A flight attendant has revealed all the things she would never do onboard a plane – including the horrifying reason why passengers should avoid having ice in their drink.
Aislinn Swain, 23, has traveled all over the world with her job and experienced many in-flight gaffes.
She regularly shares her tips on Instagram and caused quite a stir with her most recent insight.
Aislinn, who is based in Calgary, Canada, explained what flight attendants consider the worst flying faux pas.
She shared: ‘I’ve spoken with colleagues over the years about things we wish passengers would stop doing, and these remain consistent.’
First up, Aislinn says you should never hand over your rubbish to a crew member unless they have requested it.
She explained: ‘There are many reasons why you shouldn’t do this.
‘First, if we’re doing safety checks, and you’re asking us to take your trash, that disrupts an important procedure.
‘Or if we’re doing service, no one wants me touching someone’s garbage before I grab their food or drink for them – it’s gross.
‘It’s frustrating when someone tries to hand me their rubbish when we’re not going out [into the cabin] for it, because I’m not wearing my gloves either.
‘We always go out to pick up trash immediately after service, and multiple other times during the flight, so there are plenty of opportunities for it.
‘Simply wait for one of those opportunities, or head to the lavatory, because there are always garbage places in there.
‘You can also use the air-sickness bag in front of your seat as your own personal garbage bag, and hand it to us afterwards.’
Settled in for the journey and fancy a cold drink? Well, it might be time to think again because next up Aislinn urged fliers to ditch the ice.
She said: ‘This one depends on the crew working the flight, but I would not recommend eating ice on a plane.
‘I’ve seen it so many times where a flight attendant will smash the ice on the ground to break it into smaller chunks.
‘On top of that, they don’t always change their gloves before serving the ice, and there are lots of dirty parts of the plane they touch without even realizing.
‘I don’t think it’s worth the risk.
‘All of the drinks (pops and juices) are chilled in our galleys, so they should already be cold.
‘You can also bring your own ice from one of the coffee shops close by in the airport before you get on the plane.’
Most of us will have packed sunscreen before jetting off but what about on the plane?
Aislinn warned travelers never to fly without it.
She said: ‘People often underestimate how harsh the sun is up in the air.
‘Just a couple of hours sitting in the window seat is the equivalent of 20 minutes on a tanning bed.
‘Not wearing sunscreen puts you at a way higher risk of melanoma (the third most common type of skin cancer) up in the air.
‘Make sure you bring your travel-size sunscreen to put on, and/or keep your window shade down to avoid the UV exposure.
‘Also, wearing sun-protective clothing will protect the rest of your body if you don’t want to apply it on your arms and legs too.’
Aislinn’s final blunder? Keep your shoes firmly on.
She said: ‘I’d recommend keeping your shoes on the whole flight, because I’m sure your feet are stinky and your neighbors, and the rest of the plane, don’t want to smell that.
‘Shoes should definitely remain on during takeoff and landing.
‘These are the most critical phases of flight, which means if an emergency were to happen and we had to evacuate, you have to be ready to go.
‘Also, the carpets on the plane are rarely cleaned, and you never know what you’re going to step on.
‘The bathrooms almost always have some kind of liquid on the floor – usually bodily liquids that don’t smell good.
‘If you really don’t want to wear the shoes you’re travelling in, bring a comfier pair to change into on the plane.’
People online have been quick to comment on Aislinn’s tips, with some questioning her on the inside scoop.
‘So, airplanes and attendants are gross? I mean, taking trash and then handing out drinks is unethical, but to admit how people break ice on the floor is disgusting. What?!’ commented one user.
One person said: ‘I take the ice…never seen it smashed on the floor…just the counter.’
‘About [number four], why do you always get “airplane” socks in airlines bag on the long hauls then? Can’t imagine being 10 plus hours in shoes,’ questioned another.
Some were in agreement though.
‘Yeah, the garbage is my biggest pet peeve. I’m not touching your garbage when it isn’t time,’ said one viewer.
Another person added: ‘Girllll! Thank you so much for sharing.’
Despite the challenges, Aislinn loves her job, but it’s hard work to get there in the first place. She began training when she was 18.
She shared: ‘Being a flight attendant is such a fun job, but not like other jobs in many ways – you can’t become a flight attendant overnight.
‘At most jobs, you hand in your resume, get hired, and begin working pretty shortly after. As a flight attendant, that’s not how it goes.
‘What’s expected is being able to evacuate an entire aircraft in under 60 seconds, yell commands, learn and practice first aid, and so much more.
‘We are trained to handle safety and medical emergencies, as well as provide exceptional customer service.
‘With all the hard work, comes a big reward where you’ll meet some of your best friends.
‘And get paid to travel the world, and stay in some of the nicest hotels.’