch your child while you use the toilet. This was serious issue because god forbid there was turbulence and the child went flying. Guess who would be left to blame?”

4. Keep Your Children In Their Seats, Not Wandering The Aisles

Yes, kids can get restless on a flight—don’t we all? But it will be to everyone’s benefit if kids stay seated during the flight instead of wandering the aisles. “Once you’ve sat down, fastened your seat belts and gotten settled in, resist the urge to allow your toddler out of the seat to walk around,” Agnes J., flight attendant for 20 years, told Reader’s Digest. “If you let them get up to roam the aisles they normally lose it when it’s time to sit back down. Not to mention that it’s dangerous to let them wander, even if there is a parent close by.”

5. Don’t Ask Flight Attendants To Help You Store Your Carry-On Bag

Some flight attendants have a saying among them, “If you can’t sling it, don’t bring it,” a veteran flight attendant told Orbitz. Another flight attendant, who wished to remain anonymous, told me that a main reason flight attendants should not help you with your bags is because they may injure themselves doing so—then it becomes an issue of liability. Instead, perhaps you can help a passenger who’s struggling with their bag.

6. Don’t Try To Get Up When The Seatbelt Sign Is On

We’ve probably all seen people do this one, ask to get up even though the seatbelt sign is illuminated. “Don’t ask if you can go to the bathroom while the seatbelt sign is on,” Mary Beth Pickard, a flight attendant for 11 years, told Reader’s Digest. “We can NEVER say ‘yes’. We are working under the FAA and if we say yes, and you get injured, WE PERSONALLY get fined. Just don’t ask.”

7. Say “Thank You”

This one may seem simple, but not all passengers say “thank you” to flight attendants. Yes, maybe you’re tired, hungry or having an overall bad day. But the flight crew is doing their best to make you happy, so a small “thank you” can go a long way. Just think about your job and how you feel when someone says “thank you.” See? Exactly!

There you have it—why not try to make flight attendants happier when you’re a passenger? On a similar note, JetBlue even has a collection of YouTube videos on flight etiquette. They’re funny, so get ready to laugh.