In Case of Emergency...

Middle Eastern Airlines- What Are They Really Like to Work For?

2011-09-07T14:42:00.002+10:00

Recently I have been receiving a lot of questions & emails regarding recruitment for Middle Eastern airlines. Being that I don't work for one, I've had to do a little research to find out the answers to some of those questions. Luckily for all the wannabes out there, I have some 'spies' out there in certain airlines who have been willing to answer my nosy questions so that I can tell you what you want to know.

So, just which airlines are we talking about here?

The most well known ones are, of course, Emirates, Etihad and Qatar. In addition to these "Big Three", we also have Gulf Air, Bahrain Air, FlyDubai, MEA, Air Arabia, Egyptair and Saudi Arabian to name a few. I'm planning to write a series of posts on the subject, covering various areas that people ask about, such as training, living conditions and rules imposed on FAs working for those companies.

Some of the questions I've received include:

* What's the pros & cons of working in the Middle East? (I believe this one depends largely on where you are based)

* Do all of the airlines have a curfew on their crew? I heard that they have tough rules and you cannot have visitors overnight.

* What are the perks of working for these companies- how much vacation time do you receive & what is the salary like?

* What kind of flying do they do- long or short haul? How long are the layovers? Do they have to share rooms with each other?

If you have another question you'd like answered, leave a comment below, or you can also contact me on Twitter or Facebook.

Travel Stuff

2011-08-12T21:39:00.000+10:00

When you travel on the road, it's not uncommon to develop an (sometimes unhealthy!) obsession with travel gadgets and tiny-sized toiletries. It's quite usual amongst flight attendants to have a comparison session in the galley of the most recently acquired "cool stuff", especially after a layover in a new city or one known for great shopping.

Here's a few links to some neat travel stuff I've spotted around in various places in print & on the web. As I just wrote down the links and not the place I was reading, I couldn't actually tell you where I saw these originally, sorry. I just thought they were cool. (I have also not been asked nor paid to feature these items, I just figured some of my readers might like them and are not responsible for any effects on your credit card!!) ;)

I'd always wanted one of these when I was a kid. Until I heard the joke about the Russians just using a pencil. But still, as someone who gets tired of cheap hotel pens running out of ink at the worst time, the Fisher Space pen seems like a pretty cool idea. Especially if you've ever ruined a uniform with exploding ink stains!

Notemaker has quite a range on their website as well, with all the different models. A bit on the expensive side, yes, but then again you should no longer have to be buying or ~~stealing~~ taking your entitled pens from hotel rooms 200 times a year.

Now, for all you Flight 001 fans, they now have their very own .com.au site, full of all the travel gadget geekiness you know and love. One cool product I'm lusting after is the Grid-It, a neat web of elastic bands to keep all your bits & bobs (especially electronics) in place.

For someone who's always losing her phone chargers in a carry-on bag, this is a great way to keep track of everything & prevent tangles. (Hint Hint Santa)

The next product up is shown in prototype form, but would be awesome for those long flights where you're stuck in a middle seat with nowhere to snooze. Basically, it's a hoodie with an inflatable pillow built into the hood, so you always have a place to lean wherever you may be- airport floor, train, in your parent's car on those boring road trips... anyway, hopefully this one will be available soon. My notes show Burton as having one, but when I checked their website there's nothing there, so it's either sold out or not being made available here just yet. Still, pretty cool!

Hart & Heim is one of my favourite stores, and you can now shop online! I can always find something cool here, and for those of you who hate packing, or always forget something, here's the solution for you. The Packing List is a tear-off notepad with checkboxes for all of the stuff you might need for your trip. Simply check items off as you pack them and you'll know exactly what's in your bag- even if you're the "pack three things then wander off for 3 hours" type. If you work in an office environment be sure to check out the rest of the pads & sticky notes, including the classic 'Sh!t List' and 'Do This Now' versions. Great cubicle-dwelling fun!!! =)

Have you seen any cool new travel stuff? What's your favourite gadget that makes your life easier?

Leave a comment below or head over to Facebook or Twitter to tell me what you found.

Giveaway Time!

2011-07-06T16:00:00.005+10:00

Well it's been awhile in the making, but to celebrate passing 300 fans of my Facebook page, plus all the fun I've been having meeting you guys & the comments on Twitter & Facebook, I'm having another giveaway!!! (Woo hoo)

In keeping with the travel focus of my blog, the prizes I'll be giving away to some lucky winners all have a relation to travel or holidays.

So without further ado, here's the details. I'll have 4 different prize packs up for grabs, each with certain items and a way to enter to win the prize.

AvGeek Pack, pictured below. It contains an aviation-themed T-shirt (Size small, so probably will best fit the ladies or a guy on the skinnier side), a transport-motif notebook from "Paperchase", a set of airplane magnets I picked up in Hong Kong airport & an Air New Zealand light-&-noise keychain.

The next pack up for grabs is the Comfort Pack, it has a jewellery roll to keep your necklaces & rings safe on the go (From Thailand), a hand-made sleep mask with Koala motif (purchased at the Rocks Market, Sydney) and a little doll in traditional Thai dress (also from Bangkok)

The next two prizes are virtually the same, save for some colour variation between the two Accessories Packs.

There's a Thai doll, some travel containers with jets on them, a luggage tag & pass case- Paperchase (for your train or subway pass) an Emirates light-&-sound keychain and either Paris-themed stickers (Accessorise) or travel-themed pin badges.

To enter, you have to be a Facebook and/or Twitter follower of my Traytable accounts to be eligible. You can join today if you're not already following, it doesn't matter (I would prefer if you're joining because you like my page & blog, not just to win the prize ;)

Prize 1- AVGEEKS

To win the AvGeeks prize, leave a comment on my Facebook page (or via Twitter) telling me your best AvGeek story- something funny that happened to you in the pursuit of planes, or even better, post a photo of your best AvGeek experience. The winner will be the person with the best story or photo, as chosen by me. (This prize is not a chance draw.)

Prize 2- COMFORT Tweet or Facebook me your best tip for being comfy when you travel. All the commenters will be entered into a random draw to win this prize.

Prize 3- ACCESSORIES PACK #1 Retweet a link to my blog (http://traytables-travels.blogspot.com) with where you are from to be in the draw to win this pack.

Prize 4- ACCESSORIES PACK #2- This will be drawn from everyone who is a fan of my Facebook page at the time the competition comes to a close. There's no need to do anything to be in the running for this one other than click 'Like' on my page. =)

RULES

Each person can enter for Prizes 1-3 only once. Each person is eligible to win only one prize, in the interests of fairness. So if you really want to win a certain prize, then try only for that one. If you're happy with any prize, you can enter all three. (Prize #4 will be drawn last to prevent that draw from stopping you winning a preferred prize if you entered for Prizes 1-3.)

The giveaway contest will close at 11:59pm Australian Eastern Standard Time Sunday, July 10th. Winners will be contacted either by Facebook or Twitter if they have not provided email address. Prizes will be mailed by Wednesday 13th latest. Winners must contact me upon being notified of winning within 24hrs to claim prize (I'm a busy hostie you know and I have only so much time to haul butt to the post office) and provide a valid mailing address.

Photos posted to enter the AvGeek prize must be your own. No taking photos from other websites. It's fine if someone else took a photo OF you, but the photo must otherwise have been taken by you if you are not in the photo.

The giveaway is open worldwide. Postage cost will be covered by me. The winner is responsible for any duties/taxes payable on any items. If there is anything in the prize packs which is not permitted to be mailed to your country, do not enter for that prize. I take no repsonsibility for lost/misdirected mail.

To Pee, Or Not to Pee?

2011-06-10T22:01:00.000+10:00

A little while ago Bobbylaurie(TM) made a post about something he calls "Lavophobia", where passengers (and sometimes crew) are afraid to use the lavs onboard the plane- for whatever reason- and it got me thinking about some of the weird toilet habits I've seen or heard about on the plane.

I'm no fan of the lav myself, as I think it's one of the ickiest places you can go, but I'll use it if I have to. I'll avoid it if possible, but I won't get so weirded out by it that I develop some bizarre ritual to deal with having to go tinkle in the sky...

Here's a few that I've heard of.

The Paper Towel Warrior

This person is the one who opens the door using a tissue over the handle, and proceeds to paper every exposed surface with paper towel in order to create a shield between their body and any germy surface inside the lav.

Of course, this takes quite a while and is likely to annoy both the people waiting, and the crew who have to keep replacing the loo roll and/or hand towels every ten minutes on a transcon flight. (There are quite a few PTW's on flights these days)

The If-I-Don't-See-It-It-Can't-Hurt-Me Type

They enter the toilet, cautiously peering out of one squinted eye, hoping the reduced vision level will prevent them seeing the horrors of the lav. They do everything by feel including wiping and/or papering the seat before sitting down, all the while thinking 'nice thoughts' to keep them from thinking about what might actually be on that seat. These people are also usually the kind that think if they can't SEE any dirty parts of the bathroom, then it must be relatively clean. (Haha)

The Hand Sanitizer Queen (King)

This passenger (or crewmember) is happy to use the lav at any time, provided everything has been coated in a generous amount of sanitizer before use.

They can usually be recognised by the fact they own shares in Bath & Body Works, and always have a spare bottle in their bag to give to that non-believer who might just be converted to using Purell after their eyes have been opened.

The I-Can-Wait-To-Pee Type

This flyer would rather risk their bladder health than use the icky loo on the plane. No matter how desperate they are, they just WILL NOT go. Even on a long haul flight. I once knew an F/A who was NEVER seen using the lav at any time, but on turns would run into the airport to use the restrooms in the terminal, screeching at everyone to get out of her way as she couldn't hold it any more. There was also an urban legend doing the rounds about a captain who was kind of on the fat side, and as he found it difficult to get in & out of his seat easily, would just pee in a bottle instead. Needless to say, those FAs wouldn't spend any time in the cockpit, much to the dismay of whichever First Officer he happened to be flying with that day.

The Number One Only Type

Happy to use the lav onboard but only for getting rid of number 1's. Will hold it for everything else.

The (Much Hated) "I Don't Do Number Two's At Home" Type

Out of courtesy to their loved ones/colleagues, they avoid going for a "newspaper break" at the home or office, but are only too happy to stink out the back of a 737 with their visits to the restroom. They don't even have the sense to use the air freshener AND I'm not allowed to light matches to counter the reek. I *hate* this type...

The Barefoot Adventurer

This type of passenger is likely to complain that the carpet is not clean enough, the plane is a bit old or the person next to them looks a bit sniffly. They will then happily walk into the bathroom with no shoes on (or even worse, wearing socks, so they can soak up the germs to take home with them.) I love cheerfully informing them that it's not water on the floor in there. On long flights, my colleagues and I sometimes keep a tally of how many passengers go in barefoot. If we're feeling particularly cheeky, we'll tell them due to safety regs that shoes must be worn in the toilet. It's funny how many go back to get their shoes, and how many just shrug their shoulders and go in anyway. I think just for fun I might try making a sign on the computer with a "no bare feet" symbol and stick it on the door... :P

One final note from me: Whichever 'type' you are- PLEASE flush when you're done, it's not a urinal!!

Have you observed any strange bathroom habits onboard? Are YOU a "Lavophobe"? What things do you do onboard to avoid the potential germs?

Leave a comment, hop on over to my Facebook page or Tweet me with your story!!

To Pee, Or Not to Pee?

2011-06-10T21:42:00.004+10:00

Flying the Unfriendly Skies

2011-04-25T12:15:00.000+10:00

It's no secret to anyone who travels on a regular basis that people are getting, well, unfriendlier when they're in the air or on the road. Lack of consideration for other passengers, arguments over luggage space and at the extreme end threats & assaults on other passengers and crew are sadly becoming the norm rather than the exception in the airline industry.

Without getting into a social commentary on other aspects of society, it can be agreed that this 'misbehaving' in the skies is an alarmingly increasing trend.

Blame oil price rises, extra security measures or Santa Claus all you like, it's not acceptable and shouldn't be tolerated as something which can't be fixed.

The most notable recent case I've heard about is one on a flight to Darwin, where a passenger became verbally abusive & threatening to both fellow passengers & crew.

The article says: "Sydney man Simon Wilson Menzies, 31, was drunk and angry when he told the female cabin crew manager on a flight this week that he could "bring the plane down if he wanted." Menzies said: "I'm half muslim, half Aboriginal and everyone else is a white a*******. I could f******blow up the plane." He then began to sing a song about the plane crashing and everyone dying.

After various altercations with other passengers & (allegedly) the flight's captain, Menzies eventually returned to his seat and was arrested & held overnight on arrival in Darwin.

A court last week convicted him as the first person to be charged under new laws relating to threatening and/or assualting aircraft crew which came into effect on March 30th.

Apparently the passenger had been mixing antidepressants & alcohol & gave this as the reason for his behaviour. Here's where it gets disappointing. According to the article,

(The magistrate) fined him $400 and released him on the suspended sentence in time for his flight to Bali the following morning.

Under the new laws the maximum summary penalty for threatening or assaulting a flight crew member is two years prison or a $13,500 fine.

So, under a new law which allows up to 2 years in prison & a $13,500 fine, this idiot got less than 5% of that amount in a fine and more astonishingly, was allowed BACK ON THE SAME CARRIER to continue his "family holiday".

For threatening a whole planeload of people (whether he meant it or not), the most he got was a slap on the wrist & little deterrent to doing it again. I hope the crew involved file a complaint with the union & the OH&S regulator for failing to provide adequate follow-up & a safe working environment for those crew who had to fly this jerk the next day. He was a known offender & yet was allowed to keep on flying, putting yet more passengers and crew at risk.

In my opinion this is an absolute farce & 'new laws' are only as good as the judges enforcing the punishments handed out under them. This guy probably spent the same amount of money on his airfare & holiday in Bali & the fine would have been no deterrent for anyone else thinking of doing the same thing. People get jail time for lesser offences like unpaid speeding tickets than this guy got. Until the authorities get tougher on imposing sentences to the full extent of the law, I'm afraid that this type of behaviour will only continue if not increase further.

Don't even get me started on the flight crew allegedly getting involved. I hope this part is only media beatup because if they in fact did come out of the cockpit, it was surely a mistake of huge proportions and someone deserves some retraining if this is how it played out! I do think though that the wording of the article may be to blame, and they could well have been talking about this occuring as the passenger was removed on arrival.

This incident follows another as passengers got into a scuffle in Hobart over "carry on" luggage. Sounds like a carry-on, all right!

What do you think about 'air rage' and assaults in the air? Do you think it's increasing? Are the punishments fair or are people getting off 'scot free'? Leave me a comment or let me know what you think on Twitter or Facebook.

(Photos: Restraint: avsec.com, Passengers: Mail Online)

Ask the FA- How Do I Get a Bulkhead Seat?

2011-04-23T05:54:00.004+10:00

I get asked this question a lot, and with the economy the way it is, oil prices rising and thus fares going up, people want as much value as they can when they travel. For most people, this means the best legroom for as little fare as possible. I'll add the disclaimer here that various strategies work best for different airlines, however a combination of these will probably give you the best chance..

There are several ways to increase your chances of scoring that coveted extra-legroom bulkhead seat.

Some airlines have the frequent flyer programs where you can have a 'preferred seat' put into your booking profile. The only problem is, these seats are popular and if a higher-tier member also requests these, you will miss out.

Web check-in is increasingly popular, so this may be another option, but you have to be quick!! Bear in mind depending on the aircraft configuration, some of these seats may be classified as 'emergency exit row' seats and depending on the airline may not be selectable during online check-in. (Seat Guru may be able to help you check this & have great reviews on leg-room and other in-flight amenities.)

If all else fails, try to check in as early as possible, and ask politely whether any of those seats are still available. As they are popular you may be disappointed, ask only once! You would be surprised how far being pleasant to check-in staff will get you. Always answer questions about exit rows honestly- people sometimes 'hide' reasons they think will prevent them having the seat they want- but even if you get it, the crew responsible for that row can still move you out if they think you shouldn't be sitting there.

These days, it's become increasingly common for airlines to charge a premium for bulkhead seats as they are so popular. In a worst case scenario, you may just have to pony up the cash to get that seat. Sold out? It's supply & demand baby! I often hear complaints from people who are tall or otherwise feel they need the legroom more than others. All I can say to that is, the onyl fair way for an airline to allocate bulkhead seats (aside from frequent flyer loyalty) is by a pay-to-use system. You want it, you pay, and as with many other things in life, it's first in, best dressed.

One last thing- bulkhead seats (especially on widebody flights are often also the location of baby basinettes; if you still get one after all the parents have been allocated, think to yourself do you really want to be sitting near the crying babies all flight!!! :)

Take Care...

2011-04-12T06:30:00.000+10:00

Originally, I started writing this post back in February last year. I read about the sad death of a V Australia crew member in Phuket, after he fell from a hotel balcony during a room mix-up. However, a blogger glitch erased the post that I had worked on for hours and frustrated, I decided to continue it later. As often happens, other things took over and it was soon forgotten. Recently I found the half-draft in my archives & decided to finish the post to share with you.

The Phuket story got me thinking about how sometimes crew can take hotel safety for granted, and ways to make sure you stay safe in hotels.

For most flight attendants, spending time in hotels on layovers is common. We spend almost as much time in hotels as at home, if not more. Hotels become like a second home- especially if we layover in the same cities on a regular basis. We have our favourite rooms, make friends with the hotel staff and seek out the best places to eat and shop.

However, being away from home and often travelling solo has a darker side. Being in a strange city, around people you don't know and in unfamiliar locations can be dangerous to a flight attendant's personal safety in the wrong circumstances.

In 2010, an Australian flight attendant was killed when he fell from a hotel balcony/walkway while on a layover in Phuket. It appears he mixed up the room numbers and somehow, while trying to either find his room or gain entry to a room, fell from the balcony or walkway & fell five floors to his death.

I'm no stranger to odd hotel layouts- one hotel I used to stay at had an 'open plan' garden layout similar to the Phuket hotel where V Australia stayed. We'd frequently come back from a night out, tripping over plants or other things in the dark and losing our way between blocks of rooms.

Other hotels had complicated stairways, dimly lit walkways and were sometimes located in dodgy neighbourhoods if it couldn't be avoided.

Flight crew safety has recently been put in the spotlight again with concerns from Cathay Pacific flight attendants staying in Riyadh, Saudia Arabia reporting interference during layovers.

Here's a few things I do to make things that little bit safer in hotels.

Check It Out

On arriving, I always make a quick check of my room- inside the closet, the bathroom and under the bed. These are all known places for an assailant to hide until you've locked that door behind you. While checking, I'll close the door but not latch it until my check is complete, so I can open it quickly if needed.

I'll also have a quick look to see whether I have a balcony with a sliding door, a normal door or a window. It's important to know not only if your window locks, but if it opens enough for you to use if you can't get out of the door.

If the room is a joining one, I move something in front of the door- a chair, desk or other item which makes it difficult to open from the other room. At the very least, it'll make a noise to let me know someone is coming in.

Lock It Up

Most hotels I stay in have either a chain or one of those door limiters on it so that you can open the door without it being able to be forced open. If you don't have one of these chains, or are staying somewhere where you don't trust that staff don't access rooms, you can find plenty of door security gadgets online. I had one a few years ago which worked well, the plus points were that it was made of plastic so I could carry it in my hand luggage and it barely weighed a thing. Sadly, I can't recall the name of it or seem to find it online.

Of course if the fire department are trying to get in for whatever reason, it's not enough to completely stop them, for obvious reasons, but is enough to warn me that someone is coming in if they do. All-metal models might sound like a good idea, but remember in a fire situation that it may get too hot to handle & be difficult to remove without injury.

Stranger Danger

If someone knocks on your door saying they are from maintenance, you don't have to open the door. Hotels don't usually do any work at night (unless it's an emergency) and genuine hotel employees are happy for you to wait to call the front desk and verify that they DID send someone to your room. The same goes for room service or porters. If you don't feel right about it, check with the concierge or reception.

If I'm approaching my room and there's someone walking behind me, I wait until they've passed before I open my door. I've heard of crew members who have been followed into rooms and been robbed -or worse.

Just because you're inside a building, don't let your guard down. Again, it sounds paranoid, but would-be thieves take advantage of the sense of security a hotel gives people to get them when they least expect it. Especially as women, we can 'feel bad' that we'll offend someone by acting as though they're up to no good- would-be attackers can use this to their advantage. ALWAYS follow your intuition and remember- it's better to be thought rude than to have something happen to you.

Know Your Exits

As a flight attendant, this sort of goes without saying, but you'd be surprised just how many flight crews have no idea where the fire exits are. This goes for the fire fighting equipment as well. Check the plan on the back of your door, and make sure it's correct. When you go to the lobby for your night out, have a look on the way past where the fire stairs are and where you can grab a fire extinguishers. It's a bit of a silly habit picked up on the job, but I just can't help checking that a fire extinguisher is actually serviceable when I walk past one.

Speaking of safety equipment, I always think it's a good idea to carry a small torch in my bag. It's come in useful so many times that it's more than paid for itself. Mine is just a small LED job I got for less than $10 at a Kmart. The batteries last a long time and the light is much better than conventional globes. Some hotels supply a flashlight in the closet. One hotel in Asia I stayed at even had smoke hoods- I wasn't sure to be reassured that one was there if I needed it, or worried that they were there in the first place!

This is also where your earlier window check will help. Now you'll know if you can use your window to escape a fire as a last resort. How high is your room? Is there a balcony? Can you reach some other structure like the roof of the garage easily? At least you'll know this in advance, and it will only take you a few seconds to work this out when you're doing your room check.

Ring, Ring

In the article posted above, some of the Cathay Pacific crew reported receiving nonsense calls in their rooms, firstly from outside the hotel and then from other rooms.

Personally, unless I'm expecting another crew member to call my room, I don't pick up the phone. If it's an important schedule change or other work issue, there'll shortly be a note under the door. My supervisor and captain have the crew's numbers or can get them from crew scheduling if it's urgent. Also, my family will send me a text if they're going to call, or just call me on my cell. If you don't want roaming charges, you can always arrange to text them when you want them to call you.

It's also good to know how to contact various departments in the hotel. Know how to dial room-to-room. Check whether you have to dial an actual number, or just push a button to reach Reception or Hotel Security. This is especially good to know if you have to dial in the dark. If it's not noted on the phone, find out what the local police & fire numbers are. That way if your phone doesn't work you can at least try from your cell phone (make sure you know the dialling codes as well).

Other good numbers to know include your airline or company's security department. Crew scheduling can be a good help, but security is a better option in the event of something major going down. Crew who were caught up in the Mumbai terror attacks reported getting assistance from their airline security department when they couldn't get through to the police.

At the least, they can probably advise whether to stay put or leave in a security-type situation. Program these numbers into your phone: Scheduling, Security & your international help line if your company gives it. Every traveller should have an "ICE" (in case of emergency) contact in their phone.

Out on the Town

There's nothing wrong with a good night out on the town- it's a great way to relax and let off steam after a tiring flight, or to bond with your crew. Having said that, you should take some reasonable steps when heading out to ensure a safe night for all. Try to swap numbers with at least one other person in your group, if you don't already know them. This way if you get separated, or someone's phone gets stolen, you can still keep in touch. (Remember, you also wrote down the hotel's phone number, didn't you?)

Keep an eye on each other's drinks- especially if one of you goes off to dance. In some countries thieves work together to distract one member of the group while the other makes off with the valuables. Keep watch on bags and purses. Girls, if you're in a slightly dodgy area, make sure you visit the ladies' room together (This usually happens anyway!) ESPECIALLY if one of you suddenly feels unwell. You just never know what someone might have put in your drink, and you do NOT want her to be alone if that is the case!

Ideally, make sure everyone gets back to their rooms safely, especially in hotels that are dimly lit or have tricky layouts. This might sound sexist but I often ask one of the guys on the crew to walk me back if we're in a dodgy part of town or failing that, we girls make sure at a minimum, we're in pairs if not a group.

If you're heading out in a foreign city on your own, be sure to let someone know where you're going & when you expect to be back. This can be as simple as leaving a note on your bed- "Gone shopping in Mongkok, back by 1800". If you're not there for the crew pickup, at least that gives everyone an idea of where to start looking.

I don't mean to come across as paranoid, but it is a reality of the travelling life that we can face risks to our safety on the move. Implementing ways to keep yourself safe should be an important part of any traveller's routine.

We all go off on our trips not thinking that we might not come home. While having fun seeing the world and meeting new people, be sure to take care so that your family can welcome you home again, safely & soon.

Got a travel tip you think I'd like? Leave a comment, hop over to my Facebook page or send me a Tweet!

Snapshot- Ray of Light

2011-04-07T10:39:00.000+10:00

Another photo from a layover in Perth, Western Australia.

A Newsworthy Week in Aviation

2011-04-06T23:43:00.006+10:00

It's been an interesting week in aviation.

First there was the Southwest decompression that occurred after the loss of a large part of the fuselage. The crew managed to land the plane safety at an air force base and by all passenger accounts both the pilots and flight attendants dealth with the situation in a textbook manner.

The incident has now sparked a massive inspection regime ordered by the manufacturer of Boeing 737 aircraft of a certain age and model type due to fears of further metal fatigue.

(I do disagree with the use of the term "sucked out" in the article; more accurately, people would be "pushed out" by the flow of departing air)

Then we had the dramatic landing of a United airlines flight after the pilots reported smoke in the cockpit. Eventually, air traffic controllers had to assist the aircraft by verbally guiding them to the airport, as the pilots could not see well enough to land. All passengers and crew onboard were evacuated after the aircraft made a safe (if somewhat hair-raising) landing back at New Orleans airport.

In a disturbing twist, the preliminary report into the crash of a UPS cargo plane in Dubai last year was published by the GCAA, aviation authority of the UAE. This flight also suffered issues with smoke in the cockpit & visibility of instruments. The report makes sobering reading, with a few key points being:

- Emergency oxygen systems were inadequate

- The captain was forced out of the cockpit to find alternative oxygen at a critical phase of flight

- An extremely short amount of time between the flight recorder noting the first 'fire event' in the forward main deck, and then three minutes later, a 'fire event' in the aft of the main deck cargo area. That is very rapid & sad to say probably an impossible situation for those pilots.

(You can read the full PDF file of the report here.)

Thankfully the United pilots had the advantage of daylight and the correct radio frequency to be able to communicate with air traffic control. The UPS crew could not tune to change frequency and thus had to rely on other aircraft in the area to relay messages.

The crash has also highlighted shortfalls in packing & shipping guidelines for lithium batteries, something which was of concern prior to the accident, and even moreso now. The abundance of these batteries for sale at online auction websites is no doubt adding to the problem, with many sellers totally unaware that some everyday goods are actually classified as hazardous for carriage by air.

Lastly, in an unexpected yet welcome development, investigators have uncovered further wreckage from Air France flight 447, which disappeared nearly two years ago amid speculaton and mystery as to the cause.

Hopefully this new development will finally yield the black boxes and the answers the aviation industry has been waiting for with bated breath. Once and for all we will know if it was the weather, the aircraft or something else entirely which led to the loss of the plane and all on board.

PHOTOS: SWA- AP/Ross D. Franklin, AF447- Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute

The Red Shoes

2011-04-05T20:46:00.000+10:00

Jaunted ran a story about the "uniform refresh" at Virgin Atlantic. This week, VS has had a few 'news' items including new routes, the launch of their first Airbus A330 aircraft and the arrival of the red shoes on female cabin crew.

Apparently, the highly successful James Bond-style ad campaign from last year, which featured crew in red patent heels, resonated so much with the travelling public that they came to expect the new level of 'glamour' on the crew serving them on flights.

The new shoes will be of a lower heels and different shape to those in the adverts, naturally, as stilettos don't exactly lend themselves to a long-haul flight.

While I did like the look in the tv spot, something about the shoes for the crew just doesn't seem quite right to me. I think the style of the new crew shoe just doesn't work in patent red. Also, with a red suit I personally think it's a bit too much red. Of course, with just a skirt and white blouse it might look fine, but I think they'd have done better to go with black. Either way, those shoes won't last two weeks before "cart toe" takes over. I hope the crew are supplied with (non patent) cabin shoes as well!

Photo: Virgin Atlantic via Jaunted.

Blog Changes

2011-04-05T08:22:00.000+10:00

Hi everyone!!

Just a quick post to let you know I am trying out some changes to the blog layout this week. It's been coming for awhile but until now I haven't had much chance to sit down and play with how everything looks.

The first change I've made is to add tabbed pages to the top of the page. Before I remove the headings on the side bars, I'd like to know if you prefer the new 'Pages', or the old Blog List style.

I know the Pages option isn't dynamic, so it won't show which blog is most recently updated, but on the other hand it will clear up the sides of the blog a bit for easier reading.

I'm also considering a template change to make everything easier to read.

Do you have anything else you'd like to see regarding the blog design/layout?

I'm working on some new posts to go up in the next week or so. I know it's been a little light on posts around here lately, but you can also catch me when I'm on the road at my Facebook Page or my Twitter feed.

Snapshot- Beach

2011-03-31T10:27:00.000+11:00

Taken at Scarborough Beach, Perth, Western Australia during a layover earlier this year. Beautiful, isn't it? These are the things I travel for =)

British Airways & Unite the Union in Baby Battle- Why I Side With BA

2011-03-16T23:32:00.004+11:00

While reading along the news headlines on Twitter, I stumbled across a link to a press release by Unite, the union which represents British Airways cabin crew.
They have taken issue with a decision by BA to require female employees who become pregnant and are unable to perform ground duties to take unpaid leave.

The issue which appears to be a simple one, becomes a little more complicated when it's revealed that some of the crew concerned are what are known in the inustry as "commuters"- they live outside of areas of crew bases for BA -or even the UK entirely- and fly in to work their rostered duties.

You can read the Unite article here.

I have some points to make on this subject, and would like to know what my readers think on this issue. I must mention in advance, that my views are my personal views only & I apologise if you are offended by my opinion, but in the interests of debate I am writing this post.

Point 1:
BA cabin crew, that become pregnant and live too far to travel to Heathrow or Gatwick to perform ground duties, will now be forced to take unpaid leave by the airline.... (Unite article)

In every airline I've worked for, if an employee has become unfit to perform their work through pregnancy, the contractual agreement is that to retain employment, the employee must undertake any duties re-assigned to them as the employer sees fit & as appropriate to their condition.

For pregnant flight attendants and pilots, this usually meant administration, airport terminal or other customer service ground-based roles. If the employee is unable to do so because of personal choices (like place of residence) or is unwilling, then in my view unpaid leave is a fair option in trade of the employee keeping their job.

Point 2:
"Over the years BA has recruited its cabin crew staff from all parts of the UK as well as from continental Europe. BA has closed its regional bases forcing workers to travel hundreds of miles to their place of work, yet it now intends to stop payment to any pregnant crew staff member who is unable to commute to BA’s last two hubs, Heathrow and Gatwick. (Unite article)

When flight attendants are hired by airlines, we sign a contract of employment. Every cabin crew contract I've ever seen has contained a clause which states that the employee must, to continue employment, move at the direction of the company to a crew basing (on either temporary or permanent basis) to fulfill operational requirements of the airline.

True, BA used to base crew in Europe. For whatever reason (either political, economical or other) they closed those bases. Imagine the outcry if BA had just sacked those crew. They did not, they allowed them to commute to keep their jobs if they did not want to move to another basing. Last time I checked, it was up to the employee to ensure they are able to get to work, not the other way around.

Staying in a closed base and commuting to your base of operation is a CHOICE, as is moving to a new base to keep your job. Deciding that commuting is not for you and you cannot fulfil the new requirements of the employment is also a CHOICE.

Point 3:
Many crew chose to live outside of the UK and commute to work, even in cities that were not crew bases, for various reasons. Whether they be lifestyle, tax benefits, or a cheaper cost of living is irrelevant. Those crew CHOSE to live overseas and commute.

In the UK, crew are required to be grounded as soon as they discover pregnancy. This is due to concerns for the safety of both mother and child due to the strenuous nature of flying on the body. BA faces a dillemma- face accusations of 'discrimination' for giving unpaid leave to women unable/unwilling to perform alternative duties, or allow them fly to commute to their work.

Clearly, they cannot allow this as the women would be working and therefore I assume subject to the same rules as flight attendants while pregnant. Therefore, instead of terminating the employment they offer unpaid leave. This is not good enough for the union. I must also point out that other female workers at BA who are not cabin crew, do not receive pay unless they remain working up until the "maternity leave" period begins. They cannot stay at home and not work while getting paid until their maternity leave starts, which is much later than cabin crew.

I must also question if the crew residing outside of the UK are covered by those UK employment laws, as even though they are employed by a UK company, they do not live in the UK. I think they are, but it does rile me a little that they want either a better lifestyle or tax breaks than the UK offers, but also want to keep the protections of provisions like maternity leave under UK law.

(I also do not think BA is refusing maternity leave, merely asking that the cabin crew performs other duties to get it.) Not unreasonable, considering that BA is a business and not a charity. Most non-airline companies require some kind of services for at least a portion of a pregnancy until the woman is no longer able to do so DUE TO HER PREGNANCY, not other factors like where she lives or how she gets to work.

While I see the need for provisions such as maternity leave, in this case I do not believe the employer should be penalised for the choices of the employee. I am sure many BA crew would love to live closer to loved ones, or in Europe, but realise that the practicalities of commuting life do not make for a good working environment and possibilities for the future.

Although I feel for these ladies wanting to keep their jobs, they cannot have their cake and eat it too. Either you live somewhere which is conducive to fulfilling your contract (whether that is flying or ground duties) or you find employment that allows you to live in that place if that is what you choose.

When I originally applied to my airline, the only crew base available was on the other side of the country. I did not want to live there, for my own reasons, and decided that rather than commuting I would hold out in hope they would open applications for a basing in my city (They did, and I got it.)

While I don't want to make a debate about maternity leave, I do want to give some perspective as to the fact that some things come down to discrimination, and some to choices that we make. These ladies knew when they accepted their jobs that there were certain requirements. Just because they want to have children does not make them exempt from fulfilling their contracts of employment.

In some airlines, crew are not allowed to be unmarried and have children. They are aware of this when they join and if they decide they want children, they either marry or resign.

I think in this situation BA have come up against an unforeseen issue with commuting crew. The solution may be to restrict commuting on the basis that crew will either resign on becoming pregnant or relocate to a non-commuting base to continue employment.

This would not be feasible either as again, the issue of discimination arises.

Campaign photo from Unite.

Caption should be addended ("because she chooses to live outside of a crew base")

I'd love to know what you think. Are the crew going too far in wanting to keep their jobs as a paid leave when they are unable to perform the duties required by their employer?

Are BA being too harsh in this case? What do you think they should do?
Feel free to leave me a comment or drop by my Twitter or Facebook pages.

(Campaign Photo from HERE, pregnant woman: Google Image Search) )

Picking Up

2011-01-12T00:41:00.000+11:00

Collecting used glasses, cans etc in the cabin-

I pick up a tray in each hand, a glass of juice is still on the table. I'm about to tell the lady that I'll come back in just a second for the juice.

Lady: "Hey hey you forgot the juice"

Me: "Madam I will be back in a moment to take your glass."

I take the trays to to galley and come back (now with free hands) to take the glass. As I'm leaning over to pick up the glass:

Lady: (angrily) "Hey you lazy, you need to pick up the juice"

Me: (In my head): Give me a freaking chance and maybe I WILL pick up the juice!!

Seriously people, give your flight attendant a chance to do something before you berate him/her for not doing it. Odds are, they know what you're about to ask and are going to do it. Telling them off for not doing it before you've even waited to see if they're going to do it will just make them annoyed with you, and slower to come back next time. Free tip for you... :P

Hello 2011!

2010-12-31T23:00:00.000+11:00

Just wanted to pop by & wish all my readers & friends a Happy New Year for 2011. Hope that this coming year brings all that you wish for.

Thank you again for all your support, comments, friendships & feedback, both here and on Twitter and Facebook.

One of my resolutions is to re-vamp the blog and of course keep posting more often, with more interesting content, so stay tuned next year.

Hope you have a great time whether you're working or celebrating.

Cheers!!!

Beating Language Barriers

2010-12-16T06:33:00.003+11:00

No one in my section of the plane spoke a word of English. Their tour guide was clueless also. I stood there holding a meal tray, helpless, smiling stupidly and wondering how on earth I was going to serve meals to these fifty or so people. (FYI, I am *not* one of those crew who just puts a meal in front of someone without telling them what it is- you just NEVER know with food allergies these days)

My feeble attempts at sign language only drew laughs from these passengers, and I couldn't for the life of me remember anything other than "hello" in their language.

So how to communicate what the meal choice for this #flight was..?

Ok so it's crude but it worked!

Mind Your Language!

2010-12-07T05:04:00.000+11:00

The other week during a night flight, as I was walking to the back galley, a passenger waved me down and asked for vodka.

A couple of other people asked me for Coke, juice and so on.

I delivered the drinks and made my way to the cockpit with the pilots' meals. On returning down the cabin into Economy, the same passenger again requested a vodka. At this stage I'd already gotten lots of orders so by the time I made it back to his seat, he was asleep.

I left the vodka, with a glass of ice & lemon on the table.

About thirty minutes later, my supervisor came back into the galley while we were eating, and she was laughing, but like she was trying not to show it. Behind her was the passenger who'd asked me for the drinks, looking quite agitated and holding a now-melted glass of ice with a vodka miniature in hand.

My suprvisor explained to me that he was upset because he'd kept getting the wrong drink.

Turns out this guy had a thick European accent (which had gone unnoticed via his one-word responses to our questions) and had actually been asking for WATER.

Oh the fun of language barriers!!

Once & For All...

2010-12-03T10:54:00.004+11:00

To answer the age-old question...

Q. If three people are sitting in a full row on the plane, who gets the middle armrests?

A. The person in the middle. Why? Because the person in the window gets to lean their head on the window, and the person on the aisle gets the aisle armrest and to lean out into the aisle* every so often. The sucker in the middle gets nothing but the solace of leaning their elbows on the two middle armrests to ward off the fat spillover of two complete strangers.

(*But please, not when the beverage cart is in the aisle)

Yes, I have had to have this discussion with passengers on board. And yes, they were all (outwardly at least) adults.

If you have any other airline "mysteries" you'd like solved, leave a question in the comments!

---------------------
Image: Prop airline chairs from the tv series "LOST"- from Google Images

Happy Birthday to the Flying Kangaroo

2010-11-16T05:10:00.000+11:00

After 90 years of operation, it's time to wish Qantas a very happy birthday!

Of course, they've had their fair share of bad press of late, but putting that aside, one has to marvel at the achievements of this airline over the years.

Here's just a few of their milestones.

In 1920 Qantas - which stands for Queensland and Northern Territory Aerial Services Limited (Q.A.N.T.A.S.)-registered in Brisbane on 16 November.

1934 - Qantas Empire Airways (Q.E.A.) was registered in Brisbane - a joint venture between Q.A.N.T.A.S. and Imperial Airways of England - and awarded Australian Government tender to operate the country's first overseas air service between Brisbane, Darwin and Singapore which began on 26 February 1935.

1943 to 1945 - Qantas pilots flew the world's longest route - an average of 28 hours - from Perth to Colombo (Sri Lanka) using twin-engine Catalina Flying Boats, undertaken mostly in radio silence to avoid Japanese attack - 271 safe crossings, 648 passengers, a total of almost one million miles.

1948 - First female flight hostesses join their male colleagues in May on the Lockheed Constellation L749 services - the first to operate with all-Australian crew from Sydney through to London.

1958 - Qantas created aviation history becoming the first airline to offer round-the-world services between Australia and the UK via the southern and northern hemispheres.

1959 - In July , Qantas became the first airline outside the United States to fly B707 jets carrying passengers from Australia to the UK across the Pacific and the Atlantic Oceans and later also via Asia.

1975 - Qantas engineer Jack Grant presented with global aviation's premier safety award for his contribution to the development of the inflatable aircraft slide/raft equipment.

1974 - World record for largest passenger load, evacuating 674 people with 23 crew on a Boeing B747 after Cyclone Tracy devastated Darwin.

1979 - Qantas became the first airline in the world to offer Business Class in a separate cabin with individual service on international flights.

1989 - World's longest non-stop flight undertaken by a commercial jet aircraft from London to Sydney, the Boeing 747-400 aircraft City of Canberra.

Aside from years of pioneering and innovation, Qantas became an Australian icon known worldwide. Ask any Aussie overseas and they won't deny feeling a pang of homesickness seeing the familiar 'Flying Kangaroo'. Qantas also became known to millions through the iconic "I Still Call Australia Home" campaign. The video is freely available on YouTube. When visiting family a year or so ago, I was delighted to see a refreshed version of this ad involving the Aboriginal children of the Australia Children's Choir- it can't help but bring a tear to the eye of any proud Aussie.

So, from a self-confessed AvGeek who loved Qantas as a little kid, to a proud Aussie today, a very happy birthday Qantas.! Here's to 90 years more!!

A Question of Restraint

2010-10-24T03:01:00.005+11:00

This week, two Federal Air Marshals (FAMs) on a Continental flight to Brazil became tangled in a legal/political scandal when they fled the country after being charged with assault.

Their 'crime'? Arresting a woman who became unruly on the flight and actually bit one of the marshalls. The twist? Said woman is the wife of a senior Brazilian court judge. Oooh, tricky!!

The news reports that they "fled the country using alternate travel documents rather than face what they believed to be trumped-up charges, sources said."

What piqued my interest in this story was the circumstances surrounding why the marshals acted. According to the article:

"a female passenger who appeared to be intoxicated tried to serve herself drinks by going to the plane's galley, one source said. The plane's crew asked air marshals to intervene, and two marshals approached the woman, who began struggling with them."

The woman was arrested after biting one of the marshals. What jumped out at me is this part:

"The plane's crew asked air marshals to intervene"

Really?? In an ideal world, the cabin crew should have no idea who or where the air marshals are. Only the captain should know. Indeed, this was the case at two carriers I worked for. The only way we'd know a marshal was onboard was if something happened and they chose to act. There was no way in the world we'd have any clue who they were (aside from our own guesses, which were probably wrong) and the captain would not tell us unless there was a very good reason for him to.

Why? Well, after 9/11 the reasons are obvious. Reduce the amount of people who know the identity of the marshal/s, reduce the amount of people who could be coerced into talking.

I accept it as a sad reality of my job that should a hijacker/crazy person bent on taking over the plane threaten my life, the pilots would have to let me die rather than give in to demands to access the flight deck. (I wouldn't have it any other way- one is far better than three hundred!)

So this does make me wonder, should the crew have known the identity of the marshals, and secondly, was it appropriate for them to ask the FAM to intervene?

In my opinion, no. I say this with the disclaimer that I was not there, but going by the facts we know so far, an unruly passenger would not have me asking for help from a Federal Air Marshal (FAM) -if I even knew who they were.

By asking them to act, the crew have now compromised their cover, potentially letting someone with sinister intentions take them out in order to gain control of the aircraft unimpeded. Sure, the passenger could have been threatening the crew, but on the modern jetliner, a crew should be able to take down and restrain an unruly passenger if necessary, and has the training & equipment to do so. Unless the passenger was making an attempt to take control of the plane or enter the flight deck, the marshals should not have been put in the position to intervene.

Then, of course, the possibility is raised that in fact the marshals chose to act. In this case, they are trained to make that decision but one does wonder what really went on if in fact they were the ones who initiated the intervention.

Just for some background, here's a link to the TSA page on the FAM Program. Interestingly, it uses the phrase "defeat hostile attacks".

While I know having a passenger freak out on a flight is scary, I doubt you could really call it a hostile act in the context of anti-terrorism.

Wikipedia mentions in relation to the Canadian CACPP program, which notes that "APOs, however, will not be involved in controlling unruly passengers". Interestingly, the article notes that in this case, flight attendants and pilots ARE aware of the presence of marshal/s. In light of this incident, it does beg the question- is telling the cabin crew the indentity of a marshal appropriate?

What do you think? As a traveller, would you feel comfortable knowing your crew can ID an air marshal? Would you as crew be comfortable with that information? If a country decides that crew should know who the marshals are, what about making that voluntary? I personally would feel more comfortable having the choice to decline knowing that information. We don't know what we might say when push comes to shove.

Leave a comment & tell me your thoughts, or as always Tweet me!!

A Perfect Potion For Sleep

2010-10-04T07:29:00.001+11:00

A little while back my blogger buddy Robyn of Girl On Raw asked me if I would write a guest post for her, about maintaining a healthy lifestyle as a flight attendant.

Of course I said yes!!! I could pick any particular subject, so I chose one close to my heart, Sleep!!! You can read about my tips for managing your sleep over at her blog.

As a complement to this post, I want to share with you my latest discovery for helping in a good night's sleep. Recently while shopping in Sydney's Queen Victoria Building, I found the store 'Perfect Potion'. There's an outlet in Brisbane City, but I had thought it ws a stand-alone store. Nope, they've got them in other places too! Perfect Potion aims to make beauty and lifestyle products using organic and natural aromatherapy ingedients. I've used some of their oils before but never the face & body products.

I used to like In Essence travel roller balm but thought I'd see if PP had anything different. I tried a few different products before I saw "Cool It Quick Fix". It's a blend of rosemary, peppermint & lavender designed for use as a quick "pick me up" when you're feeling stressed or tired, including to relieve those yucky tension headaches.

So far- I LOVE IT!!! I recently had gone 3 days without sleeping well and was feeling really rushed & stressed on a flight, to the point where I just knew I'd have trouble sleeping on demand when it came time for the rest break in the crew bunks. I took my Cool It with me and put some on my temples and wrists. The peppermint is really soothing (and has a bonus side effect of helping with travel related nausea) and I don't even remember falling asleep. For the first time, I slept solid for the whole rest time without waking up once.

TT gives this the FA seal of approval!

The good news is, Perfect Potion have an online store & you can also follow them on Twitter and Facebook!

(This post was not sponsored by Perfect Potion and is my personal experience & opinion only, individual results may vary.)

On the Nose

2010-09-09T20:46:00.007+10:00

Yesterday I asked a question on my Facebook page regarding undesirable 'neighbours' on a flight. I wanted to know if readers had to choose between a screaming baby and a smelly seatmate, which one they would rather put up with on a long flight.

I got some amusing answers, but most people favoured the baby to be stuck with, as at least there was a possibility the baby could be calmed down or would stop crying eventually. The smelly seatmate however, offered little in the way of solutions.

(As an aside, the baby comment reminded me of a line in 'Sex & the City 2' where Big & Carrie are stuck in a hotel room between a screaming baby, and Samantha having a *very* good time with her latest man. When Big comments, "I don't know which is worse", Carrie responds with, "Samantha. The baby will tire eventually." It made me laugh out loud!!)

Back to smelly seatmates. If you find yourself in the unfortunate position to be seated next to someone who is a little- ahem- 'fragrant', what can you do?

Well, it can depend on which airline you're flying with. Some airlines have policies in place to deal with malodorous travellers (Southwest in Airline, anyone?) while others have no official stance.

First things first, check out the seating situation. Are there spare seats available to move to? If not, you're out of luck. Or are you? If you're one of those card-holding frequent flyers, you may just be able to upgrade your way to olfactory reprieve :P

Discreetly speak to one of the flight crew. In most cases, there may be nothing we can do to help you, but we may be able to ease the situation using some of our little tricks. (At the least, a drink or two might help to numb the pain)

So. You're stuck next to someone who dosn't believe in deodorant, the alcohol isn't working and the flight is barely one hour along. What else can you do to stop yourself from jumping out the nearest door?

1. Physical Barriers

If you're flying on an airline that still has blankets, get one and use it to cover your mouth & nose (or even your whole face, if the person is smelly AND ugly). It might not sound like much but it can help to reduce the amount of smell that gets to your nose. (As my FA friend M calls it, a "stink shield".) If putting a (possibly icky) blanket over your face creeps you out more than the smell does, ask the crew if they've been provided swine flu masks.

They can serve the same purpose of restricting the airflow to your face and hopefully cutting down on the odour. An added bonus of using a mask is, you now look considerate, as if you are trying to stop spreading germs, rather than receiving them. (I always keep a face mask in my crew bag for just such emergencies, especially when I'm deadheading in uniform & unable to show my disgusted looks)

2. Aircraft Amenities

Use what the airline gave you. Open that air vent and use the airflow to blast the stink back where it came from. If you as the stink-ee have to suffer, then at the very least make the stinker feel your pain! :P This method, combined with the blanket, can be very effective.

3. Scents & Sensibility

If the whiffy person next to you is particularly offensive, the flight attendants are usually only too sympathetic. Ask them if its possible for them to discreetly blast a shot of air freshener in your general direction every time they pass by. If they can't (not all airlines provide freshener) or won't (could be too busy) pull out your own perfume/aftershave and go for it. If a person doesn't care about how they affect others, then you shouldn't care about possibly offending them. Maybe it's the hint they need!

4. Police Assistance

If you can't do anything else (aside from getting up as frequently as possible to escape the reek), use this tip a police officer once told me. She frequently worked crime scenes and as a cadet cop was often grossed out by the multitude of truly stomach-turning smells she experienced. On jobs, she always carried a small tube of scented hand cream (or perfumed body lotion for a potent punch). Take a small amount on the end of your finger and place it just inside your nostrils. You'll now be smelling the pleasant scent of your lotion rather than the passenger next to you. If you use an antiseptic lotion like Dettol, it can have the added advantage of helping to ward off icky cold/flu bugs. A Lanolin cream can have the side effect of stopping your nose from drying out- one of the first ways we get sick on a plane.

If all else fails, there's this tried-and-true method:

If you have any other suggestions, leave a comment, or hop on over to Twitter!

(Photos: Google Image Search)

2010-08-31T20:31:00.004+10:00

When I heard about the “Nuffnang August Blogger Challenge”, it couldn't have come at a better time. For the last few months, I've been considering the idea of writing a book based on my blog, but as a total newbie to the publishing world, I had no idea how to go about it without considerable expense and time.

Well, once again it's Nuffnang to the rescue!!

They think that everyone has at least one book inside of them, and want to know what that book would be.

The kind of book I want to write is a kind of one-stop-shop for travel tips, flight attendant advice and insider info for those wanting to have an airline career as a flight attendant like me.

Obviously, in real life there would be certain restrictions on a book, but, here I'm going to give you my "money is no object" style of book. Yay!!!

- - - - - - - - - -

Subjects:

The book would have chapters covering topics like:

General Travel Tips
At the Airport (How to Navigate Security, How to Get An Upgrade, and similar)
Packing Tips/How to Pack Light (Tutorial & example lists)

How to Deal With Passengers From Hell
When Things Go Wrong (Saving Your Holiday, and Your Sanity!)
Tavelling With Kids

On the job-hunting side of things:

Brief Hstory Of Flight Attendants (With photos)

Pros & Cons of the Job
Flight Attendant Interviews (including example questions)
Interview Grooming/Makeup (Photos/Tutorials)

Online Stuff:
Best of the Best Twitter Tweets
my Crew People & Their Best Bits of Advice
Great Crew-Related Links & Resources

And of course, Frequently Asked Questions from my readers, Best of the Blog and some other new content.

If money were no object, I'd like to include a companion CD with things such as podcasts, photos, how-to video tutorials and games to help prospective crew prepare for their interviews.

As for the layout, I'd love to have the book cover printed with a range of illustations of flight attendants in different uniforms, so you could choose which one you like the best when you order the book. Kind of like a 'custom cover' :P The cover could be a boarding pass and there could be a cutout card 'plane' on a cord to use as a bookmark!

So, that's my idea for my book. While I might not be able to have this exact concept in my real book if I win, it's something I definitely aspire to one day in the future! Comments & thoughts??

A Great Hotel Service Experience

2010-08-31T15:35:00.003+10:00

All too often, we only hear about the bad service our friends, or colleagues, received while travelling, dining or shopping. As someone who works in the service industry myself, I believe in giving credit where credit is due. I'll always try to at least thank/appreciate the person who gave me the good service. I do prefer to pass on my compliments in writing, as often this assists the employee in later career moves such as getting a promotion or salary raise. It also motivates the employee to keep on giving that great service, especially if they seldom get compliments.

On to my experience.

Once, when I spent a good deal of time in another city for work, I had packed a teddy bear in my luggage. (I know I'm not the only 'grown-up' to do this!) The teddy lived on top of the bed during the day while I was out and about or away working.

A few days into my stay, I came 'home' to find that Teddy had taken up residence on the couch, tv remote in hand. Odd, I didn't remember leaving him there!

The next evening, he was soundly tucked up under the covers, asleep.

The third day, sitting atop the (closed) toilet with a magazine in hand.

Clearly, someone in Housekeeping had a sense of humour!!

It really brightened my day to find out what teddy was up to next, he made full use of that room while I was gone, that's for sure! I don't know if it was just one employee, or several, but it was the best thing I've ever had done for me in a hotel. Needless to say I left them a nice tip, a note and some candy for their trouble. I hope they kept the note. My only regret is not forwarding a copy to their managers.

Have you ever had an awesome "above and beyond" service in a hotel, or other place? Leave a comment, or hit me up on Facebook or Twitter.

(Photo: Google Images)

In Case You Missed It...

2010-08-30T02:49:00.002+10:00

Hello again!

Over the last few weeks I've been busy with flying, training courses and all those lovely things that keep me away from my blog and Twitter. Now that I've got the opportunity of a few days of R&R, I'm planning to spend some time working on someblog posts that have been floating around in my brain for a while now.

In the meantime, in case you missed it, a couple of weeks back I guest-posted for Steve at Flying With Fish. You can read my post HERE, for an insight into those of us who love aircraft and airports.

While you're there, make sure to check out Fish's posts on the latest travel apps for the frequent globetrotters amongst us!

Steven Slater- Sliding Into Infamy...

2010-08-11T07:36:00.007+10:00

I'd originally planned to write about a much different subject, but that was Before Slater.

If you somehow missed the coverage, here's the story.

Yesterday, a JetBlue flight attendant, after an altercation with a passenger about obeying the seat belt sign, finally decided enough was enough. He announced over the PA system that the passenger in question had called him a "mother-----r" and responded with a "F--- Y--" of his own, grabbed a couple of beers from the aircraft bar, opened the door to inflate the emergency escape slide and ran away home.

While I don't condone Mr Slater's behaviour, I can understand where he is coming from. I've worked in the airlines for around 5 years and sometimes wonder if putting up with all the abuse from rude passengers is worth it. Imagine 20 years of putting up with the same, not to mention watching your working conditions and pension fund slowly eroding away.

In my time flying, I've either experienced or witnessed the following:

- A passenger calling me a "C---", because I asked her to turn off her phone (for the third time)

- A male passenger shoving a junior FA when she told him we didn't have any more newspapers onboard

- One passenger kicking the back of another passenger's seat so hard it broke

- Passenger spitting in the face of a ground staff member

- Passenger punching a female check-in agent because he was late and missed his flight

These are just a fraction of the types of things that go on every day. As far as I know, only the puncher got any serious punishment (but not including jail time as he had no prior offences)

In addition to the argument with the passenger, Mr Slater's father had recently died, and he was caring for his mother who is suffering from cancer. It's easy to see why he went over the edge.

While Mr Slater clearly deserves some sort of consequnce for his behaviour, I don't think jail time is the solution. It will only punish his dying mother. Perhaps some sort of community work and anger management/de-stressing course would be more appropriate.

The public response has been surprising. The overwhelming majority of the general public support Slater, citing that they too have had enough of inconsiderate and rude behaviour from others. Twitter has been going crazy with news about the event, support for Steve and rightly questioning if the passenger concerned will face any repercussions for her part in the drama. (So far, there has not been much mention of her, and one article stated that as yet, she has not been questioned by police.)

Of course, there are those whose opinion is that Slater endangered the aircraft by deploying the slide. On the surface that may be true, but think about this. Flight attendants are trained to operate slides correctly. Even in a fit of frustration, it is very hard to override that training. He would have known not to open the door if ramp staff or vehicles were present. Checking that little window is clear is a daily habit of many years, and is an automatic response for most flight attendants when going anywhere near a door handle.

Think about the passengers we always hear of in the news, getting drunk and disorderly for no real reason other than they didn't want to switch off their BlackBerry or weren't allowed to have another beer. More often than not, they get let off with a slap on the wrist and a few hundred dollars poorer for the fine. I've noticed this is the case even where the aircraft has been diverted- actions that cost far more than re-packing a slide and a few delayed flights. Now, critics of Mr Slater are saying he should go to jail, for as long as 7 years? Killers and rapists get less than that. What Mr Slater did was wrong, but he deserves some compassion. Clearly his normal way of thinking was not there. He deserves help, not jail. I hope he gets it.

Ask the FA- Birth on Board!

2010-08-03T18:57:00.006+10:00

I've been pretty fortunate in my flying career- I've only had to deal with a handful of really serious situations, thankfully none of which were a woman giving birth. However, I have met crew who have had this happen on their flights, and it isn't as rare as you'd think. In fact, a crewmember I know from a previous airline tells me that currently Emirates Airline has the highest rate of in-flight births of any major airline, averaging around 10 per year!

Last year, a Southwest Airlines crew in the US had a woman deliver a baby on board after going into labour halfway between Chicago & Boise, Idaho. The baby was born before a diversion and landing could be made.

Flight attendants from that flight said they asked for aid from a doctor and nurse travelling onboard, and used galley space as a makeshift 'delivery room'. Equipment and training for a birth on board varies between airlines. On a small regional airline, the best you might get is a flight attendant trained in first aid and a quick stop to the nearest airfield for a landing. On bigger international airlines flying long routes, the equipment available can be as sophisticated as that found in emergency rooms, with items such as forceps, anasthetic and other hospital-grade gear. Some crew are trained in their use, but usually a doctor or nurse would be asked to assist if there is one on board.

Airlines flying far over water usually are equipped with a satellite-enabled telephone link to medical centres where doctors and surgeons are on standby around the clock to provide advice for any type of medical emergency that might happen in-flight, including a birth. If there is no doctor physically present on the aircraft, these link-ups enable the medical professionals to guide the crew in how to use the equipment and what to do in a specific situation.

Some babies born in-flight have been granted free travel for life, among other perks. In 1995, a baby born unexpectedly on a Thai Airways flight was given an educational scholarship, as well as special flying privileges with the company, and is considered a "daughter of Thai Airways". One new mother even named her baby 'Asia' after he was born on an Air Asia flight.

(The airline later granted the mother & child free flights for life.)

This gifting of free travel to babies (and often the new mother too) has given rise to the urban myth that airlines do not want to give out so much free travel, and thus restrict the travel of mothers-to-be. This is far from the truth, the actual reason basically being one of the safety & wellbeing of both the mother and the child. Given the risks associated with a birth in-flight, airlines want to minimise the risk to expectant mothers and thus each have their own guidelines.

Some airlines have no restrictions at all, while others require clearance by a doctor after a certain stage of pregnancy. My advice to globe-trotting mums-to-be? Check with your airline (or airlines if using more than one carrier) well before your travel date. Ensure you have any required doctor's certificates or letters, and double check that you have clearance with the airline's own doctors if required. ALWAYS have travel insurance, because having a baby in a foreign country can be expensive, not to mention diverting a whole planeload of people. And always be sure that your specific policy covers birth-related issues.

Got any stories to tell about in-flight births, or simply have another travel related question? Hit me up on Twitter or click the Facebook link in the right column.

Happy flying!

I'm Not a "Trolley Dolly"...

2010-07-30T22:32:00.004+10:00

Hey all!

Well finally I can tell you that a few weeks back I participated in the PCDU podcast with Grant, Steve and two lovely ladies who also flew the skies as flight attendants.

The PCDU boys have just finished editing the episode and it's now live to download.

We discuss training, what it was like being an FA in the 70's and 80's and how things have changed for us since 9/11.

Check it out here! As the boys say, if you have ANY questions about the flight attendant career, the hiring process or just anything you've been curious to know about flight attendants, drop me a line!

Apologies...

2010-07-18T05:54:00.003+10:00

So it's been over a month since I last posted and I'm sorry.

I have no real excuse aside from the fact that yet again, my computer decided to spazz out atthe worst possible time and along with being in a super-busy phase of work it just didn't work out that I could do anything about it until now.

That problem is finally solved, hurrah, so I plan to ease back into my old life of blogging and Tweeting on a regular basis.

I was also extremely tempted by the Sony "Bloggie" camera but was a good girl and just added it to my mental 'wish list' of things I'd like to own. The fact it comes in pink is just a co-incidence, I promise!!! :P

For now, I'll leave you with a pic of one of my "DO WANT"* items...

(* Apologies to @VioletLeBeaux for stealing her phrase)

Ultimate Uniform Smackdown

2010-06-10T08:10:00.000+10:00

Announcing.... ULTIMATE UNIFORM SMACKDOWN!!!!

Starting today I'll post pics of airline uniforms, 2 pics per round. Comment to vote for which one you like best. Each 'winning' uniform will then go into a semi final round to see which is the ULTIMATE UNIFORM!!! So, let me know which uniforms you'd like to see go up against each other...

QANTAS (Sydney) vs V AUSTRALIA (Brisbane)

EMIRATES AIRLINE (Dubai) vs ETIHAD AIRWAYS (Abu Dhabi)

GULF AIR (Bahrain) vs QATAR AIRWAYS (Doha)

To vote, go to my Facebook page & leave a comment, or send me your votes via Twitter. If you don't have either, comment below but consider joining my page, it's fun!!! :)

Giveaway Time!!!

2010-05-26T21:07:00.007+10:00

That's right my loyal readers, FINALLY, I have managed to get off my butt & get around to posting a givaway to cheer us Southern Hemisphere people up from the fact that winter is here (boo)

So, without further ado, here is the giveaway. (It's not much, but I wanted to gauge how much interest there is in this kind of thing before I offer some bigger things)

Traytable's Fantastic Retro FA Giveaway

Up for grabs is this ultra-cute Barbie (TM of Mattel, please don't sue me!!) flight attendant outfit in retro style. Outfit is brand new & still in box.

Whether for yourself (inner child) or a friend/cousin/niece (actual child) is up to the winner. This outfit includes a dress, hat, scarf, boots & wheelie bag. Obviously giveaway is not for a doll, but I'm sure they're easy to come by!

All you have to do to be in the running:

1. If you're not already, become a fan, then suggest my Facebook fan page to any friends you think might dig it

2. Let me know you've done it. Comment on my Page wall, Tweet it, blog it. Bonus entry if you LINK to it in said entry. (If you blog it be sure to let me know the link as well.) You CAN Tweet/post/comment more than once, but in the interests of fairness only ONE 'regular' entry and ONE bonus entry per person will count. Contest is open until Wednesday, 2nd June at 2300 AEST (Sydney time). Winner will be drawn at random. I will pay postage to the winner.

Contest is for fun only & TT accepts no responsibility for... legal legal, yada yada....you all know what I mean!!!! :P

You Drive Me Crazy...

2010-05-14T13:59:00.000+10:00

Now we all know how much crew love to ~~bitch about~~ discuss passengers & their weird behaviour. It's almost an Olympic sport amongst flight attendants. We'll talk about it for hours on end, giggling at the silly things passengers do, and ranting about the plain annoying and downright rude behaviour that some people exhibit when they travel by air.

But, my dear reader, there are actually some flight attendants out there who are just as guilty of annoying, inconsiderate behaviour. And boy, do they Drive Me Crazy!

It starts when I get to the airport. We sign on in the crew base, and do the required things like check our mailboxes, rosters and make sure we're up to date with the latest operational memos.

PARKING SPACES
Ms Inconsiderate blows in right before check-in time, parks her bag in front of the mailboxes and proceeds to lean on the counter before the sign on computers, chatting to her friend and not actually using, thus preventing me from printing my roster & making me late for briefing. I also can't get to my mailbox because her ten ton bag is in the way.

CREW: Be quick when printing and watch where you put your bags. Just because you have time to chat, doesn't mean everyone else does.

WORK IT
Briefing time. The working positions get allocated. Now strictly speaking, there's not any seniority, but the generally recognised procedure is you let the crew who have been there longer than you have first pick of position, if that's what they want. Sometimes it's just easier to let the 10 year seniors work where they want, to avoid crankiness during the flight.

The in-flight manager asks me where I want to work. Ms Newbie shows up, looks around smugly (knowing full well I'm a cabin person not galley) and says she would really rather not work galley and wants cabin. The manager, being not the sharpest tool in the shed, ignores the fact that Newbie interrupted me and gives her cabin position, which means I'm stuck with galley. I'll work with it, of course, but it's the principle. I'd just spent the last 5 days doing galley position, and working about 4 legs each day. I was tired and wanted a break from counting drinks and stupid coffee brewers that decided not to work.

CREW: Even if your airline has no seniority, be aware of not putting yourself first all the time and occasionally consider that one of the other crew might always get stuck working a position that they hate. Suck it up for once and just do it.

STOW IT
One of my biggest crew pet peeves is flying with people who have no idea how to stow luggage. For example, as we board, Newbie is working at the front of the plane but comes and throws her bags right above the overwing exit rows. Thanks love, you just took up space my pax need because they have no option of floor stowage. I tell her to move her stuff and she cracks it. I tell her there is a perfectly good bag stowage at the front of the plane and she should use it. It's not exactly rocket science, but if I'm travelling with 2 or 3 bags, I try to spread them out around the cabin so they don't take up an entire locker, and thus deprive a whole row of stowage space.

Some aircraft are better than others in that they have dedicated spaces for crew to stow luggage. Others don't, and that's where we get to play Baggage Tetris during boarding.

CREW: Think about where your station is, and don't take up space that another crewmember needs for their bags or for passenger bags. Sure, our baggage takes priority but there's no need to be smug about it. Make it easy for the passengers, and it makes it easier for you.

EAT IT

Another frustrating crew behaviour is that of the food-hogger. Not only are they selfish, they are usually lazy too. Picture a flight with every seat filled, a dozen call bells going off at once, screaming babies, broken tv screens and all that fun stuff.

While the lazy crew members do their thing in the galley, suddenly having gone deaf and unable to hear and/or see the call bells, I'm left to run around the cabin like a headless chicken; mopping up vomit, distributing drinks and re-stocking the toilet rolls.

Meanwhile, the Food Hoggers are descending on the galley carts like a voracious locust horde, devouring everything remotely edible and leaving only the saddest, most pitiful and tasteless meal items in their wake. After slogging my way through three dozen drink requests, I return to the galley, starving, only to find not a scrap of edible/desirable food left (including my own that I put in the ice bin) for lunch. Needless to say, I see red.

CREW: How about waiting until the service is done before you chow down on that crew meal, and hey, while we're at it, how about taking a vote to see what everyone else wants before you take the choicest meals?

Once upon a time at a certain airline I returned to the galley after dealing with a vomit volcano of massive proportions, not really wanting to eat (but needing to due to the 12 hour duty we were doing). I got there only to find that there were no meals left. (There should have been). On questioning the girl who was shovelling chicken stir fry into her mouth as to why she was eating the last meal, she responded with "You were gone so long I thought you weren't eating." Oh, REALLY? How about getting of your ass and helping me clean the sick that had been working its way toward the back of economy???? Too hard for the Food Hogger, apparently.

Which brings me to...

GALLEY VULTURES

These are the crew who, despite knowing that you're still busy with the service, hang around the galley like starving seagulls hoping to score a hot chip. Even worse are the ones who get in there when your back is turned, opening carts and foraging for the best items. I once had a whole set of business class chocolates go missing before we'd even served the coffee. One must be very vigilant when there are galley vultures around, and shoo them back to Economy at the first opportunity!!! I should add that hungry, pilfering pilots also fall into this category, and the only worse pilot is the one who calls constantly for coffee during a busy service.

(I solve this problem by teaching them to make their OWN coffee, thus removing the need for my intervention at all... very handy!!!!)

CREW: For goodness' sake, if I'm still doing the service and you're not going to help before raiding my galley, GO AWAY!!!!

BUMPER CARS
For those of you reading this who have ever worked a tray service, you'll know exactly what I'm talking about. There are some crew members around who just have NO clue when it comes to how to use a meal cart properly. Firstly, some don't use the brakes. EVER. I'll be turning around to pass someone a drink only to get hit from behind by a cart rolling down the aisle because my colleague doesn't have enough sense to put the brake on. I don't know about you, but I was always trained that the person at the head of the cart puts the brake on. Since then, I like to work under the motto that whoever moves it puts the brakes on. Of course, I always check to be sure, but when I'm a few rows away and my co-worker is stupid, sometimes it can't be avoided that the brake gets left off.

Also, it is quite difficult to be the person going backwards on a cart. Not only is walking backwards in a straight line quite difficult (humans are not really built for this), you have to factor in the motion of the plane and also that it's nearly impossible to look over your shoulder to see what is going on. You have to rely on your cart partner to tell you if you're going to trip over/hit a passenger.

Some crew are bad at this. They're in their own little world, ignoring elbows, knees and sometimes heads on their way up the aisle. Adding to the trouble is the fact that most ignorant cart operators also tend to push too fast. Walking backwards is difficult enough, let's not add speed into the equation! As the person facing the passengers, it's up to me to look ashamed about the fact we just slammed little Kevin in the head (even though we asked Kevin's parents five hundred times not to let him hang into the aisle.)

The other thing these crew tend to do is move the cart when you're not ready. Quite often, they're oblivious to the fact that the other person is bending down to put something in the cart. Two scenarios abound: moving the cart away so the tray gets dropped all over the floor because Crew #2 wasn't expecting the cart to move, or hitting Crew #2 in the head while they're trying to put a tray away. EXTREMELY frustrating! I find having one hand on the cart handle while I bend down is a good way to prevent the head smash and resultant unflattering bruise that comes with it!

CREW Think about what you're doing, where you're going and whether the other crew member is going to get hit if you move the cart. Good cart teams rarely have to talk to each other about what they're going to do; they just know.

So there you have it, just some of the bad crew behaviours that annoy me. It's not just the passengers!!! ;)

Now my fellow crew- tell me YOUR pet crew peeves. You can leave a comment or hop on over to my Twitter page.

(Photos: Google Image Search)

It's Sale Time...

2010-04-23T13:05:00.004+10:00

Have you been wanting some cute new travel gear, but couldn't justify it to the hubby/parants/accountant???

Ciao Bella Travel are here, with their post Travel Expo Sale!

It's on now until next Thursday (or while stocks last). So stock up now for your next trip or organise an early Mothers day present.

To receive your 25% discount, just fill your suitcase then enter promo code Sale in the promo code section when you reach the check out. Enjoy!

Products include travel bags, eye shades, the famous SINGLE SHOTS range & 'Plane Friendly' clothing items.

Click here to check out the CBT shop!

Did I Just See Sharon Stone..?

2010-04-02T15:59:00.000+11:00

Recently, I was required by my company to deadhead to another base to operate a trip as they were short of crew due to sickness. Now usually when we travel as passengers for work, they try to put us in the premium area. Unfortunately, because they were short-crewed, some flights had been cancelled and combined into one, meaning more passengers in those seats. So my fellow crew members and I made the trip in economy. I don't mind economy, it's fine if you're prepared, but it was annoying to be in economy when we saw some of the people who DID make it into the premium section. One was a lady who I thought was a fare-paying passenger, but actually turned out to be on a staff ticket.

As Sky High Boy has mentioned on his blog, there's certain rules & restrictions when staff use their travel benefits. One of these things includes dress codes, and this girl certainly didn't meet them. Let's just say that hooker heels and skin-tight dresses are not appropriate attire for travelling on any kind of staff ticket, even if she was going on holidays. Every time there was someone waiting to use the lav, I was cringing inwardly when she shifted in her seat or uncrossed her legs, wondering if they were getting a good view of her breakfast. It was SO inappropriate! I actually marvelled that the cabin manager didn't say anything!

So, it kind of sucked to spend a flight in a middle economy seat surrounded by babies and having my seatback kicked when I knew that I was wearing the right clothes- and should have been seated there ahead of that girl who was wearing the wrong outfit. But I guess in a way it was good, because it reminded me what flying is like for the passenger and how to be more patient with them when they get upset about seat space, crying babies or their smelly neighbours!

When the Unruly Kids on the Plane Aren't Mine (Ask the FA)

2010-03-12T16:00:00.003+11:00

Travel can be difficult on everyone, and even more so for kids. They're out of their familiar environment, often tired and stressed, and required to sit still and be quiet for long periods of time. That's a lot to ask for any kid! So, I try to be tolerant and understanding when the little ones are having a bad day.

I've written a lot in the past about how to make flying easier for kids, but sometimes even the best of efforts don't work. Let's face it- some kids are just plain naughty. (I'm not going to debate whether that's a genetic thing or down to the parents- another blog post entirely!)

How I handle naughty kids on the plane depends a lot on what the child's parent/s are doing. Most parents are good and try to handle any misbehaviour themselves. In that case, I will do what I can to assist mum & dad in keeping junior relatively happy and obedient. Sometimes this means distracting them by talking to them or helping them draw a picture, or taking them for a walk to see what we are doing in the galley. Having a new face to look at can be all that the child needs to get out of their bad mood or tantrum. It also give the parents a break and a chance to calm down. I'm a big believer that stressed-out parents pass those vibes along to the kids, so giving everyone a chance for a time-out can be a huge help.

Sometimes we see parents who either don't know or don't care that their kids are being naughty. Some mums and dads think that everything their child does is cute (when in fact they are annoying everyone around them!) The first time around, I assume the parents haven't flown before and don't know what is expected of them. I explain why the child cannot continue to do what s/he is doing and let them know what is acceptable behaviour.

If a child is being allowed to roam around unsupervised, I will tell them to go back to their seat/stop what they are doing/ why they cannot kick the seat in front of them. If the behaviour continues, I will talk to the parents and explain that they must keep their kids in their sight and under control.

In the case that a child is being extremely naughty or doing something unsafe, using sharp words with them can be just what they need. Kids expect a certain reaction to their behaviour and when parents are letting them run amok the kids expect to remain unchallenged. A curt "Go back to your seat!" or "Sit down & be quiet!" can be all that is required to ensure peace and quiet. If that doesn't work, for a smaller child picking them up and taking them back to their seat can be the only option. If mum and dad won't make sure the child behaves, I will! Some parents get unhappy about this, but as cabin crew I have a responsibility to make sure that EVERYONE on the flight is safe & comfortable, and will do what I have to do to make this happen.

Having said that, the more extreme measures outlined above are rarely needed and again, while flight attendants are not babysitters, we are happy to help out where we can. Choose your time to ask wisely & politely, and you'll get the help you need.

It Means a Lot...

2010-03-12T00:49:00.002+11:00

After my computer dramas, I'm finally able to get back online with some regularity. I've missed chatting with all my Twitter friends and of course updating my blog. Hopefully now, the computer dramas are past and I can catch up on everything that I've missed.

Logging into Blogger, I see that I have hit 100 followers. It means a lot to know that there are that many people out there who are interested enough in what I have to say to come back again and read it. So know that each and every one of you who drops by to read, comment, email, follow or Tweet me is much appreciated!

I have somefun stuff in the works, so keep dropping by. Hope to be back to regular blogging schedule soon, along with some juicy flying gossip ;)

IROPS

2010-02-20T20:42:00.003+11:00

Hello readers! I know it has been a few weeks since I've blogged. It's not really a good reason but suffice to say that a hugely busy flying schedule plus other issues going on have put the kybosh on blogging for ahwhile.

Currently my two biggest priorities are:

1) Sleeping
2) Recovering my hard drive which coincidentally the computer died right after its first birthday- typical isn't it!!!

I'm remaining hopeful that all is not lost, however as is often the case the computer decided to die right when I'd gone the longest without backing up. I don't think it's the computer itself, but a software update which didn't agree with it.

So, until my internet connection speeds up, blogging will be experiencing Irreguler Operations until further notice.

Ask the FA- Special Meals on the Plane

2010-01-28T13:52:00.004+11:00

Question:Hi, I have heard that if I order a special meal I will be served first, is this true? Leith

In most cases, what you've heard is correct Leith. Many airlines do serve what we call 'special meals' ahead of the main service, because it's easier for the crew to find the correct person and we won't forget in the rush of attending to the passengers.

On some flights though, depending on passenger load, length of flight or the type of service (a full meal or only a snack service) you may be served along with everyone else.

As for how 'healthy' a meal will be, it really does depend on what the meal consists of. Other factors also come into play, such as how it is made and how long before the flight the meal is made and when it is loaded, that is, how long it is expected to stay fresh and edible even with refrigeration or chillers onboard the plane.

Many airline meals are pre-made, cooked and then deep-frozen, stored for days or possibly weeks ahead of the flight (just like supermarket ready meals). Then they are simply re-heated for 20-30 minutes onboard before being served to the passengers. As altitude can affect the sense of taste, airline meals often contain more salt than other types of food, so you do need to be careful of that. True, there are low-salt, low-fat and other 'special order' meals on some airlines, but they will usually not be as 'healthy' as freshly made food.

Some carriers offer options which are better such as salads, fruit platters and the like, and these can be a good choice, although perhaps a little too light for people who tend to eat a lot. Other airlines have implemented programs with meals approved by health authorities, which have been tested for content with regard to fat, sugar and salt. The best thing to do is contact the airline you are flying with to find out if they have any information regarding the nutritional content of their food, and what kind of pre-order meals are available to you for your flight. Generally in Australia, I've found that pre-packaged foods have better information and labels than the traditional 'hot meals' (which may have little or none aside from generic "May Contain..." text.

Finally, the only way to be sure exactly what it is you are eating (especially if you have allergies or special dietary requirements) is to bring along your own food. While airlines strive to fulfil special meal requests, mistakes do happen, and it's always a good thing to have something with you that is suitable to your needs which you can eat. Chances are, it'll be something you'd rather eat anyway! (When bringing your own food, be sure to check if this is allowed, as some low-cost carriers do not allow you to carry certain foods onboard.)

Of course the best advantage to carrying your own food is that you can eat it whenever you like, and there's no chance of getting a meal choice that's 'Bland' and 'Blander'. Bon appetit!

Photos: Multiple Meals by Greenspell.Wordpress.com
other Meals: Wikipedia Search

Babies on the Plane

2010-01-18T04:17:00.005+11:00

Flying has kept me super-busy lately, but in between my trips I had the pleasure of participating in the third episode of the Crew Lounge Podcast, which is a talk-show type panel of flight attendants talking about current issues in the airline industry & taking questions from the cabin. TCL is run by Bobby of Up, Up and a Gay and Sara Keagle of the Flying Pinto blog. This week's episode included Sky High Boy and Jen.

If you haven't already checked out the first episodes of TCL, go do it, I am sure you will love it. (But not until you've read this post first ;)

One of the topics that came up during our disccussion was the use (or non-use, as the case may be) of a device called an infant extension seat belt.

Basically, this is a seatbelt designed to be used by lap-held children up to the age of 2 when travelling in aircraft. This device is known as an 'infant/extension seatbelt' in Australia as it is a combination seatbelt- it can be used both as an extender for larger passengers, or to restrain a lap-held infant in flight.

The infant seatbelt is described as follows:

A device known as a “supplementary loop belt” provides an additional seat belt with stitched loops through which the adult seat belt is passed. The adult belt is fastened around the adult, and the additional belt is then separately fastened around the infant.

A picture will probably give you a better idea of what it looks like. (I have had some difficulty finding a photo, and the ones I have were lost in a computer crash last year). Once combined with the adult seatbelt, it forms a figure-8 like shape.

This seatbelt must be used for take-off, landing and in turbulence, or whenever the seatbelt sign is illuminated. Here is a baby in the seatbelt. Feeding & nursing can still take place when using this type of seatbelt.

Now here's where the confusion for travelling parents comes in. Different aviation authorities in various countries each have their own views on the use of these infant seatbelts. During the latest Crew Lounge podcast, it was discussed that these seatbelts are not mandated for use in the US or Canada. The view of the FAA is that having a child held on the lap by the parent is the safest method.

Picture showing the recommended brace position for parents with nursed infants:

However, the Civil Aviation Safety Authority of Australia holds the opinion that using the infant seatbelt provides the most protection in the event of sudden stoppage (e.g. the loads experienced during aborted takeoff) or in turbulence. However, they do make note of the fact that infant seatbelts provide limited protection in a crash compared to a child seat, and go on to say that a car seat or child restraint (such as the CARES child harness) is the best possible means of restraining a child or baby in-flight.
(From Civil Aviation Advisory Publication 235-2(1))

Where the trouble occurs is when families take multiple flights through countries having jurisdiction of varying agencies. For example, you might fly a US-based carrier to Sydney, then take a domestic Australian airline to Darwin. On the first leg of your journey, holding the baby on your lap (without any type of restraint or seatbelt) is acceptable and complies with the laws of the US. However, travelling from Sydney to Darwin, you would find that you would be required to make use of the infant seatbelt. This is mandated by the Civil Aviation Regulations and is not a negotiable option or choice for parents.

Generally, the laws of the country of registration of the aircraft you are flying in apply. I think this is where our flying family (mentioned in the Questions From the Cabin on Crew Lounge podcast #3) ran into problems. If you're unsure which rules apply to your flight, be sure to check with the airline/s concerned well before your flight. Even if a car seat/harness is allowed by law, the cabin crew still have the final say onboard the aircraft. If there is any doubt as to the integrity or safety of your device, you may be asked not to use it.

If you do want to play it safe and take a car seat, be aware that not all airlines allow car seats or child restraint systems. Check with your airline and also ensure what is included in your baggage allowance should you be required to check the car seat in.

For quick reference, I have compiled a list of Australian airlines and which allow the use of car seats. Again, be sure to mention your car seat when booking and check if your specific seat model is allowed by that airline.

AIRLINE CAR SEATS ALLOWED?
Tiger Airways NO
Virgin/Pacific Blue NO
Qantas YES
Jetstar YES
REX YES
Skywest YES
Qantaslink CHECK WITH RES

If you have any questions about car seats, travelling with babies & children, or anything else about flying- feel free to leave a comment or chase me up on Twitter!

Airport Don'ts

2010-01-12T19:18:00.006+11:00

Getting through an airport is stressful at the best of times, and for crew members it can be no different. By the time we arrive at work (or are dropped off by the crew van) we literally have minutes to get to the gate, not to mention manage the maze that is airport security.

As a crewmember who is often in a rush, I've been able to observe some airport behaviours "Don'ts" which I thought I'd share with you. If you're guilty of any of these airport 'sins', then now is the time for change and to become a better citizen of the concourse :)

WALKING IN A LINE
Ok, we get it, you want to stay with your group. But there's no need to take up the whole concourse, blocking the way for anyone else who might want (or need) to pass by quickly. The biggest offenders of this particular 'Airport Ettiquette Infraction" seem to be families. Have a 'buddy system' if need be, so no one gets lost, but walking 6-abreast in a crowded departures hall is not good airport citizen behaviour. Walking in pairs in a large group is better than everyone walking side-by-side like a chorus line!

NOT PAYING ATTENTION
So there's a million things to distract you when you're in the airport- finding the right gate, making sure everyone you're travelling with made it through security, and so forth. But not paying attention to your surroundings can lead to disharmony in Departures. Hearing high heels coming up behind you at a fast pace? Probably a crewmember on a fast transit- make sure you keep to the side to allow them to pass. In an unfamiliar airport? Take time to know your gate number and check an airport map to see where you want to go. Another thing- watch what you're doing with your wheeled bags- I've seen many flight attendants have their shins taken out by inattentive people on the concourse and believe me, it's PAINFUL to work a 10-hour flight after being bashed in the legs or run over by a ten-ton carryon that someone is carelessly dragging behind them.

GIVE WAY
Think of the airport concourse like the road: if you're moving more slowly then everyone else, stick to one side so they can pass. Don't come to a dead stop suddenly without giving any warning- you're likely to cause a pile-up. If you're facing a conflict from on-coming people, the rule is: people without bags should give way to people WITH bags. It's harder to move quickly when you're pulling a bag, so if you are not dragging a bag, give way. In the case of two "baggaged" persons conflicting, the rule is generally larger has right of way. For example, the businessman with one light rollaboard gives way to the lady with 10 cases on a baggage cart.

KEEP LEFT (OR RIGHT)
As for the concourse, so for moving walkways, stairways and narrow areas. Stick to one side. Don't be the oblivious idiot blocking the escalator with a hundred fuming, late passengers and crew behind you. Observe where people stand on the moving walkway- most countries it will usually be the same as the way they drive. In Australia, it's the left, and faster-moving people overtake on the right. When passing, move aside as soon as you have passed if you're standing still, to allow those in a hurry to pass by you as well. In the UK, people generally stand on the right, even though they drive on the left (due to history of escalator development). Be sure to observe signs on moving walkways and don't take items on them that are prohibited.

DON'T BE A HOG
Use only the seats that you need in the gate area. If it's crowded, don't take 4 seats so you can sleep, but leave others standing. That's just rude, and they might be the person who puts their seat back in your face for 12 hours if you make them mad. If you must sleep, find an out of the way place. An acceptable time to use seats for sleeping is when you're delayed, and everyone is doing it- but be sure to check you're not depriving someone who needs a seat more than you, like the elderly or disabled. Remember, children are more adaptable and can sit on the floor. Children ideally should not deprive adults of seats, particularly adults carrying items or wanting to do work on computers. I was brought up this way, and I can assure you good travel karma will result. There's nothing to be gained by making your potential seatmates mad before the flight has even started!

TURN IT DOWN
Watch your video, listen to your music, play that video game by all means. But for the love of all that is holy, please, PLEASE use earphones. All of Gate 22D does NOT necessarily want to know what songs are on your 'Making Out' list, and bear in mind just because it's YOUR laptop or iPod, not all movies are suitable for watching in public places. (Tip: Leave these at home, because the FAs WILL tell you off if you try watch them on the plane) The earphone rule also applies for parents letting kiddies watch portable DVD players. 4 hours of Dora the Explorer is enough to make any crewmember consider cracking that exit open... ;)

MIND YOUR PEES AND QUEUES
There's toilets in almost every departure lounge. Use them. The last thing crew want is to have you do the mother of all dumps right before takeoff, thus gassing them out for a minimum of twenty minutes when the lavatory onboard is located next to the crew seats. When you're waiting four hours, it is not acceptable to ask the crew if you can pee during boarding- that's what airport toilets are for. Queue in an orderly manner. Be sure not to queue across other gates, walkways or the fronts of shops. If you must, join the queue at a right angle to encourage others to queue behind you, avoiding blocking access past the queue to others. Don't be gate lice (or as I like to call them, "seagulls") Just because there's an agent at the gate, doesn't mean boarding is starting. There might be preboard passengers or a technical issue, so jumping up as soon as a door opens and crowding right in there isn't going to help you. You've got 10 hours to enjoy that tiny aircraft seat; use the time to go buy a magazine- or better yet- a last restroom stop before boarding :)

DO UNTO OTHERS
Above all, treat others as you would like to be treated yourself! Consideration goes a long way in the airport, and believe me, airline staff notice and your behaviour might just be the difference between Middle-Seat Hell and Upgrade Heaven!

Hope these tips have been useful to you and will help you navigate the airport a little better next time. Have a great trip!

A Doggone Issue... Use of Detector Dogs & The Travelling Public

2010-01-08T15:12:00.008+11:00

Airport security has been in the news a LOT lately. Firstly, there was the failed attempted bombing of NWA Flight 253 on Christmas Day, by a guy who's come to be known as the "Pantsbomber".

Then we had the at-first amusing but then plain scary "TSA-fail" saga which dragged Flying With Fish's Steve & Elliot.Org's Chris into the spotlight after the Department of Homeland Security issued them with subpoenas for posting copies of a TSA-issued security directive on their blogs. The motivation of their postings? To clear up confusion for travellers in the midst of some truly confusing and strange new 'rules' brought about after "Pantsbomber" failed at his mission.

What has followed has ranged from tightening of security procedures at some airports, to what can only be described as 'knee-jerk reactions' at others. In the renewed debate about what is 'acceptable' in security matters, the use of detector dogs seems to have hit a nerve with some, as mentioned by Bobby from Up, Up And A Gay.

The use of detector dogs has been a regular occurence in Australian airports for quite some years. (First in the late 60's in fact). Both Customs and Quarantine use the dogs throughout Australian airports for passenger screening. Dogs are used to detect such items as drugs, prohibited food items and explosives. The breeds used are generally Beagles for Quarantine, and labradors/retrievers for Customs.

More threatening dogs such as German Shepherds tend to be reserved for the defence forces, police or Customs enforcement work (i.e. outside airports when apprehension of suspects may be needed)

There's a really great show on tv here, which is very popular with the public, called Border Security. It has been a great PR exercise for the agencies featured, not only because it reassures the public about what goes on in airports and what to expect wwhen travelling, but also because it can act as a deterrent to those who think smuggling illegal items into or out of Australia would be easy.

Australia has some of the toughest Quarantine & Customs laws in the world, and rightly so, because thus far the country has remained relatively free of pests and diseases that plague the rest of the world.

Dogs are also used for explosives detection, but for obvious reasons I'm not going to go into too much detail about them. Suffice to say they are there and they are at work.

As the officer says on tv, if you have nothing on you, you have nothing to worry about. I regularly encounter both Customs and Quarantine dogs in the course of my travels. They are always very friendly, the handlers generally leave you alone and don't engage in conversation unless something is found, and the dog will usually move on after a brief "sniff" if there's nothing of interest. I'd hardly call the procedure "Invasive", and dogs don't sniff your private areas like some think they do. Here's two great clips from Border Security which show just how these dogs go about their daily business. As you can see with the Frenchman, the dog sits in front of him and never actually touches him when 'sniffing'.

Dog reacts to passenger, prompting secondary searching, but nothing is found, so no worries for her!

In my opinion, anything which adds an extra layer of security protection to air travel is a good thing, and as you can see, when handled correctly, dogs are a great tool in the fight against illegal activity in airports. If you're travelling through an airport, and are approached by a dog- stay calm, let it sniff you, leave your bag alone if it's on the ground, and don't touch the dog. If you need to do anything else, the handler will tell you.

The training Australian dogs receive is so good, that other countries are even asking for dogs to be trained for their own operations, and have been assisted by the Queen herself!

If you have any questions on airport security, or travelling to/in Australia, just leave a comment below.

PHOTO CREDITS:
Puppies: The Age.com.au
Airport Lines: PerthAirport.com.au
Handler & Dog: Customs.gov.au

Happy New Year!

2010-01-01T14:10:00.003+11:00

It's the first day of 2010 & as I sit here waiting for my breakfast I thought I'd type a quick post to wish you all a great new year. I had intended to post last night before I went out but our cocktail hour got started a bit early so it didn't happen.

2009 has been an interesting year, that's for sure! It didn't start out so well, with the loss of JournalSpace and four years of my blog, but the need to move on and start again meant that I had the chance to make new friends through a new blog & site.

In Case of Emergency started out as a blog to chronicle my journey through airline recruitment and has become a window into the world of my fellow crew and passengers alike. I enjoy writing and connecting with you all and the support everyone has given me through comments, emails and new friendships has been fantastic! I've even made 'real-world' friends and hope to do more of that in 2010.

With new beginnings in mind, I've come up with some resolutions for a few different aspects of my life. Most of them are changes I aim to make, rather than specific numbers or things to do, but regarding my blog I've come up with some more measurable goals which 'd like to achieve.

TT's Blogging Goals for 2010

1) Be more committed to updating & maintaining my blog, being more professional & less "hobby" about it.

2) Work more on my writing & content. The tie in with Ciao Bella Travel has been a really fun experience for me and I hope to build on it and other similar things in 2010.

3) Get serious about my plans for a business related to my blogging. Sit down and come up with definite plans I can do to make this work alongside my job.

4) Build on the relationships & friendships I've made through my blog and Twitter.

5) Enjoy what I do!!! :)

Hope you all had a great New Year's Eve, wherever you were, and I wish you a happy, healthy & fantastic year ahead for 2010 :)

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Ask the FA: Changing Seats Onboard- Is It OK?

2009-12-28T18:33:00.004+11:00

Q) On an international flight, what are the rules about changing seats? I have seen some people run for empty seats as soon as the plane door has closed, stretch out over three and be asleep before the plane has left the ground (may have been my children). Is this okay? Leonie

A) Dear Leonie, Long-haul flights can be such a drag, can't they? One of the most tempting sights to see on a crowded flight is a row of empty seats - a whole row! Changing seats is usually fine, but there are ways to go about it.

If your flight is really empty, it's better to keep your assigned seat until after take-off. Some airlines might even make an announcement asking passengers to do this. On a very empty flight, lots of passengers moving around can affect the balance of the aircraft, and while it likely won't fall out of the sky, it can make a difference to the pilots' information like fuel and takeoff speeds. They like to know just where everyone is sitting for takeoff, so if your flight is quite deserted, wait until after take-off before you move.

'But someone else might beat me to those seats!', you're thinking. They might! But the smart traveller will use personal items (like books, blankets or a small, non-valuable bag) to mark those seats as 'taken'. I'd only suggest this if lots of people are circling and eyeing off those seats, though. And it's always nice (not to mention polite) to ask the crew if it's ok if you 'save' seats for later. That way you can keep your seat for take-off, but still have some space after the seatbelt sign is switched off. Of course, be sure to only reserve seats you acctually need, and consider that others might also want a bit of space.

If in doubt, it's always best to ask your crew, as different airlines and even countries have different rules. Another factor to consider is if you have ordered special meals. If you do move, be sure to let the crew know as soon as possible, so they can record your new seat number next to your ordered meal. Sometimes we crew have those seats in mind to move people to for various reasons, for example, separated families, a bereaved person who needs some space, or other such circumstances. We do appreciate passengers doing the polite thing, and asking, because we hate to send you back to 'middle seat' hell! So by all means, if you see empty seats, it doesn't hurt to ask.

Just a note- if travelling with kids, remember that they'll need to be sitting upright again for landing, and ALWAYS put a seatbelt on them when they're asleep. Happy travels, and enjoy the extra space!

(NOTE: Due to new extra security measures introduced on certain flights over the past few days, I would advise asking the crew at all times before moving around in the aircraft, to avoid any misunderstandings or breaking of new rules. As always, if in doubt- ask!)

While we're on the subject of changing seats, I'd like to hear about your experiences. Have you had a good or bad response to wanting to change seats? Do you have a 'sure-fire' way to snag that plum seat before everyone else? Tell me about your flights!

Next time: Questions about special-order meals

(Photo: Ryan Lemos on Flickr)

Merry Everything!

2009-12-28T00:01:00.002+11:00

Hello all!

It's been awhile since my last blog post, all I can say is that real life got in the way a little, and combined with the festive season, plus a busy flight schedule, it meant little time for blogging. And then when I wanted to blog, I just couldn't find the words, severe "blogger's block" for sure!

I've got a few days off soon, so planning to get some posts done then, I've had some great flights lately and even better, great crew! Have totally been winning that lottery for having friendly, easygoing people to fly with- always an awesome thing in my book!

I hope all of you had a great Christmas, whether you spent it flying, with family or doing other things. And I wish you all the best for the New Year and a happy & safe 2010- with many more stories to come!

And Baby Makes Fee...

2009-12-11T00:46:00.005+11:00

With all the extra fees being added on to airline tickets these days, it seems that everyone is looking to get the best deal. (Aside from the fact that booking a lo-co ticket is always going to mean 'add-on' fees)

One area where this seems to be the case is parents travelling with babies. I was researching other subjects but came across some information which prompted me to write this post.

It seems that some parents are reluctant to cough up the extra cash to buy another seat and bring a baby seat on the plane with them. With airfares getting cheaper and cheaper, I just don't understand this. It's like saying, the baby seat weighs more so the car uses more petrol, let's not bother with that today'. If you wouldn't take your baby in the car unrestrained, then you definitely shouldn't be flying with it unrestrained, either.

In Australia, the laws require lap-held children up to the age of 2 years to make use of the infant seat belt. Parents may also take the option of buying another seat for a car seat for the child. There are certain devices out there, designed by US companies, for use in the United States, that can be used for older childen, or in once case used by babies as well. The thing to remember with these gadgets is, they may not be approved for use in countries outside of the US. For example, the Baby B'Air would not be allowed on Australian carriers, because the law mandates use of the infant seat belt. It doesn't matter that you prefer your own device, or that 'I can hold onto my baby'- the law says the seatbelt must be used, and baby could be on the ceiling before you even know there is turbulence! So it pays to check where your device can and can't be used.

(For the record, the CARES child restraint harness can be used on most Australian carriers)

Here's a few other "travel don'ts" when you're in the air with kids:

1. DON'T expect flight crew to babysit, clean up after or otherwise provide for your children. Most of the time, we're happy to help, but as a parent, your child is your responsibility. Have extra snacks on hand, just in case your child doesn't like the airline food. Bring plenty of milk or formula if that is what they drink- we have limited milk supplies and usually no formula on board and delays do happen.

I remember being extrememly disgusted with one father when he was more interested in finishing his Jack & Coke than cleaning up his daughter who had just vomited on herself. I literally had to tell him step by step to go get her some clean clothes and then I had to calm her down because she had cried so much she was sick again. If you want to travel with kids, don't expect anyone else to do your parenting for you. Be happy when you get help, but know that it can't (and won't) always be there.

2) We know you're exhausted, and you want to sleep, but NEVER put baby on the floor to sleep. If you must, take turns sleeping while the other looks after baby. If you're a single parent, consider having a friend accompany you. It is not safe to put children on the floor to sleep, and it is NOT fair to expect the flight crew to entertain & supervise your children while you knock yourself out with a Valium. (Not to mention completely impractical if an emergency happens- sorry but your kid is going to end up alone if there's a fire or other emergency)

3) You might think your kids are cute, but after 16 hours no-one else will. Staring games are fun for a few minutes, but know when to make them stop. If other passengers are happy to interact with your kids, great! But please don't take this as a sign to dump the kids with your newfound friends for half the flight. Flight attendants are not there to babysit, but we WILL ask you to keep a handle on your kids if they're getting rowdy & noisy, or bothering other people. And please don't get angry if they do so- it generally takes a lot for us to step in and ask you to parent.

4) "Please keep seatbelts fastened until the seatbelt sign has been switched off" means- seatbelts. All of them. Yes even the mini one that the baby is wearing. Yes even the one your five year old is screaming about wearing. And yes, even the one that holds the car seat on even though the seat weighs 50 kilos it can. still. move. without. a seatbelt.

So many parents roll their eyes and tell me that "nothing is going to happen". Like the time a baggage tug overturned and one of the carts went flying in front of our taxiing aircraft, the pilots hit the brakes and unrestrained toddler, standing on a seat, went flying into the galley and split her face open. Sure nothing's going to happen on the ground.

And to the lady in 16E yesterday, I saw you toss your 9 month old up in the air, playing 'catch'- while we were still on the runway after landing.

Ask the FA- Recap

2009-12-08T02:28:00.004+11:00

As you may know, I've recently teamed up with the lovely gals from Aussie company Ciao Bella Travel to write a Q&A for their newsletter. CBT have a great range of travel gear as well as lots of information to help you plan your next trip (or help you daydream those last few hours away on a Friday afternoon!)

The next newsletter will be out soon, so for those of you who might have missed it, here's the first edition of "Ask the Flight Attendant".

Q) Why do I have to open my window blind during takeoff and landing?

A) Believe it or not, this is one of the most common questions passengers ask. There are some urban legends out there about why this has to be done, but believe me, they're NOT true! It can also be annoying if you've just woken up and the sun is really bright, or it's hot outside and you want to stay in the shade- but safety comes first.

The simple reason is, window blinds must be open at these times so that if anything is happening outside the plane that shouldn't be happening, the crew can know what is going on. You might wonder how the crew would know when they are sitting down near the doors for landing. Well, that's where passengers come in. If anything really drastic is happening outside (for example, a fire) we're pretty sure that you will let us know about it! There are also systems built into the plane itself that will inform the pilots if any kind of malfunction is happening.

If you're an uneasy flier, rest assured that the chances of anything bad happening on your flight are minimal. And if you DO see something that you think isn't right- please tell the crew. You might feel silly, but we appreciate it that you're looking out for our safety too. Ninety-nine times out of a hundred, whatever you've seen is normal. If this is that one time it's not normal, then telling us means we can do something about it.

Once we've taken off, feel free to close the window shade & enjoy your flight!

If you want to score yourself some fab goodies, head over to Ciao Bella Travel & check out all the lovelies on offer! Soon we're hoping to bring you some fab offers and of course you can also click on 'Become a Member' to receive the latest info right to your inbox, stylishly as always!

Ciao...

Beat the Heat

2009-12-05T17:41:00.005+11:00

Now the summer months are upon us (in the southern hemisphere, at least) the weather is warming up and things are becoming hotter. As flight attendants, we're very aware of the weather, because even in summer it can mean bumpy flights and turbulence. Sometimes, summer turbulence is worse than winter. In Australia especially, the flat land heating up can produce very fast updrafts of hot air, which in turn becomes turbulent and we end up getting thrown around.

Even with modern planes that have air-conditioning, it can still get very hot. For example, if the plane has been sitting on the ground for a long time, or parked on the hardstand, the aircon might have been off. Sometimes the aircon might not work properly, and some aircraft only have cooling systems on when they have the engines on.

So how do we beat the heat? For passengers, it's possible to take off your jacket, or wear shorts (I'll leave why I think this is a bad idea to another post) but for the crew, sometimes we have no choice what to wear- maybe we have to keep our jacket or jumper on, or have a scarf which can make us feel hotter. For the ladies, stockings certainly don't help matters in the hotter months. Here's some ways I try to keep cool & refreshed on the plane.

Drink Up!

It's always important to keep hydrated on flights, but even more so in the hotter months. Although a lot of the time I don't feel like it, I force myself to drink as much water as I can to stop myself from feeling fatigued or getting a dehydration headache. it can get boring drinking plain water, but I don't like tonic or soda (not to mention all the salt in them) so sometimes I add in some lemon or lime, or just a touch of fruit cordial to liven things up.

Good Skin Is In
As crew, I've always taken care to use a good hydrating moisturiser, especially given the dry aircraft environment. In summer though, it's possible to switch to a lighter formula (even a gel) to stop that feeling of your face melting when it gets hot! As an Australian, it's very important to use a product for daytime wear that has a sunscreen in it.

I like the Nivea Daily Face Veil because I can wear it under my makeup and it's got SPF 30, which is the highest you can get here. I also look for foundations that also have SPF, in case I wear them alone.

Making It Up
Aside from using foundations that contain an SPF (most major brands now have them)

I also use a light dusting of powder to keep away shine. If you tend to sweat a lot in the face, sometimes blotting papers can help, especially to stop your makeup coming off as well! I use a brand from Hong Kong, but there's plenty available in Priceline such as ModelCo or Manicare.

Misting You
Another good item to have handy is a nice cooling facial spray. I like it for when I'm driving to work in the car, it's nice to have because once you use it you can turn on the airconditioning and it cools right down. It's also nice to use on those long night-time flights to make myself feel more awake, or to use after coming off the crew rest, so I don't look like I just got up! ;)

I have a nice one from the Face Shop, which is Jeju Marine and has a nice scent, but not irritating. Plain water sprays also work, such as Evian, but I find they make my skin feel a little tight and dry, so probably better if you can moisturise after using it.

Taking Stock
I might be trapped in nylons for the whole flight, but in hot weather the type that you use can make a real difference. So long as we have the right colour, the company doesn't really care what type or brand we choose to use. Instead of a full stocking, lots of girls chance to the 'stay up' kind in summer.

Basically it means there's less layers of clothing around the middle of your body which is where you feel hottest, especially when sitting down and stuck in a seatbelt harness for ages. The only thing you have to watch out for is that if it is VERY hot, the elastic doesn't always 'stay up'- so it pays to choose carefully when and where to make use of this type of stocking :P

Fan of Your Work
Another easy way to cool down is to carry a small folding fan in your bag, or even in your pocket. Handy for those times when the airconditioning doesn't work, or when you're strapped into your jump seat and can't get up.

In a pinch, a safety card or menu will do just as well!

These are just some of the simplest ways to beat the heat on flights, hope they have been useful to you. Have a great trip & stay cool!

Coffee Capers

2009-12-03T23:23:00.002+11:00

As a flight attendant, I've poured my fair share of tea and coffee. This in itself lends to some interesting observations about both passengers and crew.

1) If you say "tea?" they ask for coffee. If you say "Coffee?", they inevitably ask for tea. Whatever it is that you are NOT carrying, is what you will be asked for.

2) One can go the entire cabin without actually speaking the words 'tea' and 'coffee', but merely miming them, because most people are wearing headphones anyway. No-one has ever noticed! :)

3) If you are sitting in the aisle seat, and are not having coffee/tea, please lean back so that we may pass the hot beverage to the person in the window without risk of dropping it on you! The same goes for when working on laptops- please do not hold your cup over the laptop because I'll just have to ask you to move it anyway while I pour.

4) When I bring the extra milk that you asked for, please don't then tell me you also want more sugar. As much as I love exercise, I really don't want to make thirty extra trips on a short flight. If you must, ask the next person for it & we will love you more... ;)

5) The fuller your cup, the more turbulence there will be.

6) if you want to have ten cups of coffee, by all means do so but it's probably not a good idea on a 40min flight... hehe... especially when trolleys are out and you can't get to the bathroom very easily.

Ok I know that was a quick post, so while you're here go say hi to Tam, a really cool blogger from Qatar Airways. She has a great blog with lots of interesting posts about training and layovers.

Ciao Travellers!

2009-11-27T01:36:00.003+11:00

Finally I can let you all in on a project I've been working on. I'm a big fan of the Aussie site, Ciao Bella Travel, makers of the handy 'Single Shots' travel toiletries range.

Aside from these extremely popular products, CBT also carry a wide range of cute travel accessories- from bags and tags to gadgets to make life on the road easier.

The girls at Ciao Bella also have some great travel tips, blog articles, city guides and a travel forum- so you'll never miss those must-see places or local secrets on your holiday.

I'm also pleased to say that the CBT girls & I have teamed up to bring you 'Ask the Flight Attendant'- a new section of their newsletter aimed at answering those things you always wanted to know about travel & flying, but were too afraid to ask!

So pop on over to Ciao Bella Travel, check it out & sign up for the newsletter- you'll be glad you did! In case that's not enough to tempt you, check out "Bella Benefits"- great discounts at some cool places. Best of all, Ciao Bella are based in Brisbane- I love Aussie brands! :)

If you have a question you'd like to see answered in the next Ciao Bella newsletter, send an email to info(at)ciaobellatravel.com.au or Tweet me! :)

Put That Down...

2009-11-17T19:22:00.005+11:00

Conversations on Twitter earlier today got me to thinking about how some people's behaviour changes when they travel on an aircaft. They might be the sanest, most normal people in the world in their everyday lives; but put them in an airport, through check-in, past security and as most crew will know, they turn into slightly crazy weirdos who do odd things.

For example, one of my Twitter posts was mentioning how some people board through the premium part of the plane, see things set out on the counters for the service, (such as drinks) and help themselves.

The rationalisations for such behaviour include 'I paid for a ticket too', 'They looked nice' and 'I just wanted one'. That's all well and good, but what it boils down to is, to put it bluntly, stealing. If you bought an economy seat and you take something meant for premium economy, business or first (without asking first), you're technically stealing it, because you didn't pay for it. Those drinks laid out on the counter, that magazine in the book rack, the newspaper you lifted from a premium seat- they all belong to the people who paid for the seats in that class.

Another example of this is 'helping yourself' to things from galleys or other service areas when the crew aren't looking. These include things like eye-shades, alcohol, extra meals or snacks. The most serious one though, is the alcohol. Believe it or not, I've actually caught passengers with their hands inside bar carts, rummaging around for a drink and thinking this is ok. When we ask for the drinks back, they get mad, and say "I've bought a ticket, I'm entitled to it". Actually, they're not.

Alcohol is a controlled item (and on international flights is bar-bonded by Customs & inspected on landing). Taking alcohol without it being served to you by the crew actually breaches the liquor licensing laws in some countries, and is technically a crime onboard the aircraft. So if you do it, and get caught, don't be surprised when the crew cut you off from having any more drinks. It always surpises me that people ge tmad when told they cannot just help themselves to booze- I mean, come on- would you jump behind the bar in your local pub and just start filling up on drinks? I don't think the barman or bouncers would be very happy!

Then there's the other items- like extra meals, snacks, blankets or taking 3 pillows for yourself even though you only need one.

All this means that some other passenger (who also paid for their ticket) misses out because some people don't know the boundaries. If you want two pillows, fine. Wait until everyone else has got one before you take a second. Or if it's that important that you be comfortable, bring your own! (Novel idea huh?) By all means, ask for any of these things, but please don't just help yourself... because most of the time, you definitely won't be helping others.

Photos: Wine-By Hirox on Flickr, Attendant- NyDailyNews.com,

Makeover!

2009-11-15T03:50:00.002+11:00

Now if there's one thing that many flight attendants love, it's a makeover! Common galley gossip topics include haircuts, beauty treatments, makeup and new clothes... so what better for me to do than makeover my blog!

I hope you like it, but if there's anything which needs a little tweaking, please let me know, as I don't know how it looks on different screens & browsers. What do you think? :)

eeeeEK! What to Do For an Airline Assessment Day

2009-11-13T01:20:00.003+11:00

Over the last few years I've dished out a lot of advice on how to get through the circus that is airline recruitment. There's never any hard and fast rules, as everyone is different, but the general principles are the same. You can do a search for the 'interview' tag elsewhere on my blog.

Recently, I was contacted by a flight attendant hopeful, who was worried because she had just gotten the much-hoped for invitation to assessment day for a major airline. Kim has given me permission to share some of her emails with you in the hope that other FA wannabes can find some helpful information from her experience.

KIM: Why I have decided and taken this weird chance and emailing you, as Airline is having an Open day this Saturday in --------. I have been going to the Open days since I was 18 years old with other friends who could register. It's been a lengthy wait, but very worthwhile. I went last year, however was rejected as I was underage. Just emailing you for some advice

TT: Thanks for writing to me, I'm always glad to hear that people enjoy my blog.

My best advise for a resume is to keep it very neat and no longer than 2 single pages (1 side on 2 different sheets)

What experience have you had that would help you as a flight attendant? If you've had a job that lets you face customers, great! Put that down. If not, then what have you done in other areas? For example, in school you may have been on a team for an assignment. Or maybe you have done some babysitting. Highlight things you have done that give you responsibility, or where you've helped others. You could use just about any sort of job and relate it to being a flight attendant. Don't worry that you haven't been a flight attendant before, it doesn't matter! They just want to know that you like people and you have ambition to do well.

When I started out, I looked on the internet for examples of cabin crew-specific resumes. Cabincrew.com has a good 'Jobs' area with some tips as well. And you could also go to one of the job agencies for tips, or even use a book from your local library for advice. (Just make sure that it's not too old). I've used templates from Microsoft Office and adjusted them so they fit- adding in my own information. Just remember to keep it simple- the recruiter can always ask you for more information!

On resumes, cover letters & photos:

To be honest, at the open day the recruiters will not read the cover letter- I have seen people give them cover letters before and they really don't look at it. If they like you, they will ask you to tell them why you want to work for them (all things you mention in your letter) at the interview stage. So it would be best to keep it to just the resume plus the photos, nicely set out.

Colour isn't a problem if it's for things like headings, and if it makes it clearer to see things than if in black and white. Maybe print one of each and see which looks more effective. Sometimes simplest is best.As for paper, white is always best as it's simple and they don't need to see fussy, just professional.

If you haven't already, learn some facts about the airline from their website, so you may know answers to any questions they might ask the group on the first part of the Open Day. And above all, relax and SMILE! :)

KIM:Thank you for helping a stranger. You have given me great and specific advice and will let you know how the day goes!! Reallly excited and nervoussssss! hehe but will remember to Relax and Smile :)

A few days went by and then I got this email from Kim:
Hey TT!!!
You are my lucky charm :) honestly! without your help I wouldn;t have gone this far :)
Well guessssss what! I went along Saturday, there were approx 300 people, got through to the assessment day which was yesterday and now I have made it through to the final interview which is going to be on Wednesday at 4:00pm!!!! OMMMMGGG! I am wrapped, now can I ask u some questions about the final interview if you don't mind? Like how should my behaviour be? I should be myself? What type of questions they might ask?

TT:Just be yourself, think before you speak and remember that when we are nervous, we all speak faster than we think we do. So just remind yourself the recruiters want to know about you- just pretend you are talking to someone at the desk in Centreliyour office. Don't give too much information, just answer what they ask you. If they want to know more, they will ask. E.g. What did you like about working at yor office, you could say 'I enjoyed being able to help people when they were having problems'. If they ask why, you could say something like 'It made me feel I was doing a good job' or 'I like to help others and especially be useful'.

Think about all the jobs you have had and what they might ask you about them. Think about times you might not have done as well as you should. Don't be afraid to admit making a mistake in your job, as long as you show that you have learnt from it. You could say what you would do differently now in the same situation.

And don't worry if you're nervous, just tell them you are, they will understand- everyone is! If you need to come back to a question, ask if you can think about it and have another question in the meantime.

KIM:Hey! I did it, I was nervous, did become calm after sometime, they made me do a test after the interview (which last like 25 mins) is that bad? i'm worried now :(

TT:I wouldn't worry too much about the test, usually they pick random people and it's just to see how you work at a problem. If you were on your own they probably want to see how you go about solving a task and work to a time limit. If you had a group it would just be again like the assessment day, seeing how you work in a team.

In my company everyone did a quiz to see our personality, it's nothing to worry about! Well done, all you can do now is relax and wait to hear back. Did they give you a time frame when they will contact you by?

KIM:Hey heyyyy! I'm sooooooooooo happy I got my golden call this afternoon after 11 days from my interview, my DOJ is -------! Can't wait! Got to get all the medical done now!! Just wanting to thank you soo much for being there with me through this journey! :)

TT:I'm so pleased for you! Well done!!! What good news!

Best wishes to Kim as she embarks on her new career in the skies. Be sure to keep us posted on how you are doing. Maybe even start your own blog, eh? ;)

Homey Hotels

2009-11-11T00:53:00.005+11:00

Amongst the flight attendants on Twitter, we've often had the conversation about hotel habits, little rituals that we have to make ourselves feel more at home while we're on the road (or in the air, more like!)

All of us have our favourite ways of relaxing, and it really depends on what kind of person you are at home. If we love our comforts at home, chances are we want to be comfy when we travel. If we don't 'need' a lot at home, generally we're light packers. I tend to swing somewhere between the two, depending on how long I'm away and what kind of trip I'm working.

If it's a leanover (very short layover) then all I'll want is comfy pyjamas,

my iPod and maybe a good book, adding a mini hot water bottle in winter or cold destinations. (You can pick up ultra-cute crew-themed tanks & pj's at theJet Line Clothing site.) If I have longer, I might bring a 'going-out' outfit, a couple magazines

and my beauty kit to do my nails and a facial while I watch a movie in the hotel. Sometimes I'll bring my little computer, and work on various things, or just watch tv. Nights where there's nothing good on, I'll try to write a few blog posts so I don't get too far behind.

Anyway, back to hotel routines. I already made a post back in the early days of my Blogger page on this, but what the hey, it's one of those topics that flight attendants never really get tired of!

First thing I do when arriving in the room, is to do a quick check of the room to make sure that a) there's nothing/no-one funky in there and b) make sure it's up to standard and one of the rooms on the crew list (they meet requirements for noise, light, amenities and so forth) Once the room checks out ok, I'll unpack my stuff. Pyjamas go on the bed, ready for sleep time. Book, iPod, torch & water go on the bedside table, along with the travel speakers and eyeshades.

In the bathroom, I unpack my toiletry bag, I'm a bit OCD in that I arrange all the items out in order of use so I don't need to think about it too much for an early bus time in the morning.

I also make sure the towels are handy and put my shower gel (Body Shop Satsuma) on the bathtub. If I have food that goes in the bar fridge. If we're staying at a hotel with mini bar facilities, I'll check out what they have on offer (and whether their prices are a rip off or not. If so, I go buy that from the supermarket down the road if there is one ;)

If I don't have a lot of time, I'll usually iron my uniform as soon as possible, and hang it in the closet along with the shoes and make sure all the badges and so on are pinned on, so I don't leave any behind. If it's daytime, I'll generally head out into town for a look round or to get food, order determined by how hungry I happen to be. On a leanover, especially a daytime one, I'll probably be getting right into pj's, popping on my eyeshades and music and nodding off to sleep as soon as I can (sometimes aided by a herbal sleep aid)

Sometimes the hotels we stay at have a nice pool or gym, if the weather is good enough (or the pool is heated) then I'm definitely there! Otherwise I'll go for a walk or at least get outside in the fresh air and sun if it's out.

Oh and I always have my slippers in my bag, because you never know who or what has been on that carpet before you! :P

What do you do to feel more at home in hotels- candles, room sprays, BYO pillows? Tell me! :)

Flight Attendant Style

2009-11-04T15:35:00.012+11:00

Browsing the web this morning (due to finally reaching my boredom threshold with work-related reading, I admit it!) I happened upon some photos of flight attendants in the US. What I find really interesting is the difference between the grooming rules there, and how strict the airlines here in Australia are.

For example, one of the photos (found on Google search) showed two FAs doing a service, and the interesting thing to me was that they have their hair down. Many other American FAs have commented to me that they're allowed to have their hair down. Even one of our famous FA bloggers, Heather Poole, has some photos on her site where the ladies have their long-ish hair down. (BTW I think Heather has beautiful wavy hair that I'm very jealous of!!) :P

Here in Australia female FAs are restricted in how they may wear their hair. Generally, if your hair is longer than your collar or touches your shoulders, it has to be up. The most common options are: French roll, chignon/bun or ponytail/plait. If it's worn in a ponytail or plait, it must be 30cms or shorter once tied back, or it has to be completely 'up'.

Etihad FAs show how up-dos are done.

There's also rules about the kinds of hairties you can have. (Plain black, brown or blonde elastics) either covered with a clip, ponytailer shield (in black or tortoise) or a black ribbon tied in a bow. Some crew use hair donuts

but I think they look RIDICULOUS because most girls use one which is too large, you're meant to pick a small one because it gets bigger when your hair goes over it. Also, the idea is to pin the 'edges' of the donut to your head, not just the hair ends, or it looks as though, well, you have a donut stuck on your head!! :P Kind of like some Virgin Atlantic crew I saw in London, who had the donuts up next to their ears. So not classy!

Another difference I've noticed is during discussions about crew shoes (yes, we'll talk about ANYTHING!!!) While were allowed to wear flats in-flight (only after take-off), they cannot be either a) totally flat like a ballet shoe or b) have any straps, be clogs etc. They have to be something like this:

Our other shoes have to be a court shoe, leather no patent, with heels which are a certain height & width.

There's not much scope for personal choice here. No stilettos either, though I do try and push the rules a bit. My 'tarty' shoes LOOK like stilettoes from the side, but actually are a standard wide court heel. Yay for illusion, they look so much better with the uniform than blocky shoes. My other shoe hate is court shoes which are too blocky. Makes girls look like those chickens with the feathers covering their feet!

Rules also cover things like what kind of watch we can have, the size of our earrings (no dangling earrings here!) width of bracelets, nail polish colour, makeup style, what kind of makeup to have (minimium of blush, powder, mascara and coloured gloss), where our name tag goes, what our bags look like, what tags we can have on our bags (most crew ignore this one) and even up to what sort of perfume we wear. Most Middle Eastern airlines are very similar, except I don't think any of them allow for a pony tail.

Here's some nicely turned-out Air France FAs. If you click on the picture it also has information about the photographer and a book he wrote about flight attendants.

What do you think? Do you prefer more 'casual' crew (like Southwest) or do you like it better when the crew look 'perfect' (Singapore, Etihad, Air France). I'd love to hear your comments!

Virgin Blue crew

Qantas crew

Jetstar crew

Apologies...

2009-11-01T17:15:00.002+11:00

I've been a very negeelctful blog owner lately... so sorry to my faithful readers! There's a lot going on at Casa de Tray at the moment, but I'm hoping to have some new posts for you very soon. It's been some eventful flying lately, with some medical emergencies, lots of roster changes as well as plenty of interesting work gossip! There's been so many things to blog about, but sadly just no time. It's a sad truth that if one is not making money from writing a blog, that earning money must take priority... but rest assured that I haven't forgotten this completely!

Stay tuned for more from TT!

Eating on the Fly

2009-10-19T12:26:00.005+11:00

When you spend your life in hotels and in the air, it can be difficult to take care of yourself with regard to your diet and exercise. When you work odd hours on top of that, it becomes extra difficult. There's nothing quite like wanting to eat a nice healthy meal, only to arrive at your hotel in the wee hours of the morning and the only thing room service is interested in making is fries and toasted sandwiches.

For Aussie flight attendants, bringing your own food isn't the easy solution you might think, as in most cases, you cannot take fresh food across state borders. Things like cup-of-soup or dried fruits are fine, but salads, fresh fruit, sandwiches and the like are totally prohibited to be taken from one state to another. So if you want to BYO a nice salad for lunch, it has to be eaten before you get off the plane. Sure you can try to sneak it in, but Quarantine have the cute beagle dogs which will sniff out a single rogue grape at 30 feet! And if they find that apple you're trying to bring in... cha-ching!! $200 dollars, thanks!

What's a girl to do? Get creative, of course!! We've heard of cooking in your hotel room, but what if a) you can't be bothered and b) you fear all the potential germs hanging around on the counter tops? Here's what I did on a recent layover...

Take a walk to the supermarket & pick out your ingredients. In this case I decided a caesar salad was in order. I went and got my cos lettuce, cherry tomatoes, a 1/4 cooked chicken (make sure to ask them to take it out of the foil bag & put it in a take-away container) and a pre-packed salad kit which had croutons, dressing, bacon pieces etc...

much easier and no wastage from having enough croutoons for 10 salads.

1. Clear & wipe down the counter in the bathroom (just in case) next to the basin. The salad came in one of those trays sealed in a plastic bag. Flatten the bag and as you wash the salad leaves, shake them and place them on the bag so they don't touch the icky counter top.

Do the same with the cherry tomatoes, putting the clean ones on one side of the plastic tub to drain.

2. Take the 1/4 chicken and pull it into salad-size pieces, putting them on the lid of the take-away container. Discard the unused chicken scraps and wash the container out. Now layer the lettuce & cherry tomatoes into the container, adding the chicken as you like.

3. Using the salad kit, add half the croutons, bacon bits, cheese and dressing.

If you have any left over salad, once you've eaten the first half, rinse the container & make up another, putting the sachets of dressing & croutons in the container to add again the next day for lunch!

Two meals for arounf $10, much cheaper than airport food, and healthier than room service!

I've Got the Power

2009-10-18T00:46:00.004+11:00

Life as a flight attendant has changed dramitcally in these modern times. Where once one had to keep in contacvt with family via letters & telephone, we have progressed to email, Facebook and other gadgets to keep in touch with our loved ones at home.

However having this modern convenience comes at a price- having to firstly bring the equipment with you, and also keeping it charged up and running.

Some of the things flight attendants carry around include:

Laptop/Netbook (essential for we blogging/Twitter/Facebook addicts)
Mobile phone/iPhone/Blackberry (Non-negotiable now for FAs so Sched can contact us)
Digital camera (Ditto for the bloggers)
iPod
PSP/Nintendo DS/Other gaming device

Along with these devices we must also carry the various chargers and adaptors. The drawback to this is, we are trying to minimise the stuff we carry, and also it's quite easy to lose plugs. I'm sure nearly all FAs at one point or another have left a phone charger plugged in at the hotel, only to realise halfway to home base where it is. There's also the issue of not being able to charge things in airports where plugs are blocked, or on the plane during a delay.

Enter the PowerMonkey, a nifty device I picked up duty free on the ferry across from France to Dover.

This handy little gadget is basically a portable recharging device. It comes with a wall charger, but unlike other chargers, it has interchangeable adaptors for different countries so you can buy it and use it anywhere. Included with the PowerMonkey are various adaptors for devices and different models of mobile phone, so you only need the one charger. I can charge my iPod, my camera and my phone all with one. Laptops are trickier as they need a lot of power, so I haven't tried, but it cuts down my required units from 4-5 to 2. You can also buy additional clip-on connectors for other devices if they're not included.

All in all, you should check this baby out if you travel with lots of gadgets! The PowerTraveller website also has lots of other useful items, including a laptop version, aviator's torches and solar-powered chargers for you adventurous types!!!

Mini RV

2009-10-12T00:00:00.004+11:00

Haven't had much time for posting lately, and again I'm heading out the door to fly, so in the meantime here's some pics of my 'mini RV'- the one I use for leisure trips of a couple of days, or training days for work.

It's very mini RV, it fits under the seat in front on the smallest planes, even turboprop 50-seaters. It has a nice long handle, so is comfortable to pull along, and 2 good-sized pockets on the front. My EeePC fits nicely in the main compartment with my clothes, and there's also expandable panels for that extra shopping room!

This was for a 2 day trip to visit family. In my RV I managed to fit:

One day dress (floral pattern you can see on top)
Pair black dress pants
Pair black high heels
Underwear & scarf
Toiletry bag
Adaptors/chargers etc
2 t-shirts
Contact lens solution bottle
Jewellery pouch
(Among other things inc a magazine and so forth)

Of course this packing differs from work trips, because I need more outfit changes on holiday. But as you can see, if you fold smartly, you can fit things in. Everyone has their own system, you find what works for you.

My RV waiting on a train platform, ready for an adventure! :)

PS- Many thanks to John from Adelaide Airport, of course you can let the team know I <3 ADL!!! :D

TT is Off the Hook!

2009-10-05T15:02:00.005+11:00

That's TT as in me, not Tiger Airways, by the way. (I was TT way before they even existed in Australia!)

Well if you have read my Tiger Airways trip report, you may recall I had a little run-in with the staff regarding taking pictures on the tarmac. It wasn't so much being told I couldn't take pictures that was the problem, but that the staff member concerned tried to fob me off by saying it wasn't a Tiger policy, but an airport one.

Boy, she picked the wrong person to use that line on. Thing is, I used to WORK for that airport, and there was never any policy in place at that time, which she tried to tell me had been a policy since 2006. (Wrong).

Anyway, just to clarify and make sure nothing had changed since then, I got in touch with the airport authority. I was referred to their security operations manager. I had a nice chat with him regarding this little exchange. (EDIT: For clarity, the airport concerned is Perth)

The outcome was that taking 'holiday pics', or photos for personal use (i.e. not to sell) is ABSOLUTELY 100% FINE according to airport rules. The only time it's not allowed is if you want to do a commercial photo shoot, in which case you just need prior permission & access agreements. In his words, taking a photo of the plane you are boarding is not a crime, it is not forbidden, and it is most certainly NOT against airport policy. So really, Tiger staff were wrong to say that the 'no photo' rule came from the airport. As the security operations manager said, if it were against airport policy, they would have signs saying so, as they do with the 'No Mobile Phones' sign at the gates.

So Tiger, please tell your staff to stop giving out incorrect information to your passengers. You can tell us not to take photos on your planes (if you really want that crappy publicity on your hands) but you can't say no to us taking our holiday pics on the tarmac!

PHOTO: Zimbio.co

EDIT: Tiger Airways responds that Melbourne Airport advise them tarmac photos are not allowed. Perhaps in the interests of clear information, Tiger should add this to their website, as currently there is no information aside from mobile phones. Interestingly, there's a Facebook group for Tiger staff and at least one photo in thhere is taken on the tarmac at what looks to be Melbourne airport. So, either it's a security breach, or it isn't...

Anyway, I'll always do what staff ask me on board flights, but in Perth at least, I'll happily snap my pics thanks very much!

Fly on the Tiger... (Trip Report)

2009-10-02T23:04:00.010+10:00

TIGER AIRWAYS TT812/813

AIRCRAFT: Airbus A320

I arrived at the airport well in time to check in ahead of Tiger's strict 45-min cutoff policy. There were only a few people in front of me, so five minutes later I was at the front of the queue.

I was greeted by a friendly older lady, who asked me for my ID. (Being a smart traveller, I put my airline ID in the license holder of my wallet, hehe) This garnered me a plum exit-row seat (on the aisle no less) without having to pay the $25 exit row fee, or the $5 seat selector fee which normally apply. There was a motive on her part though- current rules require a certain amount of passengers to be seated in 'self-help' exit rows.

As I was playing within the rules and only had a carry-on bag, she checked the bag complied with the 7kg limit, and gave me a tag to attach to my bag so that gate staff would know it was ok to board.

I also had a handbag but they didn't seem to notice/care about that. This bag contained my netbook, bottle of water and other similar items which would have certainly put my rollaboard over 7kgs. But noticed most of the other passengers had handbags or laptop bags as well. If they were on the smaller side, they didn't seem to have tags.

Once she gave me my boarding pass (the scannable kind which look like a supermarket receipt)

I headed through security. Aside from a bunch of foreigners thinking it was ok to cut the line while I was about to put my bag on the belt, security screening went without a hitch. I got pulled aside for the screening test, signed my name, and on my way to the departure lounge.

In the lounge I bought a couple of magazines & some water, then browsed the books to pass some time. Soon it was time to board. Our flight was boarding via the tarmac, front & rear stairs according to seat row. This was when I had an interesting exchange with a member of Tiger staff. I took a photo of our plane (flash off of course as it was night time)

and immediately was pretty much shouted at. When I asked what the problem was, she rather rudely informed me that taking photos on the tarmac is not allowed. (More on this issue later-I'm currently following it up with the airport authorities, as I have worked at this airport and there was never a no-photo policy for other than commercial use)

Once on the plane, I stowed my bag & rollaboard in the overhead locker, and took my seat in the exit row, reading the briefing card like a good little passenger.

One of the cabin crew came over to give the exit briefing, while it covered the main points I did note there was no advice on what to do should the exit be unsafe, other than not to open it. Personally, I brief the passenger if an exit is unsafe they must not let anyone exit and direct them to the nearest exit being used. I guess Tiger like to keep basic with this as well as their service.

Here are a few observations from my two sectors with Tiger:

* Seat pitch is pretty cramped. Worse when the person in front slams their seat back the instant the seatbelt sign goes off. When my seat was fully reclined, the (empty) seat next to me was only about 3 inches ahead. According to their website, Tiger's seat pitch on the A320 is 72.5 cm for standard rows. I think they've measured this in the reclined position, as it doesn't look like 72cm when the seats are upright.

Here's a picture taken from the side.

My netbook is only about 8 to 9 inches long from front (screen) to back, and was resting right up on the seatback in front. I wasn't leaning forward, so you can see there isn't much room. I had to prop my elbow up just to type. It wwasn't very comfortable. I suggest don't work on Tiger flights! :P

* If you're right handed & want to use a laptop, go for a seat on the RHS, sitting in the A seat means you can hardly type, without getting pins and needles, especially if the seatback in front is also reclined all the way.

*There was a giant wad of chewy on my tray table, and in both airsick bags in the seat pocket. Menu card wass really tatty. Tiger would do well to spend the extra 10c laminating each card, instead of having to replace them all the time. Crew were obliging when I asked for wipes to clean table, but didn't take them away again. I had to go to the lav to dispose of my trash as only one trash run was done on the whole flight- understandable on a SYD-CBR perhaps but not a 3 hour flight.

* Although the cabin crew walk around while the seatbelt sign is on, at least they DO enforce it, asking pax who stand up to be seated until it is off.

* For a newish A320, the toilets sure reeked a lot! Not just 'during the flight' smell, but the deeply-ingrained smell of pee that a men's toilet in a park might have. Not sure why this is, maybe they don't deep clean them very often. As you can see, the pee spends a bit of time on the floor of the lavatory.

* Service consists of one run-through with the carts (selling small snack items & some beverages)

followed by the trash cart. No more trash runs, even toward the end of the flight. Seeing as TT crew get comission on sales, you'd think it'd be worth one more quick run with the cart on night flights, as not everyone sleeps, and they'd make more money on sales. Not to mention that there's plenty of time on a 3 hour flight, and the crew seem quite bored (judging from the huge pile of magazines on the galley bench that even a well-read mag hostie would be amazed by)

* Another interesting thing to note: While soft drinks are served, the only choices are Coke, Diet Coke & Solo Lemon (like Lift or Mountain Dew). No lemonade to be seen. The Tiger website also advertises their menu as having the good old cheese & crackers pack that Virgin also sell. The crew tell me they haven't had them on board for quite some time, around 6 months I believe. Seemsan update is in order!

* With regard to alcoholic beverages, Tiger really cater to the 'bogan' stereotype, serving only wine or the pre-mixed bourbon & Coke in cans. Not even a pre-mix Smirnoff! What about vodka drinkers, Tiger??? While I'm sure they do very well with old Jim, it couldn't hurt to add vodka to cater to a wider audience.

RETURN FLIGHT NOTE: Check-in was fairly quick, although enforcement of the 7kg carry-on luggage limit seemed to be a bit hit and miss. Most of the check-in staff seemed oblivious to the old 'hide the bag' game, which I witnessed several passengers play as I waited in line. trust me, you wouldn't get away with that at Virgin! Tiger also make you put a tag on your bag which means it's passed the weight check at check in. The only fault with this system is I freely bought bottled water, several magazines and some food items which would have taken my bag above the 7kg limit. (Let's not talk about the handbag on my shoulder, which I would have happily given up for weighing if they had actually asked to) Then again, I don't think other airlines weigh bags after check-in, unless they're obviously heavy-looking or oversized.

Overall impressions? if you want to get somewhere cheaply, albeit a bit uncomfortably for my 5'5" frame, then Tiger is for you. The service is about what you'd expect at your local Coles, but then again there's not much chance for the crew to go 'above and beyond'.

If you want more comfort, a bit of a laugh and a reasonable selection of food, drinks & entertainment, fly Virgin. If you want better legroom on Virgin, book your trips on the Embraer E190 (no tv's but the legroom is way better than the 737, and leaps ahead of Tiger)

If you want pretty good seats, the chance to upgrade on points to 'real' business class and unlimited booze (between capital cities weekdays & Perth and everywhere else 7 days a week) fly Qantas' CityFlyer service.

Tiger: Cheap A-B, but they'll growl if you don't read the T&C's...

PS- Don't take photos... well, at least until we find out if this 'no-photo' policy is enforceable or not...

This one was in Adelaide, for testing purposes. Once again, Tiger staff pounced... Interesting, as photos on the tarmac have never been a problem when taking Virgin Blue or Qantas flights at this airport...

Adelaide Airport check-in area

Tiger check-in desks

Baggage collection

Blogging Live from Adelaide!

2009-09-30T22:05:00.006+10:00

I'm sitting at gate 19 of Adelaide's lovely new airport terminal building, awaiting my 2nd flight with Tiger Airways.

The reason I'm loving being online right now is that I'm not on my smartphone (which although great to type on is not so good for blogging) but my trusty EeePC netbook. I've been 'surfing the webs' for the last 3 and a half hours courtesy of Adelaide Airport's FREE wifi access throughout Terminal 1. BRILLIANT!!! All I can say is, BEST. AIRPORT. EVER. I have to say in the Internet aspect, they even beat out Singapore's Changi Airport (TOUGH GIG!) -because you can use your OWN computer with the provided wifi. So far, I haven't been able to do that with my own laptop.

I've been happily doing work, sending emails & organising my iTunes library. Hey, if it means I pay an extra $5 tax every time I fly here on a bought ticket, so be it!

Currently, I'm gathering thoughts for my Tiger Airways Trip Report (TR).

Unfortunately photos aren't as forthcoming, being as it's been nighttime sectors, and the Tiger staff seem unusually camera shy for an airline who have their own tv show.

Got to go, time to board!!! Wish me luck...

Stay tuned for the TiGRRRRRRRRR trip report

Flying the A380- Singapore Airlines Trip Report (Part 2)

2009-09-25T21:29:00.017+10:00

Once I had boarded & stowed all my stuff, I set about getting some pictures. As I hadn'tdone much long-haul flying as a passenger, I erred on the side of caution & requested an aisle seat. It was a bit annoying as I usually like a window seat for that reason, but the people sitting in my row were nice enough to let me lean over them to snap a few pics.

(The seat layout on the SQ 380 is 3-4-3 on main deck economy- I think it's the same for upper deck as well, though I only got a brief look)

I'd also like to add I really love the seat pockets- not only was there a section for the afore-pictured magazines & safety card, but additional elasticised pockets for iPod, camera, water bottle or whatever else one wants to cram in there. I could fit all the essentials near to hand without having to resort to rummaging in the overhead every 10 minutes.

Another neat feature (sadly forgot to photograph it) was the footrest. I found it a bit awkqard when sleeping, but good when I was awake watching tv,and wanting to take the weight off my feet. I think this might be better than the foot-net that Qantas have, but as I haven't yet tried that I can't be certain.

After take-off, the crew came around with a drinks service. Looking at the menu, I saw they were offering a Singapore Sling. Of course, I had to try it, in honour of my first trip on the SQ A380. I had thought it would be made with a pre-mix, but no, the friendly Singapore Girl mixed it all to order from the drinks cart:

That was really cool, but quite strong, so I also got a lemonade to have with the peanuts.

Next was our meal, which was really tasty. Again with the metal cutlery, which is kind of strange to see after dealing with plastic knives for so long! I ate pretty much everything, and then they gave out some icecream which was small pieces of icecream covered in chocolate. They were really good!

After lunch, most people went to sleep or watched movies, so I took the chance to have a wanfder around and look at the plane. I'm still kicking myself, at the time I felt like I was taking lots of photos but later when I looked at them I realised I didn't have any of the stair case or upper deck. Oh well, next time!

View out of the Right 5 door viewing window. The clouds were really cool, but they also gave us some turbulence. As I mentioned in an earlier post, I found it odd that the seatbelt sign didn't seem to be enforced. An announcement would be made, but after that people still got up and walked around with not really any interference from the crew. (They do things differently I guess!)

The plane nerd in me had to take a picture of this...
Airbus logo on each of the doors.

One for my flight attendant readers:
The door mechanism is a lot different from what we might be used to... although it does have similarities to others in the Airbus family.

Just think, it once took a week to make this trip! Now it's under 14 hours.

Getting there...

About an hour and a half before we arrived we also got a supper/dinner. This was chicken with noodles and was really good! Kind of like chicken noodle soup, but without the soup :P

And a few final 'plane geek' photos :)

The Heathrow Express train from Paddington to the airport. It's pretty high-tech, a lot like a plane itself. See the exit-row lighting, and the folding seats near the door which look like crew jumpseats. It even had wi-fi!! Took about 15mins to make the trip, which was well worth 16 pounds. (Hint: If you're crew, show your airline ID, the nice guy at the ticket counter gave me a crew ticket for 8 pounds!!)

The iPod connector on the seatback entertainment console:

The A380 also has AV input for a portable DVD or similar, and also allows you to view content from a USB stick like PDF files and Word documents. If you're not sure about what plane you're flying, or what facilities it has on board, check the airline website or the ever-handy Seat Guru website.

The IFE handset. The reverse side has a keyboard (for seat to seat messaging that hot guy ;) and gaming buttons for the multitude of games such as Mummy Mania and WHo Wants to Be A Millionaire. Hours of fun!

And I found this amusing:

The A380 is so big they give you a map to fiure out where your seat is!!!

Overall, I really enjoyed the flight and the crew were great- nothing was too much trouble. It's true- Singapore is a great way to fly!

Stay tuned for a Singapore Girl pic on the Galley Curtain blog =)

Working...

2009-09-25T17:47:00.002+10:00

I have no idea how, but even with being on vacation, I'm suddenly swamped with things to do! I suppose it might have something to do with my picking up a work trip for the extra money, so I now have 3 less days to get everything done.

Somewhere in there, I have on my list of things to do Part 2 of my Singapore Airlines trip report, as I know there are a few of you waiting for it. Also coming up over the next week, I'll be making a trip report on Tiger Airways (Australia), so we shall see if it really is like their tv show, Airways!

Trip Report- Flying the Skies With Singapore's A380 (Part 1)

2009-09-21T23:48:00.013+10:00

Finally I'm in the mood to make a blog post, and seeing as my main theme of my blog is aviation, I thought I'd start with writing about what it was like to fly on the Airbus A380- giant of the sky.

Airline: Singapore Airlines (SQ)
Route: SIN-LHR (London Heathrow)
Aircraft: Airbus A388 (A380-800)

Before joining this flight, I had another sector with SQ from my home town to Singapore Changi Airport. Transit time was approximately 6 hours.

So many flights... and only about 3 or 4 hours out of the day!

On the flight up I traded watching tv for legroom, as the exit row at door R3 was unoccupied due to broken IFE. I asked one of the crew if I could sit there, and they were at first concerned I should know the tv's didn't work. When I assured them I was fine with it, they let me sit there, so I had the two seats to myself.

Strangely enough, I ended up receiving a special meal, even though I am neither Hindu or vegetarian, it ended up being tasty enough.

As a bonus, I got my meal before anyone else. If you tend to be hungry on flights, I recommend ordering a SM so you get to eat early. You will sit with your tray a bit longer too, though.

During my transit, I mostly looked around at the shops in the Terminal 3 transit mall. It certainly is a very traveller-friendly airport.

They had recharging stations for all possible gadgets (except USB for digital cameras, boo) a butterfly garden, free massage chairs and lots of other cool stuff.

Flowers in the butterfly house

Some really pretty butterflies, they were everywhere & there were lots of fake flowers with nectar pots in the middle to feed them.

The only thing lacking for an airplane nerd like me was a proper observation deck. The windows were big but didn't afford a view of the entire landing runway. I still got some good pics though.

SQ Boeing 777

QF A380

After lots of waiting around, we were finally ushered into the new boarding lounge which included gates for the A380.

While there, I tried to get a pic of my SavvyNavigator bag tag. Sadly the cool ones got corrupted on my camera card so this is the best of the remaining shots.
(Yes that is the A380 engines you can see in the background)

Our crew assembling to board the plane. I counted about 23 all up, that's a big crew!

After being welcomed on board & settling in, hot towels were passed out before take off which was a nice change. After departure we were given the amenity kits. Oddly, they had no eye shades, which I thought was really strange. Just some airplane socks & a small toothbrush. Of course I souvenired them for later, maybe I'll use them for a give-away later on.

As this is quite a big post, I'll write the rest of this one in the next day or two.

In Transit.... and I Laviated!

2009-08-31T11:40:00.003+10:00

Hello blog people!

I'm currently cooling my heels waiting for my next flight in Changi Airport, Singapore. While I've travelled here in my FA life many a time, it's the first time I've a) been a passenger and b) had so much time to look around. Visiting Terminal 3 is also a first. While it's new and shiny, and has heaps of cool stuff like free baggage trolleys, koi fish ponds, a butterfly house & free foot massagers, most of the shops are too ritzy to buy anything from.

So far my airport purchases include an inflatable pillow (regular shaped ones made my neck hurt on last flight), a Kinder Bueno bar and a br/unch of spaghetti with a glass of OJ. The restaurant has free internet for patrons, and although I bought a meal I'm definitely getting a vibe of 'hurry up'from the staff. Too bad, 10 bucks should get me at least an hour of surfing :P And it's not even busy!

Flight here was pretty good. I was surprised by a couple of things. Got given an amenity kit, which actually contained only socks and a toothbrush (not even eye shades on a red-eye flight!). Good thing I BYO all that stuff!

The other thing I found unusual is that on SQ, the seatbelt sign coming on doesn't actually seem to mean anything. It came on 3 times during the flight for turbulence, and while the usual PA was made, the FAs continued to walk around doing work. I figured maybe it just applied to the passengers, but then quite a few got up to use the bathroom or rummage in their overhead bags, and went unchallenged by the crew!

Ok, I'm still getting looks, so I better cut this short. Next flight up is on the mammoth beast of the skies, the mighty A380. Let's see if it lives up to the hype!

PS- I laviated!!!! :D

PPS- Singapore Girls are even cuter in person. All so pretty. In-charge of economy seemed a tad grumpy though, maybe she was just in a rush and not grumpy?

Checking In & Taking Off

2009-08-27T02:54:00.005+10:00

It's me, I'm back again! Phew, busy few days, so not much time for Tweeting... noticed I dropped a few 'followers', guess I'm not chatty enough for them! :P

Aside from a couple of flights I also had to go do a bit of training, nothing bad just routine stuff. It was ok though, as I got to catch up with FAs that I know in other bases, and also meet some new ones who were cool.

Speaking of meeting & cool, I once again got to hang out with Mel of Tampax Towers while she was back in Oz. We had only a short visit, but managed to fit in browsing in Borders bookshop, eating sushi & teriyaki chicken in DJ's food hall (mmmm, yummy!) and of course Gloria Jean's (apparently they're evil, I wass reminded of this random posting someone made on my blog awhile ago, which we laughed about)

Also being both flight attendants, and girls, we even managed to shop a bit. Mel got some goodies for her dad, and I to-ed and fro-ed over a skirt which at first looked a bit hideous but then I actually liked. Mel's sage advice was to think about it and not buy it on the spot. (I went back later & bought it- hehe!) Hope you had a good flight back to Dubai, and have fun on your holidays!

As if one meeting wasn't fun enough, I also had dinner with SkyHighBoy, we had a nice walk around Darling Harbour

then stuffed ourselves with food. Oh and of course made a detour to the fudge shop. I got Choc Macadamia, and SHB being the foodie he is, couldn't resist the sampler, so he could get as many flavours as possible!

The train ride back to the hotel was interesting, let's just say Sydney is full of some strrrrrange people on the train! But it was ok, not scary at all & still quite busy that time of night with people going home from work or out with friends. Managed somehow to still shop, by going to Woolworth's to buy water & cereal and walking out with new foundation (?)

I probably won't be around much, if at all before my vacation, so I leave you with the following picture... enjoy & be good!

And before I go, make sure to stop by and say hi to Fe, a new blogger and soon-to-be FA who is joining Etihad Airways in October. Welcome to Blogger Fe! =D

(All photos (c) By Traytable 2009)

A Manner of Flight

2009-08-21T17:04:00.006+10:00

On a recent flight, there was one passenger who stood out above the rest. Sure, he was quite attractive, but that's not why I noticed him. He smiled at us & said hello on boarding (to all the FAs he passed, not just the ones at the door). He stowed his laptop bag under the seat in front, instead of taking up bin space, he was dressed nicely in a shirt & business pants and above all he said please and thank you. Whenever he wanted something from us, instead of pressing the call button, he'd make eye contact as I came down the aisle, and would smile at me, raising his hand slightly to get my attention, then make his request. Always for something he needed and never in a hurry or wondering why we might be taking a little while to make up his order.

Now these things may not seem like much, but to a flight attendant they are everything.
Imagine how flights would be if every person on board was courteous & considerate of others.

Now you don't need to dress like a millionaire, but being neat & clean certainly helps a lot. No one wants to sit next to sasquatch, who smells like they've been camping with bears & skunks for a week. Picking your nails at ANY time is not acceptable, for ANY reason! And please keep your feet off the armrest of the person in front. They paid for that seat, not you. And if you do put your feet there, and choose to ignore us, then prepare to be bumped into constantly when we can't see you in a dark cabin. Sorry, we did warn you...

Now back to the point of my post. The passenger I noticed was unfailingly polite to the crew, and at first I just thought he was a well-mannered person. Then he handed back his meal tray- it was perfect. Like it hadn't been touched, but without the food on it. You may recall my post about tray stackers. If you've read that, you'll understand why at this moment I began to suspect that he was in fact a non-reving airline staff member.

Later on I checked the manifest, and sure enough, he was a deadheading captain on holidays. It's kind of sad to note that many of the polite passengers these days are actually deadheading crew or staff on company business. Of course, there are many fare-paying passengers who behave like this too, but it seems to me they are becoming rarer and rarer.

FlyingWithFish asked me if the following YouTube video has any truth to it.

While these things might work on some, the following stood out.

* "You'll need charm & chivalry"
* Dress in clean & neat clothes
* Smile & offer a sincere 'hello'
* Be polite- say please & thank you

Er- aren't these all things we as decent human beings should be doing anyway????

About the only things true about that video are the references to 200-pound carry-on luggage, and the instruction not to press the call button "unless you're choking to death"- too funny!

In other cool news, I've been interviewed by none other than our famous Flying Pinto! You can read my 'Creww Briefing' with her by clicking here.

From the Cabin

2009-08-20T00:01:00.005+10:00

I've had so many things to write about lately, but what with Tweeting, flying, getting ready for my vacation & catching up on all the good blogs out there, I've gotten a little bit behind. So, here's a few highlights from recent trips.

BYO? Oh no!

On a recent red-eye flight, I was coming down the cabin, aft to forward, clearing rubbish to save the cleaners time once we arrived at our destination. Most of the passengers were asleep, with a few watching movies on their laptops or listening to music and reading. As I came down the cabin, I was taking cups & bottles from seat pockets. I took a stack of plastic cups out of the seat pocket of one guy who was reading. He said thanks, then I noticed the neck of a spirit bottle sticking out of the pocket. I pulled it out & it was empty. I said to the passenger that 'BYO' is not allowed as the plane is considered a licensed area. He tried to say he had bought it from one of the other flight attendants. Um, hello we only sell minis, not 250ml bottles!! Haha. I warned him he should not do this & if we caught him drinking his own alcohol again he would be in trouble.

Crew Pest

There's a particular crew member who I've had the 'pleasure' of flying with a few times now. She is quite possibly one of the laziest crew members I've ever seen. For example, as soon as there is any work to be done (clearing in, helping a sick pax, juice runs) she's nowhere to be seen. She doesn't even have the brains to at least LOOK busy (as every FA knows, always carry something) Anyway, recently we had an issue with lots of luggage during boarding. I was trying to deal with it as best I could, as well as get everyone seated so that we could close the main door. On top of that, I had to brief the overwing exit rows and Lazy Louise was doing absolutely nothing to help me. Later, the manager asked what the delay was, she was quite angry as they have to explain whatever reasons make us delayed in departure. I thought, stuff this, I am totally not taking the blame. I was doing everything I could. So, Lazy Louise got a lesson in teamwork & doing her part that day!

Unscheduled Leanover

Due to weather delays, my scheduled 4 leg day turned into an unplanned layover, which despite being extremely short, turned out to be not too bad as we got put up in a different hotel to where crew normally stay in that city. It had great views and the beds were really comfy.

I was just disappointed that we didn't have time to enjoy the hotel. It really sucked having only about 10 hours between arriving & leaving. I didn't really sleep very well & we had a 10-hour day ahead of us. Fortunately, most of the crew (different for each of our 5 legs) were pretty good. The morning of checking out, I was getting dressed ready for pickup when this really loud, strange noise started. It sounded at first like workmen using a drill or jackhammer, but then got louder and sounded like a helicopter landing on the floor above. I rang the front desk, who didn't seem too concerned, and told them about it. They said it was just a water tower on the roof. I was kind of freaked to use the lift, but pickup time was really close so I chanced it, just making it to the lobby in time.

Let It Snow

We were on a short flight over the ski fields and I was so excited to see SNOW!!! I've seen snow in NZ for real annd on tv here, but never seen actual snow in Australia before. The closest I've seen is when it hails so much the ground is white :D

YAY Snow!

Pillow Talk

2009-08-15T19:09:00.004+10:00

Here I am sitting in my hotel room bed. The mattress is a bit hard, but at least the pillows are pretty good. I've discovered that the good hotel pillows (at least in mid-to cheap-range hotels) tend to be in the closet on the top shelf, rather than on the bed. Don't ask me why this is, it's just something that I've noticed.

Maybe the ones in the closet hardly ever get used, so they're softer, or perhaps the housekeeping staff have been told to put them there, so the 'expensive' pillows don't get used as much, and therefore need to be replaced less frequently.

Whatever the reason, if your hotel pillow is crap, try the one in the closet. At least it's likely to be cleaner! :p

Some crew I know take their own pillow (rare) or bring a pillowcase from home, to put over the hotel ones (not so rare). I used to bring my own sheet on one particular layover, because the hotel was notoriously icky & we often found unpleasant things in our beds. Let's not get started on airplane pillows, that is, on the airlines that still have them. Fortunately for my vacation time, I purchased the ultra-cute Lug travel pillow set (pink of course!) It's kind of like the PamBee, which Mel of Tampax Towers has, only I'm not quite so luxe as her & had to settle for the slightly more low-rent, but still cute, option. You can get your own here.

Flights today went ok. Two of them were very short legs. I had to work galley which is a full on but challenging post. Luckily I had a really good crew who helped me out where we needed it. This turned out to be a good thing, because we had to sit down early because of turbulence.This meant we had only just handed out the meal trays and were starting on the clean-up. Of course, there were one or two passengers who didn't understand that this meant we couldn't keep coming out to serve them more wine. The captain basically said to get the cabin ready for landing. That pretty much means, pack up your s**t and sit down.

Still, 6B kept insisting on asking me for another red wine. In my company, once the captain says prepare for landing, that's it. unless you;re having a heart attack, we can't do anything else for you except make sure your seat back is upright & your bag is stowed in the o/h locker. One couple in the last row got really upset that they didn't get their meals choice. Considering that I quickly served them for 30 seconds after the landing PA, they were lucky to get anything at all! We landed 10 minutess early due to tailwinds, and some people even complained about that! You just can't win! Having said that, majority of passengers were really nice & understood that we'd done the best we could..

On a side note, if you're travelling in economy, please don't nick all of my hangers from the closet in business class- I actually need them to hang jackets on- for BUSINESS CLASS!

When "Being Helpful" Really Isn't

2009-08-13T17:04:00.007+10:00

Sitting at the desk in my hotel room, listening to the baby in the room next door cry. It's not so much the crying that's the problem, but the fact that whenever I turn up the tv to drown out the noise, the baby cries even more. The walls in this joint are too darn thin! I mean I'm trying to watch a tv show at regular volume, for goodness' sake! I shouldn't be able to hear the baby as though it's in the bathroom. (Hang on, is there a baby in the bathroom? Nope- just checked, in case)

The tv show in question was one I just happened upon by chance, called 'Drop Dead Diva'. Basically, hot shallow girl dies & gets reincarnated into the body of a mousy lawyer. Hilarity ensues. Well, I didn't think it was that bad, so given that I remember to watch regular tv next week, and not just cable, I'll watch it again. Just to see what happens.

I was getting a bit hungry by the time the show ended, so I headed to a nearby convenience store to get some supplies. This is proving kind of hard as at the moment I'm on a diet- of sorts. No eating carbs after 8pm. Which is harder than it sounds. Given that I've never really been on a diet in my life, it's proving to need willpower. Out of the multitude of choices there I settled on the least evil of spicy capsicum dip (2g of carbs per 100g) and celery sticks. I don't think celery has carbs, but even if it does, I'm sure I read somewhere that you use up more energy eating it than you get out of it, anyway.

Okay. So, first leg of the trip went pretty well. Crew were nice, which is always good. One of them slightly crazy, but in a good way. She was really funny. Even had a show & tell of her tattoo in the rear galley! I was in charge of the emergency exits for this flight. I had all seats full, so I did the briefing. Then the final passenger to board tells me that someone is sitting in his seat. It's in the exit row. I check all of the boarding passes, just to make sure that no-one got past 3 card checks onto the wrong flight. (Don't laugh, it has happened once or twice!)

Turns out a guy sitting in the exit row is meant to be in a different row. Since his friend is in the row in front, he thought they were sitting behind each other, and misread his boarding card. Happens a lot on this type of aircraft as the seat rows kind of sit above the seat backs, so heaps of people confuse row 13 for row 12. The guy sitting in the wrong seat is actually a well-known football player. Normally they love the exit seats for the extra leg room. But, he didn't get that seat, the other guy did, and he wanted his allocated seat. Fair enough. So I had to eexplain why he needed to move, and he seemed okay. Later, I thanked him for being understanding, and he said no worries. He then said he thought I might have brought him a meal from business class to make up for it. Make up for what, I thought. Seeing as there was no mistake on my part, there was nothing to make up for! If he had wanted an exit seat, he should have booked it. The other guy had every right to ask me to move him. Pffft, so funny!

The service went fine, aside from one or two things. One guy, who seemed to think he needed his beer quicker than anyone else, and wanted seconds before we had even finished serving the rest of the cabin, and a guy in a family of tray stackers. My fellow FAs shudder here, because they know what this means.

For my non-airline-savvy readers, let me explain. When passengers travel in a group, and they finish the meal, sometimes they think they will be nice & helpful and stack everything up in a pile, like at home when you take dishes from the dining table. That's all well & good, except it isn't actually helpful to us. When we pass out trays, they come from inside the meal cart (or trolley) which contains racks, kind of like inside the oven. Each 'slot' in the cart has room for one row of trays (whether that's 2 or 3 or 4).

On your tray, you have a meal, the cutlery, a cup and maybe a snack or other dessert item.

Each utensil, cup & dish is a specific shape & height to fit into the tray itself & also into the trolley, without disturbing the trays above and below it.

When people stack trays, what they tend to do is this: remove everything from the trays, and stack each tray on top of the other. Then, place all the dishes in a pile, the cups in a pile, and so on, putting these piles on top of the stack of trays, creating a nice little mountain of airline-logoed plastic. Often, a scrumpled napkin serves as a crown to this epic masterpiece.

Unfortunately, this stack of traydom doesn't fit in the trolley, and everything has to go back in the way it came out. There's usually no extra room anywhere. So what must happen? FA collecting trays must first take one empty tray & place it in the trolley, then place one set of utensils on that tray, and repeat, until all trays are back in original, yet empty, order inside the trolley. Add to this process a quick flight, full aircraft, and a 70% loading of 'stackers' out of the passengers on board, and you might begin to understand why your FA looks slightly grumpy when you hand her your little Mt Everest of stacked trays after dinner. We know you're trying to be helpful, but really you're not, you just create more mess for us to clean up. We know it's our job, but it makes it that much easier if you try to return everything how it was given to you. We expecially love this when it comes to blankets (folded on the seat is great), and if you cross your own seatbelt, well, you've just made crew friends for life! I can always pick a non-revving airline staff member- they're the one who leaves the seat pocket neat, with safety card facing out, and their seatbelt crossed when they leave! (Don't get me started on military charters- pure flight attendant bliss! It's tidy-airplane heaven! =)

Anyway, back to the dad. He had finished creating this masterpiece, but as is often the case, it was unevenly stacked. Just as we were about to reach his row to collect the trays, it crashed down around the place, sending cups and bread crumbs all over. Immediately he blamed my colleague for knocking it over. I felt like saying I saw it fall before we even got there, but you know, customer is always right, blah blah blah. It was so funny, colleague's face was hilarious. She was making faces as she couldn't be seen! I had to try clean it up without laughing. She said sorry to me, for having to pick it all up, but Mr Stacker thought she was apologising to him, and told her that so she should. The cheek...

The moral of the story? Hand back thy tray as thou would like thy tray handed back to you!

Believe it or not, there's even a Facebook group dedicated to the FA peeve of stacked trays!

On the Fly

2009-08-11T11:41:00.000+10:00

Just a little test post from my smart phone. Last time I tried this, it didn't work. Let's see if it does this time.

On my way to the airport in crew van. Funny how people in the street stare at us when we get picked up outside the hotel.

Hope today's flights are good. Only 2 legs so fingers crossed the pax will be nice.

Crew Confession #1

2009-07-22T20:45:00.002+10:00

I originally posted this as a comment on Heather's blog, but thought it deserved an airing here, too. I might have the urge to fess up to a few more misdeeds throughout my blogging days, nothing too bad of course, but we all have those 'moments'... hehe

Confession #1

I once rebooked a woman into a different (read: crappier) seat on a flight because we had difficulties with her reservation and she called me all sorts of names in another language she didn’t think I or my co-worker understood!

Needless to say, she would have loved 5 hours next to the lav on the plane we affectionately called ‘Stinky’ ;)

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In other inanities, at the mall today I returned to the car with my shopping, only to hear rather mumbled shouting from the car parked next to mine. In it were two kids, no older than 5, waving & laughing at me. I waved back, then I noticed that they'd been left in the car on their own. With the keys in the car, and the radio on. Now, I get it if you're stepping out of the car to post a letter, or get gas. But GOING TO THE MALL? Like, hello! If the kids are older, like 12 or whatever, fine, for a few minutes, to get milk. But under 5s???

These kids were friendly to me, so I wonder what would happen if someone came up & tried to get them out of the car. I waited around a bit in my car, & eventually someone turned up. I felt like saying something, but as I don't have kids of my own, it probably would be seen as interfering. But I felt like telling the parent, 'hey by the way your kids were waving and talking to me through the window, saying hey lady come here, hello lady! Who knows, they might have come with me if I had wanted them to, just because I was a lady. And some kids thinkk 'stranger danger' is only from men.

Anywho. I kind of wish I'd said something. Any comments from parents welcome. Would you have said something, or are you happy to leave your kids for a few minutes, if the car is locked? (Bearing in mind it's not summer here, and was just getting dark)

The Exorcist- Or, Kevin Really Didn't Like His Dinner

2009-07-17T21:11:00.006+10:00

There's so much to blog about since I last did an in-depth post, that I don't really know where to begin.

So, let's start with every crewmember's favourite- Vomit. (Note- this post is not for the squeamish- so read at your own risk)

It all began fairly normally. The flight was a cross-country red-eye. We started out with a bbit of a delay in the terminal, which of course the passengers loved at that time of night. Most of them were ok, and boarding for once went pretty quickly, with only a few of the usual hiccups that happen on a widebody plane when it's full in back AND front. Of course there were one or two of the 'I fly all the time & I ALWAYS have four bags with me' type, but I handballed that one to the gate agents, as I feel they need more practise at this issue in this port, and need to stop leaving it for me to deal with!

The flight was absolutely chockers in economy, with a few passengers not happy that they didn't get their preferred seats. The good thing is, each boarding pass shows a 'sequence number', which tells us how far down the queue they checked in. So the ones who try to fib and say they checked in early, when we know they were 3rd last on a full Boeing, don't get far with the complaints when we tell them we know they checked in after all the aisle & window seats were gone. Sure, you hate that seat, but SOMEONE has to get it, and you were number #257 to check in. Sorry buddy.

We got through the service, which consists of a cart service serving hot meals & drinks, followed along by the tea & coffee. Lots of wine drinkers on this flight. Usually are a lot on red-eye flights, particularly on cross-country flights, because the drinks are free. Some of course try to take advantage, and ask 6 different crew for the same drink, but we are on to that! :p

After the service, we turned down the lights so people could sleep. I had done a water & juice round with one of the other crew, and I was just leaving the mid galley curtains to go to the aft galley when a kid came running up the aisle toward me. At first, I thought Kevin was just being one of those kids who has to run around the plane annoying people. As the kid got closer though, I could see he was crying. My next thought was 'lost child'- happens all the time on such big planes.

Then I noticed Kevin was crying AND holding something rather disgusting. Yep- Kevin's cupped hands were full of vomit (EW). One look at Kevin & I knew the vomit volcano was about to blow. No way was I letting that kid get in the galley to puke his little guts all over our crew haven- we still had a good 4 hours to go!

I whipped Kevin around quick smart and pushed him towards the lavs, telling him "Go to the toilet, quickly mate!" As we rushed back down the aisle, Kevin could contain it no more.

Bleeeeeuaaaaarghhhhhhh..... all over row 34. I grab his head and hold it down so any more spew goes on the floor, and not on my unfortunate pax, who look as though they are about to do the same. It's like one of these dreams where you're running but getting nowhere- the lav looks a thousand miles away, and Kevin is still puking for all he's worth. The pax sit there like stunned deer, not hearing or ignoring my demands to give me a sick bag. Fine- we soldier on, and finally get to the lav, only it's locked. I whip Kevin inboard, towards the disabled lav, which, thank god, is blissfully empty. Ufortunately, he throws up right as I do this, so the crossover & a good portion of the floor at Doors 3 is covered in sick. I fling open the door & the lid of the toilet right as Kevin goes again- except instead of doing as I thought, Kevin considerately decides to throw up in the basin instead. Guess we can consider this bathroom useless for the rest of the flight. Poor engineer, well someone has to get the chunks out of the drain right?

I leave him to it, and pop my head around the bulkheead, ding a call bell 3 times, and when I see a crew's face appear around the rear galley curtain, I hold up my hands & wave my fingers, mouthing the word GLOVES!!

The other crew arrive brandishing gloves & antiseptic wipes. One goes off in search of Kevin's parents, while the other cheerfully informs me that 15 rows worth of the plane aisle is covered in the remnants of Kevin's supper. Lovely. Just then a rather steamed frequent flyer decides to tell me I am not doing my job because the aisle is full of vomit. I apologise and explain that my hands are rather full. Right at that moment, Kevin emerges from the toilet and pukes all over the guy's shoes.

Have to give the little tacker a 10/10, I haven't seen that much sick come from one person ever, much less a 5 year old. I don't know, he must have eaten more than his dinner to end up like that!

In hindsight, it was kind of funny.

Travel Fever...

2009-07-15T00:51:00.003+10:00

Hello blog world... I know... I'm so lazy... got so much to blog about (that I promised to blog) but I seem to have a writer's block or something...

So, I will just write here & whatever comes out... is what you get. Ehehe.

parked on the couch with a doona (quilt for my non-Aussies) laptop and cable tv. Plenty of trash tv to be had. Now that my tax cheque has finally cleared, I'm investing in a few things for my trip.

On my list:

* Comfy travel pillow/blanket (Wanted a Pambee, but a bit out of my budget right now)
* Memory card backup (in case camera gets lost/stolen, & don't have to carry 10 cards)
* A travel bag (Pacsafe, for the anti-pickpocket features... good for Italy!)

I found the CUTEST travel pillow/blanket set, by Lug Travel, called the NapSac. Kinda like the PamBee, but in plush fabric. They don't ship to Australia (boohoo) but a kind FA on Twitter has offered to send it on for me if I order it & send it to her. Yay for crew helping crew!!

I found the Pacsafe bag I wanted on sale, but being a girl, I hated the puke-green colour (black was not on sale) and I figure it will get dirty, besides we all know black goes with everything! Good old eBay turned up the bag I wanted, in black, for half the price it costs here, INCLUDING postage from the UK. Woot!

Of course I am the queen of eye shades, travel-sized toiletries & all that jazz, so no need to buy any of those. But looking is still fun! :D

At the moment, I'm at the mercy of Scheduling, being on reserve, and so far it's been pretty quiet. Lots of crew have picked up trips, but not me. I'm hoping to pick up one to Melbourne when Airboy is there, so we can have a blogger's meetup. We'll see!!!

I have some blog posts to make about recent flights, but some of those will be on the Galley Curtain blog (due to ~~bitching~~ gossip about pax & other crew) So stay tuned for those.

Some of the things I have to write about:

* Super-disrupted layover where we ended up 1000miles from our intended destination
* Cute non-regular hotel we got to stay in, wish it were our regular hotel!
* The most vomit I've seen come from one human being EVER...
* Bitchy colleagues & lazy-ass crew members
* Love-life gossip (not much of my own, sadly)

Happy Birthday, SkyHighBoy!

2009-07-04T16:42:00.004+10:00

At the moment I'm trying to work out a few kinks in my blogroll, for some reason it hasn't been updating a lot of the blogs, or they're not showing up, so I've been missing out on lots of posts, mainly ones from former JournalSpacers. Pity, I missed some good stuff! So hopefully I'll have that part up & running again soon!

Progress on my little 'project' has slowed a bit, I've decided to wait until after my vacation to really get things happening, but I will still be working on bits here & there up until then. Getting excited now!

Work has been uneventful, there hasn't been a lot of it really, so next few paychecks are gonna suck! No spare cash for 'playtime' as all excess after bills will be going towards the holiday.

Today I'm just at home, doing 'domestic' stuff... cleaned out the pantry, which was getting quite feral, and discovered lots of ingredients I didn't know I had. Some were still good, and I threw away anything past the expiry.

It's Sky High Boy's birthday,

and as he has to spend it away from home, we've organised to meet up. I promised to bake him a cake, so I did that yesterday. Now to do the icing (frosting some of you call it) which I'm hoping turns out as I've planned... and also another surprise which I think is pretty freaking awesome if I do say so myself!!!! Now I can't say what yet, of course, because he reads this blog, but I DO promise some piccies once the birthday guy has seen his sweet treats!!! :D As he is having a day out with the crew, I'm going to deliver them tomorrow afternoon, once SHb has finished zooming around the skies for the day. Hehe.

Later today I have a birthday to go to, pretty much a girls' night out, so looking fwd to the chance to dress up a bit & see some of my old colleagues who I haven't seen in a year or so! ok off to the shops to pick up some ingredients I need...

Week's Wrap-Up

2009-06-30T16:18:00.002+10:00

I've been a bit slack again (I blame the disgusting weather) so those posts are gonna be a little bit longer coming...

The winter PJ's are out, the heater's been cranked up, and all the crew are complaining bitterly about the rainy weather, struggling in from the crew carpark looking like sad wet seagulls caught in a gale. The dryer in the bathroom has been working overtime as we struggle to maintain uniform, hair and make-up to company standards. Needless to say, it's only kind of working.

The incidences of medical problems has gone through the roof. Whait is it about cold weather-does it make everyone depressed and thus more likely to get sick?

Amongst all that, I managed to have an awesome meet-up with both SkyHighBoy and Vanishing Point on my last Sydney layover. It was awesome, one of the first and one of the more recent bloggers I have known, got to meet, and of course there were stories & gossip galore! The weather was a bit funny but I had a great time, and I hope they did too. Poor SHB was still waiting back for an answer to his mystery allergy, but still came out to meet us. (I think he was getting a bit sick of being off work huh). More on the adventures later.

And in news today, Yemenia Airlines have lost an A310 off the Comoros Islands. It's always a sad thing to have a crash, but I think even more so as this has been a very sad month for aviation. Hopefully they can get to a cause as soon as possible, and more quickly than AF447, as it's quite close to shore this time.

For my faves, if you haven't already, check out my 'Laviator' pics on the Galley Curtain blog!! =)

In My Free Time...

2009-06-13T01:15:00.005+10:00

Hello again blog world, it's me, TT. Yes, I've been a bit lazy with the posting of late, but really there hasn't been that much to tell. I'm sure there is, if you like small, everyday details, bnut I don't have the energy to make one of those posts right now. I've been awake for quite awhile, and as is often the case with jetlag, just when I want to sleep I can't seem to. I've had a pretty full-on week or so of flights, with red-eyes, early starts, late finishes and minimum home time between trips, so as you can imagine I was feeling pretty wiped by this morning. Now that I've worked my max days in a row, I get a day off to rest and hopefully do some more of this:

You may have noticed that I, like Airboy, have succumbed to the Twitter craze, and am actually finding it a good in-between for the days I don't feel like posting on my blog. I do have Facebook, but for obvious reasons, keep that pretty much to real life friends & family. Twitter is great for interacting with everyone else who may not read my blog, but still want to have a conversation about airlines or travel, or to swap pictures, ask questions and so forth. So, if my posts are a bit lacking, make sure to pop by Twitter and have a look. You can read my Tweets (hehe) by clicking here =).

Aside from catching up on sleep & housework, I'm also planning on catching up with some friends, and also in a bit of exciting news, I'm working on a to-be-revealed project which is keeping me both busy & excited about the possibilities. Also stay tuned for some posts about really really cool, and really really sucky things that happen when you fly the skies for a living.

The always-awesome SkyHighBoy and I have been trying to catch up, but it seems that our respective scheduling departments have it in for us, and we are literally ending up on the opposite sides of the country at any given time, which makes it extremely difficult! One of these days, SHB!!!!!