Cabin Manager: “Guys, I know it a short sector but please make an effort to personally acknowledge all our premium guests and top tier frequent flyers. They only account for less than 5 per cent of our customers, but make up more than 90 per cent of our revenue”
As flight attendants, one of the most interesting parts of the job is that every single person on board is going somewhere, for some reason, and has their own story. You honestly meet so many different people in the job, and with time to kill on some flights can have a good chat. Still, there are some groups of passengers you can count on when working almost every flight. If you work as a flightie, you can expect to meet the following:
1. The Frequent Flyer Business Traveller
Most often the high tier frequent flyer are seated towards the front of the plane. And they know the drill. They know what drinks to order and what we have on offer. They know where to put their bags if they are in a bulkhead or emergency exit row. This makes them quite convenient to deal with. Mostly, they don’t throw their frequent flyer status around as some kind of badge of honour, as flying is for them a necessary evil and very routine, there are however exceptions. But because they travel so often it can be hard to surprise or delight them. Luckily though, they are often very low maintenance. Even in business class, often before they board they have eaten in the lounge, and just want to sleep. No problems here.
They can however come fully loaded with big bags, and if it’s a fully packed capital city commuter flight on a Monday morning, they might demand you find somewhere for their bag.
“Yes, no problem mam, as you can see we’ve run out of space on board, so it will have to go underneath.”
2. The (UM) Unaccompanied Minor
Sometimes excited to be on school holidays, sometimes sad to be leaving one parent, and seemingly less than excited to see their other parent at the other end, unaccompanied minors are a mixed bunch, but normally they know the drill better than lots of other passengers. They nod as you brief them on the closest exits, where their life jacket is, and look bored when you tell them they have to wait for us to disembark at the end of the flight.
After all, most of them fly every school holidays from one city to the other to spend the requisite time with their parents. Expect them to get restless and have a desire to poke around in the “kitchen” (galley.) Lets just say, planes with IFE in each seat (in flight entertainment) loaded with Pepper pig are a godsend. Sometimes they say the darndest things, and its sometimes, hard not to be a little clucky. Some kids are just sweet little angel faces.
3. The Happy or Morose Holiday Maker
Holiday makers can often go one of two ways, especially on long haul flights. Either they are excited and full of energy, or they are worn out or moody their holiday has come to an end and they have to head home.
Their excitement can be infectious if they are heading on a trip, and they are often good for a chat in the back galley, talking travel plans and tips. Its also sometimes nice to be able to help them celebrate with a bit of free booze – in moderation of course, otherwise their noisy excitement could be of the ire of other passengers. After all, a quiet flight is a good flight. Sometimes something as little as no overhead space can tip these tired holiday makers over the edge.
4. The Group Booking
The “group” may take many forms, but is always a bunch of folks known to each other. Sometimes it’s a school or tour group, a sports team, a band. And almost always they give the flight a certain….ahem, character. Sometimes you’re often not quite sure what their connection to each other is… Bachelor weekend? Isogenix conference? But when they yahoo down the aerobridge, you can just tell it’s going to be an action packed flight. If the tour group is from Asia, you can expect requests for hot water on the half hour, and a request for a ‘coke’ will sound strangely like something not suitable to print here…
Side benefits, sports teams can be eye candy. And if you actually follow their sport, possibly offer a bit of excitement to see some famous players.
5. The Nervous Flyer
The nervous flyer, may or may not cry or shake when boarding the plane, but they will most likely be clutching the seat back or their travelling partner’s hand, especially on take off and landing. Every bump or noise of the aircraft is met with a question – “what was that?”
The fact that people going on a plane have to surrender control to someone else, can make many people get a bit jittery or tense at the least if anything happens that not what they consider completely normal, such as seeing a bolt of lightning outside the plane window. It is sometimes hard to assuage their fears with just a cup of tea and a chat that everything is business as normal, but it can offer a great sense of satisfaction when you do calm their nerves somewhat. At the very least distracting them is one of the best things you can do.
