A flight attendant has revealed all the things she would never do on board a plane, including the horrifying reason why passengers shouldn’t have ice in their drinks.
Aislinn Swain, 23, has traveled all over the world for work and has experienced many in-flight blunders.
She regularly shares her tips on Instagram and caused quite a stir with her most recent insight.
Aislinn, based in Calgary, Canada, explained what flight attendants consider the worst flying faux pas.
She said: “I’ve spoken to colleagues over the years about things we wish passengers would stop doing, and these remain consistent.”
Aislinn Swain, 23, has traveled all over the world for work and experienced many in-flight blunders
Aislinn, based in Calgary, Canada, explained what flight attendants consider the worst flying faux pas
Firstly, Aislinn says you should never hand your rubbish over to a crew member unless they have requested it.
She explained: ‘There are many reasons why you shouldn’t do this.
‘Firstly, if we are carrying out safety checks and you ask us to collect your waste, it disrupts an important procedure.
“Or when we provide service, no one wants me to touch someone’s trash before I grab food or drinks for them – that’s gross.
‘It’s frustrating when someone tries to give me their rubbish when we’re not going out [into the cabin] for it, because I don’t wear my gloves either.
‘We always go out to collect waste immediately after the service, and several times during the flight, so there are plenty of options for that.
‘Just wait for such an opportunity, or go to the toilet, because there are always rubbish dumps there.
“You can also use the airsickness bag in front of your seat as your own personal trash bag and then return it to us.”
People online have been quick to respond to Aislinn’s tips, with some questioning her about the inside scoop
Ready for the trip and fancy a cold drink? Well, it might be time to rethink it, because after this Aislinn urged fliers to ditch the ice.
She said: ‘This one depends on the crew working the flight, but I wouldn’t recommend eating ice cream on a plane.
“So many times I’ve seen a flight attendant smash the ice on the ground to break it into smaller pieces.
“Plus, they don’t always change their gloves before serving the ice cream, and there are a lot of dirty parts of the plane that they touch without even realizing it.
‘I don’t think it’s worth the risk.
‘All drinks (pops and juices) are chilled in our galleys, so they should already be cold.
‘You can also bring your own ice cream from one of the coffee shops close by at the airport before you get on the plane.’
Aislinn suggested travelers not give flight attendants their trash unless the employees ask for it, and she warned them against dumping the ice in their cold drinks.
Most of us will have packed sunscreen before we leave, but what about on the plane?
Aislinn warned travelers never to fly without one.
She said: ‘People often underestimate how bright the sun is in the sky.
‘Just sitting on the window seat for a few hours is equivalent to 20 minutes in the sunbed.
‘If you don’t wear sunscreen, you are at a much greater risk of melanoma (the third most common form of skin cancer).
‘Be sure to bring travel-sized sunscreen and/or keep window shades low to avoid UV exposure.
“Plus, wearing sun-protective clothing protects the rest of your body if you don’t want to apply it to your arms and legs as well.”
Aislinn’s latest blunder? Keep your shoes on securely.
She said, “I recommend you keep your shoes on for the entire flight because I’m sure your feet stink and your neighbors, and the rest of the plane, don’t want to smell that.
‘Shoes must definitely remain on during take-off and landing.
“These are the most critical phases of the flight, which means that if an emergency arises and we need to evacuate, you have to be ready to go.
‘Plus, the carpets on the plane are rarely cleaned and you never know what you’re going to step on.
She also suggested travelers apply sunscreen before and during their flights, and advised people to keep their shoes on or wear more comfortable shoes.
‘The bathrooms almost always have some kind of liquid on the floor, usually bodily fluids that don’t smell nice.
“If you really don’t want to wear the shoes you’re traveling in, bring a more comfortable pair to wear on the plane.”
People online have been quick to respond to Aislinn’s tips, with some questioning her about the inside scoop.
‘So planes and escorts are dirty? I mean, taking trash and then handing out drinks is unethical, but admitting to people breaking ice on the floor is disgusting. What?!’ one user commented.
One person said, “I’ll take the ice cream… never seen it smashed on the floor… only on the counter.”
‘About [number four]Then why do you always get ‘airplane’ socks in airline bags on long flights? “I can’t imagine being in shoes for more than 10 hours,” another asked.
Some, however, agreed.
‘Yes, the waste is my biggest annoyance. I won’t touch your trash if it’s not time,” said one viewer.
Another person added, “Girllll! Thank you very much for sharing.’
Despite the challenges, Aislinn loves her job but admits it’s hard work to get there anyway
Despite the challenges, Aislinn loves her job, but getting there in the first place takes hard work. She started training when she was 18.
She said: ‘Being a flight attendant is such a great job, but in many ways it’s not like other jobs – you can’t become a flight attendant overnight.
‘With most jobs you submit your CV, you are hired and you start working shortly afterwards. As a flight attendant, that’s not how it goes.
“What is expected is that we can evacuate an entire plane in less than 60 seconds, shout commands, learn and practice first aid, and much more.
“We are trained to handle safety and medical emergencies, and to provide exceptional customer service.
‘With all the hard work comes a big reward: you meet some of your best friends.
“And get paid to travel the world, and stay in some of the nicest hotels.”