17 things your flight attendant won’t tell you

On what grounds is it legal to have flight attendants do all the pre-boarding work and not get paid for it?

I searched before posting and couldn't find anything, flightaware didn't find any matching links either

You folks really want to here an interesting explanation to why the flight is delayed in taking off?? This is a true-life story, not urban legend, happened to me on a Continental flight from Newark to Sao Paulo. Flight was supposed to leave 11 something pm, I was watching the screen to see the time, and all of a sudden, those dreaded words, "flight delay" and presto, takeoff and therefore boarding time delayed by 30 minutes.....
This happened at least 5 times, and the flight ended up taking off a little less than four hours late. Close to the third hour of delay, with the passengers getting really ticked off with the delay, the folks working at the ticket counter finally said over the loudspeakers that due to "maintenance reasons" the flight was being delayed, to be patient and "bear" with them. They issued coupons to everyone to eat something, boy, were the folks at the food places nearby (NOT) happy!!
Anyway, I was over by the window at one point looking out at the plane for the umpteenth time, and I hear these two guys in maintenance dress talking (in Spanish) about "that lady who had thrown a diaper down the toilet instead of in the trash". Yes, you read correctly,some idiot lady changing her baby threw the diaper down the toilet!! What happened, obviously, the bathroom flooded (one of the ones near the back), and there are sensitive instruments all over the plane, so basically that HAD to be taken care of, and to do that, they literally had to take apart the bathroom floor. It is rather understandable that they can't tell this story to the general public, but now, every time I hear/read that the flight is delayed, I wonder about the bathroom.... :-) Oh, and by the way, I spread the word around about why the plane was delayed, and you can imagine how much more unhappy we all were.

A pretty well written article. It put a smile on my face, but makes a point as well. These folks contracted their jobs for a lot of reasons, none of which were to see how much abuse they could absorb from a rude and intolerant flying public. It has always been my hope that if you didn't learn manners growing up, someone would "teach you" as an adult. Maybe it's time we replaced school lessons on condom installation with a few chapters from Emily Post.

I think I could see some other things added to the list as well... And as for crew making up reasons to delay... One I have seen is creating a maintenance delay for a BS item because crew member is late. Especially broken seals. Working the line one morning, got a gate call for all 3 emergency kits had broken seals. I had the service check on the night before, all the seals were in good order... What was not in good order is the the FO was not yet on the premises. Fixed the problem and they came up with another problem that was created. Once I signed off the book, I asked the captain if he had another problem while we waited on the First Officer... Got no answer and no more calls. They filed for maintenance delay but was denied.

The fact that cabin staff don't get paid until wheels up is criminal. Is that the same round the world, or just US domestic?

On the first leg of an ORD > FLL > PAP AA flight, there was a young "gentlemen" (spell that S-P-O-I-L-E-D B-R-A-T) - about 10 y.o.- was seated in the exit row next to his mother. Other members of their family group were also seated in the plane. The FA politely requested that the boy switch seats with another member of the group so that only responsible adults were in the exit row. The boy had the proverbial "hissy fit". "No. I want to sit HERE" was his ongoing- and increasingly noisy- mantra. His mother even sided with him, pleading with the FA to keep him by her. A second FA tried to appeal to the mothers' common sense. No go. After about 10 minutes, the Captain came on the PA citing a slight delay due to a "personnel problem" and that we would be rolling as soon as this was cleared up. The FA called the cockpit (my assumption) and shortly a sizable uniformed gentleman (FO?) appeared to explain to the mom that for security/safety reasons, the boy would have to swap with someone else and could not sit in the exit row. He gently pointed out that the airline did have the right to have the boy removed, if needed, to ensure the safety of the plane. ( People unrelated to the boy even offered their seat just to get the show on the road after what was now a 20-minute delay!!) The grandmother a few rows back had some common sense and eventually prevailed over the doting mother and bossy youngster, and eventually we did take off.

I was very impressed with the calm professionalism of the FA's and cockpit crew members of AA. At no point did they substantially raise their voice, but made their points calmly and gently, yet firmly and repeatedly. I'm sure any of them could add a couple more points to this list about brazen passengers. The crew members received many compliments as we exited after reaching FLL for their handling of the situation.

The biggest thing that bugs me, are the folks who REFUSE to check a bag.... So, they have a carryon bag that is way too full, and a backpack. (or HUGE laptop bag, not the normal laptop bags)... then, it takes a FA almost 5 minutes to try to stuff the overstuffed carryon bag in the overhead bin. Or, worse, there isn't a spot in their overhead bin, so FA has to go 10 rows away to find a spot... meanwhile, I just have my backpack, stuffed full, under the seat in front of me... This last flight, I had my laptop, Ipad, nexus 7, pair of flip flops, 6 or 7 magazines, 2 pairs of shorts, about 6 different chargers all stuffed into my backpack, and it still fit under the seat... Why do they have a rule about only ONE carryon, then let people bring a huge dufflebag, plus a "carryon" oh well... I think whoever said it was right... some people lose their minds when entering an aircraft.

As I've been working with the public for the last 11 years, this article is hysterical!!!

great article. same, same. I treat all stewards with absolute respect. it bothers me when I see passengers who do not show courtesy with a simple thank you.

I would like to add #18. The Flight Attendant did not tell me...BTW, the man sitting next to you on the flight from London to Phoenix is an international fugitive. One learns this when the US Marshals storm the aircraft, grab and cuff the man sitting next to you and than look at me and ask "We you flying with this person". A very small squeaky voice came out and all it could say "no sir"....

The trade off was he was a very polite fellow to sit next to.

Number 7. Please don't ask the Flight Attendant to call the cockpit to ask the name of that small island. First, my charts don't have every little rock plotted. Second, even if that small island is outlined on my chart, it won't have a name unless there is an airport which can handle big airplanes. Third, by the time the question gets to me we are past it and I won't know which island you are talking about.

Flight attendants operate under the decades old Railway Labor Act. They are not covered by most current work regulations, such as an 8 hour day, breaks, nor do they get paid overtime. It depends upon the individual contract with the airline as to when they get paid. MOST flight attendants do not get paid from the time they report to work at the airport, nor do they get paid for boarding or deplaning. They get paid from the time the door closes and brakes are released to the time that the aircraft is parked at the gate and the brakes are set, aka "flight time."

THIS IS INTERESTING

This is so TRUE:)

The list does not surprise me and with the attitude of some fellow passangers it does not seem unreasonable to "put it up them". I treat to act with air crew as I would like to be treated if the roles were reversed. Shame it cannot be like this through all of life.

LOL I love this! Reminds me a lot of the crap nurses go through. Not so much with the patients, but rather the demanding and often annoying family.

People can be such jerks. I do not know what happens to some people when they get on an aircraft. It's like they turn into irresponsible children or spoiled brats.
And this goes from the sweaty wife beater wearing redneck who flies once a decade up to the out and back in one day business traveler who has racked up 10 million frequent flyer miles..
I once sat across and one row behind a woman with a toddler. Instead of changing her little darling's diaper in the lav, she decides to use the center seat. She then unceremoniously takes the diaper in her left hand and extends her left arm out into the aisle. Presumably this is a air passenger semaphore code for "hey YOU!!!! Come get this dirty diaper and do it RIGHT NOW!"
After about oh 5 mins or so, she turns on that little light which I guess is supposed to signal the FA...Another couple of minutes goes by( oh, captain had asked flight attendants to be seated for turbulence) and she yells out "Oh Stewardess"!!!! I wanted to slap the taste out of this woman's mouth.
The FA goes to the woman and asks what she wanted. The woman tried to hand the crap bag to the FA. FA retreated to the galley to get latex gloves. Good for her.

Great Article! I am sure there could be 17 more you all could come up with!!!

I am under the impression all crews are paint once engines start. It is in humane if otherwise

*paint s/b paid

All coffee is decaf huh? Why not just roofie the passengers? That will ensure they sleep for the entire flight, and maybe for a few hours after it lands. Also, it will prevent idiots from drinking way too much booze on board and then having to be duct taped to their seat :)

Well considering the source, fox news, I wont even click it.

This has previously been posted

It's fox. I don't believe anything provided by the fixed noise network!