Flight attendant reveals the three things passengers do that give her the ‘ICK’ – as she shares her ultimate tips for seat swapping etiquette
- Toronto’s Jacqueline R. emphasized “just be nice” first and foremost
- “Your flight attendants love it when you’re super respectful,” she added
- The Air Canada flight attendant has nearly seven years of experience
A flight attendant has told what passengers do and that gives her and her colleagues the jitters.
Jacqueline R., who works for Air Canada and has been a flight attendant for nearly seven years, has set out a number of definitive ‘don’ts’ for passengers hoping to stay on the good side of the crew members in a recent TikTok.
“Your flight attendants love it when you’re super respectful because we deal with a lot, just like you deal with a lot,” she began. “We want to be so nice to you and we’re doing our best.”
The Toronto native further emphasized, “Your flight attendants hate it when you are mean, because we want to be nice. So just be nice. Just smile and just say, “Hey, how are you?” We’re going to do our best to treat you right.’
Jacqueline R., of Toronto, explained several “don’ts” for potential passengers who want to stay on their flight attendant’s good side
“Your flight attendants hate it when you’re mean, because we want to be nice. So just be nice,” she emphasized
“Don’t come on board and demand things. Just ask us nicely. And we will honestly do our best,” she explained.
“Just try to remember that we, like you, are human too. And we want to make sure you have the best travel experience. So all we ask is that you be nice.
“Our biggest problem is passengers being mean for no reason.”
Jacqueline went on to describe another big “ick,” which was, “When passengers come on board while we try to close the doors and take off and ask to go to the bathroom or stand in the cabin aisles.”
“Please don’t do that,” she begged.
A seemingly more innocent “ick” – which Jacqueline preceded with “honestly, not to hurt anyone’s feelings” – is the tendency of some passengers to expect their flight attendant to act as a go-between when switching seats with other passengers.
“We ask that after takeoff you ask the other passengers to change seats, because we don’t really have a say in changing seats,” she explains.
“Just ask the person sitting in the seat you want, “Hey, could you swap with me?” And if they want and can switch, they will.’
Of travelers who stand up as soon as their plane lands, Jacqueline stressed: ‘Please don’t be that passenger’
“Frankly, we don’t have jurisdiction over that,” she added.
The next one seems like a more obvious breach of safety protocol, with Jacqueline calling out those who are “tied once we land at our destination.”
“It’s like, ‘Okay, I understand you want to get off the plane. But we literally just landed and the doors aren’t open yet. We’re not even at the gate yet.’ So sit down for your safety,’ she said.
“You’ve heard this here — and you’ll probably hear it again when you’re aboard: Don’t get up as soon as the plane lands. Wait for the seat belt sign to go out and then you can get off the plane.
“Literally just because we have nowhere to go, so please don’t be that passenger.”
Jacqueline is far from the only flight attendant using social media to offer advice on what common passenger behavior is not ideal.
The flight attendant influencer, known as CiCi in the Sky, posted a TikTok last month listing the top five things she would never do now since becoming a flight attendant.
Among them: the same day flying to an important event; and storing coats in the luggage compartment.