Captain on PA: “At this stage we’re just waiting for the engineering team to identify the issue with the weather radar instrument. As soon as we know more we will keep you updated. Thank you for your patience.
Confession. I’m not always the most patient person. I guess I’m like many of our passengers, I like things to be under my schedule. However the fact of the matter is that as cabin crew, anything can happen and much of it is out of our control. While I generally love working as a flightie, it definitely has its moments where I’m tested by situations and the general public. As a general rule, customer service roles are draining and 10 hours filled with almost 300 people in a small space can definitely affect your tolerance levels.
The way I see it, is that we all have a patience bank. Hopefully when we start a duty it’s topped right up. Depending on the circumstances we encounter, its depleted throughout the shift as withdrawals are made. By the end of the day, a reasonable enough request can result in being shorter than we need to be. But a big part of our job is being gracious and kind, so here’s why if you’re considering a job as a crewmember, or are already one, being as patient as possible will serve you (and passengers) well.
Patience with the Passengers
This is the big one. All passengers are different. Many will be lovely, but some will have high expectations and expect the world. Some will get up before the seat belt sign is switched off, and some will help themselves to the beverages off the top of the cart before being served.
Some will take FOREVER to disembark and get their things when you just can’t wait to get home. Some will give you attitude and try to get a reaction from you. DO NOT TAKE THE BAIT. If you get angry, they win. Think of it as a challenge – if you avoid taking on that negative energy, your day – and likely the day of others around you will be better because of it.
Instinctively, I feel like most of us know this anyway, but it’s important to remind ourselves throughout the day, so we can stay in our happy place!
Patience with Situations Beyond Your Control
Crew member: “I’m already exhausted and we still have a 10-hour flight ahead of us. Just cancel it already!”
Airports can be unpredictable places and there’s so much we can’t (and even the pilots) can’t control when it comes to aviation. Newsflash: there’s a lot of waiting around as cabin crew. Often you have to wait in the gate lounge because the aircraft hasn’t been cleaned and catered. The other day, after a long day, our crew bags took close to an hour to arrive on the carousel. Some colleagues of mine we caught in a snow storm on one of their layovers and their bus ride to the hotel after a long day took almost 5 hours in what is normally only a 20 minute trip.
So How to Stay As Patient As Possible?
So with all that can test our patience as cabin crew, how do we stay happy and calm? We’re all human and just like our passengers have days where we may be more prone to getting irritated. Some days it’s not an issue we are willing and obliging and any ridiculous requests and complaints wash over us.
Check in with ourselves
It’s important to have some kind of self awareness of how we are feeling. If we are aware we feel short fused it can help us to be conscious to avoid situations and stay in control of our mood. Checking in with ourselves and remembering that it’s our job to be as patient as possible can help keep a lid on any irritation boiling under the surface.
Vent to crew
There is a certain therapy in getting back to the galley and venting about a particularly rude or annoying passenger’s behaviour if it’s justified. We have all been there and understand, and it’s a good way to decompress. Laughing about these situations helps put it in perspective and stops us taking out our frustration in the cabin in front of a very captive audience.
Stay Well Rested
Generally I’ve found, most situations don’t bother me or test my patience if I’m well rested. A long day with challenging situations is so much more rewarding and enjoyable if I’ve had a good night’s sleep. As crew managing fatigue is essential for success in our job, and ultimately this comes down to us. If we aren’t fit for duty, it’s important we don’t fly.
Remember that everyone is on their own journey – literally as they are on a plane, but also figuratively – we don’t know what is going on in their lives. A manager once said to us “remember each passenger could be your own family member. Treat them as such.” It might sound twee, but it really stuck with me as it humanised them. Yes people can be enraging, and we aren’t always going to be angels in the sky, but really at the end of the day, if we can avoid losing our patience, we are better off. Never forget: we get to leave them all behind as soon as we land.
Passenger: “What do I have to do to get a second drink around here. I thought this was a full service airline. I’ve had my call bell on for 5 minutes and no one came.”
