Twenty years ago, with my life at a serious crossroads, I applied to every airline and a few months later I officially became a flight attendant. I loved my new job and it came with a whole new and exciting life.
But I didn’t sign up for what the ride is like this summer.
The pandemic has changed flying more than any event I have experienced in my career. If 9/11 changed the way we board planes and enter airports, Covid-19 changed the in-flight experience all together. It created a tension and made everyone nervous. It brought politics into an area that should not have been political.
In the early days of the pandemic, airlines tried to save as much money as possible. They allowed early retirement and laid off many employees; moreover, many other employees left to be with their families. Now we have a shortage of employees. After the mask mandate was lifted, passenger numbers began to grow faster than airlines could handle. We are now short staffed and overwhelmed. Not just pilots and flight attendants, but also ground crews. You might not think about ground crews, but without them there’s no one to park the planes, man the bridges so you can get on and off, load and retrieve your bags or scan your boarding passes .
Something that is not well known is that flight crews have time limits on how long they can work, generally 12 to 16 hours at a stretch. Besides being unsafe, it is illegal for us to fly longer than that. If your flight crew is delayed and it hits that time, it doesn’t matter if you have a place to be, we’re done when we’re done. As things are now, there are not many spare crews, so your flight may be cancelled.
Historically, summer is always a challenging time to fly, but this summer is much worse. There have been thousands of cancellations and delays every week and there doesn’t seem to be any relief in sight. I have seen many people miss important things like weddings, cruises, international connections and even funerals. The tears are very real, for very real reasons, and as a flight attendant there is nothing I can do to help.
Travel is good for the soul. It revitalizes us and allows us to refocus. Sometimes you need to feel the sand under your toes, smell fresh pine trees, or soak in the sounds of a new city just to remind yourself that you’re still alive. But the key this summer is to travel smart. Take the stress out of traveling by planning ahead and being prepared. Here is my best advice based on two decades of working at 30,000 feet.
Go early
If you are going on a cruise, leave the day before. Count it as part of your vacation. Stay in a hotel in a new city and explore. Have a nice dinner and a glass of wine and enjoy yourself. Wake up slowly, have coffee and pancakes, and take it easy on your boat. The extra money is worth the peace of mind. I recently worked on a flight that was delayed. A family of eight missed their connecting flight to Rome, which was the only flight of the day. They were going on a cruise that would now be missed. (Purchasing travel insurance isn’t a bad idea either.)
Always fly direct
That way, if you’re delayed, you don’t have to worry about your next flight. If you can’t avoid the connection, don’t book the shortest layover because you’ll be stressed and likely to miss your flight. A stop of one hour is no longer enough. Thirty minutes, not a chance. In most cases, three hours is safe.
Fly as early in the day as possible
The first flights of the day are rarely cancelled. Storms increase as the day gets warmer, flight crews reach their duty limits later in the day, and traffic increases at busy airports. Yes, this might mean a 3am wake-up call, but if your early flight is cancelled, there will be more options to book another flight.
Download the app of the airline you are flying
These apps have valuable information. They will keep you from waiting in long lines or trying to get someone on the phone if things go wrong. You can track your bag, your inbound flight, and in some cases you’ll know that a flight has been canceled before the flight crew knows. The app can also guide you to book a new flight if needed.
Think twice about the cheapest prices
Flights are full. If you buy the cheapest seats, you may not be able to sit with your family. That’s what it says when you buy your ticket. Flight attendants aren’t there to rearrange the entire plane just so you can sit together because you tried to save money on a third-party website. Also, keep in mind that if a flight is oversold and no one volunteers to give up their seat, the first to get bumped will be the family that saved a few bucks using a bargain website.
Pack smart
Don’t be “that guy”. Don’t stop riding because you have your extenders open until they burst and you can’t figure out how to fit your bag on top.
Get a sweater
Here’s a flight attendant secret: We sometimes keep the plane cold on purpose. For people who struggle with airsickness, heat makes it worse. We don’t want anyone using those sick bags.
Don’t tell a flight attendant they look tired
We are and we know it. You can make us ugly cry right there in the galley.
Bring patience
Be good. Our goal on all airlines is to get you to your destination. Stay positive, at least you’re not at work.
Kristie Koerbel is a longtime flight attendant who previously shared her tips on Facebook.
