Flight attendant of ten years reveals his ULTIMATE guide to airplane travel – from why you should NEVER drink the coffee on-board to the etiquette rules you must ALWAYS follow
- Rich Henderson is a flight attendant of 10 years from Philadelphia
- He has revealed his top tips for flying – including never ordering the coffee
- The cabin crew member also said you should always be kind to get an upgrade
A flight attendant of 10 years has revealed the best hacks to know before hopping on a plane – including whether you should skip the line while boarding and what beverages you should avoid at all costs.
Rich Henderson, an expert at all things travel and co-creator of the blog Two Guys on a Plane, has shared his best tips that can get rid of any pre-flying jitters you may have and even land you an upgrade.
The Philadelphia-based airline steward chose to keep the name of his employer private, however, can still guarantee that his tips and tricks while give you the best flying experience of your life.
From what to do before boarding to how to handle deplaning, Rich detailed all there is to know before your next vacation.
Rich Henderson, a flight attendant of 10 years from Philadelphia has revealed the best hacks to know before hopping on a plane
Speaking to Business Insider, Rich revealed why the cabin crew can’t stand those who crowd the gate, whom he calls ‘gate lice’ (stock image)
Get ready, get set, fly! Follow pre-flight etiquette and never crowd the gate or you will be ‘gate lice’
If you have been waiting to board your flight and have the seen other nearby crowd the gate although there is still ample amount of time till boarding, well then you have witness what Rich calls ‘gate lice.’
Speaking to Business Insider, Rich revealed why the cabin crew can’t stand ‘gate lice.’
And, he even shared what you should be doing instead.
‘Just stay as out of the way as possible of the boarding area until your group is at least close to being called,’ he explained.
He added that if those ‘top tier’ people aren’t boarding yet, then there is no reason you should attempting to get closer to the gate.
And while no one likes ‘gate lice,’ Rich detailed the types of people cabin crew hates even more.
He said that those skip the line and try to board with a different group then they are assigned are often either hated or ignored by cabin crew.
However, Rich said he doesn’t recommend attempting to find out which side you fall on.
‘There’s some gate agents that if you’re nice and just smile and act like everything’s normal, they won’t care or they won’t notice that you’re not in that assigned zone, but there are others that if you’re caught they will out you and they will shame you,’ he told Business Insider.
‘It’s notoriously gross!’ Avoid the coffee and tea during the flight, but do get the snack boxes
Rich advised you avoid drinking any warm beverages such as tea or coffee because they are made with airplane tap water, which is ‘gross’ (stock image)
If you made it through the hassle that is boarding, and finally got settled into your seat but see a better spot in the corner of your eye and are hoping to upgrade, Rich said you could ask to move, but there is a catch.
The experienced flight attendant said the crew just might let you move, however, switching people between different cabins can get them fired or in serious trouble.
He explained that this is because airlines can view it as stealing.
He told Business Insider: ‘We can probably move you to an exit row or even a better row if there’s space available. Best tip for that is just be as nice and accommodating as you can both to crew and passengers and that can really go a long way.’
After getting settled into your seat, Rich said that you can engage in some small talk with nearby passengers, but you shouldn’t chat the entire flight.
And while your favorite part of the flight may be seeing that snack cart make its way down the isle, the flight attendant said you should ease with caution.
He advised you avoid drinking any warm beverages such as tea or coffee because they are made with airplane tap water, which is ‘gross.’
Rich said that the tap water is ‘notoriously gross’ and that you ‘don’t want to know where it came from.’
And while a few drinks may be off limits, the flight attendant revealed you can safely eat the food.
Rich explained that the snack boxes tend to be fresh because they are delivered by the catering company that very same day.
However, some airplanes don’t have refrigerators so he advises that you order your food at the beginning of the trip rather than the end.
Just wait! The flight attendant recommends waiting until everyone is out to get your bags
After a long flight, the first thing you may want to do is be the first to get off, however, Rich recommends you wait (stock image)
After a long flight, the first thing you may want to do is be the first to get off, however, Rich recommends you wait.
He explained that you should wait and then ‘swim upstream.’
‘My best recommendation is to just try to swim upstream as politely as you can. Usually as the crowd starts to fade out, you can kind of weave through the rows and work your way back,’ he added
The flight attendant explained that ever since the pandemic, he has seen a rise in the amount of people tipping the cabin crew.
He noted that while many flight attendants see it as a token of appreciation, others question if you want something in return.
Rich emphasized that you can’t bribe your way into a better cabin.
‘That’s one thing I can say about all flight attendants across the board. If we sense that you’re expecting something from us for free, then we’re probably not going to give it to you. But if you’re kind and don’t ask for anything, we’ll give you everything,’ he revealed.
And while everyone loves candy as a sign of appreciation, Rich revealed that flight attendants truly just want a ‘thank you’ at the end of the night.
‘Even just so much saying thanks for keeping us safe, or thanks for all you do. Those little comments go a long way with us because we’ve got people during boarding and deplaning that won’t even acknowledge our existence.’
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