When we travel, we all expect to have as comfortable a journey as possible. Yet, not all of us are willing to do everything we can to realize it both for ourselves and others around us. What we mean by that is sometimes it seems that some folks do certain things that make everyone's journey just a little harder than it should be, including the staff.
So, hoping to bring common sense to people like that, some flight attendants decided to speak up about the kind of behavior that bugs them and disturbs other passengers. This time, they focused on buttons and their overuse, which is quite eye-opening about the entitled people cabin crews have to deal with.
More info: The Sun
When we travel, we should always strive to act in a way that helps not only us personally, but the people around us too, including the staff that serves us
Image credits: Sasha Morozova / Pexels (not the actual photo)
To make this message clearer, some flight attendants opened up about the kind of behavior in public places that makes their job harder
When we are in public, we are expected to act a certain way, according to the agreed-upon social norms or, in other words, etiquette. Each setting has its set of expected behaviors.
For example, when dining in a fine restaurant, you are expected to know how to use specific silverware and napkins, how to tip, and everything like that. Or, in the cinema, you’re expected to put your phone down, not walk around the theater during a movie, not chit chat, and so on.
Image credits: kuprevich / Freepik (not the actual photo)
The time you spend on a plane is no exception – there are also ways you should act there to make it easier for yourself, your fellow passengers, and flight attendants.
We’re not going to delve into every single thing you should do on a plane, as it would take way too much time. Instead, we’re going to focus on one thing out of the passenger playbook that flight attendants are rather serious about – buttons.
They had a lot to say about the button use—or, better said, misuse
Image credits: DC Studio / Freepik (not the actual photo)
Usually, every seat on a plane has its own set of buttons that can be used to call the cabin crew when a passenger needs something. What should be noted is that there are times when it is appropriate to use them, and there are times when it’s not.
For instance, pressing a button when the seatbelt sign is on is a no-go. During this time, just as passengers, the flight attendants have to remain seated, too, for the safety of themselves and the travelers. So, pressing a button should only be done in case of a real emergency, not when you crave a glass of Coke or some snacks.
They pointed out that people shouldn't use them when the seatbelt sign is on, but are welcome to do so when it's off
Image credits: Longxiang Qian / Pexels (not the actual photo)
When it’s not take-off, landing, or a turbulent time, and when the seatbelt sign isn’t on, pressing a button for something that's not an emergency is allowed. For example, people in a window seat might have trouble getting out of their seat if their neighbors are sleeping, so pressing a button to request resources is encouraged in such cases.
At the same time, people should make sure to be mindful of how they use these buttons and not abuse the privilege.
Of course, even then it should be done in moderation, with consideration of others and patience
Image credits: Steven Thompson / Unsplash (not the actual photo)
If many passengers are sleeping, which usually happens during night flights, people are encouraged to use the buttons as little as possible, as it might disturb those who are resting. Instead, when they do something, they’re always welcome in the galley (unless the fasten seatbelt sign is on.)
Parents who travel with their kids should also be sure to explain to them that these buttons aren’t a toy and that pressing them for no reason is a bad thing. Flight attendants share that they've “wasted thousands of steps” going to help a person only to find out it was just a kid playing with a button.
They also shared examples of instances when kids reached for the buttons and made cabin crew rush to a seat that didn't need any help, which is beyond frustrating
Image credits: Hasan Gulec / Pexels (not the actual photo)
Impatiently pressing a button, especially when seeing that an attendant is serving someone else at that moment, rubs the cabin crew the wrong way, too. Typically, there is one crew member per 50 passengers, so being patient sometimes is important, especially if your request is rather insignificant and not an emergency.
So, as you can see, even when it comes to such a small thing as buttons on a plane, there are many ways we’re expected to act. And none of these expectations coming from flight attendants are malicious. They just wish people would be more mindful about it and make both their job and their own journeys easier.
These revelations were basically a PSA for people about how to act on planes, which motivated netizens to share their takes on how some passengers can improve themselves even further
