Flight attendants spend more time on planes than most of us spend in our living rooms.
That means they’ve seen every bad habit, annoying faux pas, and rookie error there is. As a result, when it comes to flying as a passenger, they absolutely know what not to do. If you want to fly smarter (and avoid being that person that flight staff simply can’t stand), here are some mistakes to avoid. Your cabin crew would certainly never make these missteps!
Rushing to board first like it’s a race
Flight attendants know there’s absolutely no prize for being the first person on the plane, especially when you just end up standing in the aisle waiting for everyone to sort their bags. The scramble to board early often just adds stress, not comfort. Unless you’re trying to grab overhead bin space, there’s no real benefit to hovering by the gate like you’re in a boarding Olympics.
They’d rather stay relaxed, stretch their legs a bit longer, and avoid the traffic jam by boarding towards the middle or end of their group. After all, the plane’s not leaving without you. It’s not a concert where you need a good spot—it’s a metal tube with assigned seats.
Bringing a giant bag that clearly won’t fit
Flight attendants have seen it all: the stuffed-to-bursting roller case, the backpack bigger than a toddler, and that one person trying to fit a duffel into a space designed for a laptop. They know the overhead bins aren’t magic portals. If your bag looks like it belongs in the boot of a van, it probably shouldn’t be coming on board.
They’d never risk holding up the boarding line or annoying the entire cabin by trying to wedge in an oversized bag. If it needs to be checked, so be it. Lugging around too much stuff just makes the whole process harder on everyone, including you.
Ignoring the safety demo
Even if you’ve flown a hundred times, flight attendants still pay attention to the safety briefing. Not because they need a refresher, but because it’s respectful—and because things genuinely change depending on the aircraft. They also know emergencies are rare, but not impossible, and muscle memory matters more than you’d think in a panic situation.
They’re not scrolling through their phone or nodding off while someone’s giving life-saving info. They’d rather be that one person who knows where the nearest exit is than one of the many who realise too late they weren’t paying attention. It’s two minutes—just give it a glance.
Getting up the second the seatbelt sign goes off
The ping goes off, and half the cabin jumps up like they’ve been released from captivity. Flight attendants know this move is pointless, and often risky. That sign might go off mid-turbulence, or while the plane’s still jostling down the runway. Getting up too early can land you with a bump (or worse, a sprain).
They wait a moment, make sure things have genuinely settled, and don’t sprint for the loos like it’s a queue for the last portaloo at a festival. Timing matters, and being the first to stand up doesn’t get you out any faster—it just makes you look impatient.
Asking for things during boarding
Flight attendants are busy checking seatbelts, sorting bags, and managing chaos during boarding—they’re not ignoring you when they don’t fetch a drink right away. They’d never ask for water or a blanket while the cabin is still filling up because they know that’s the worst time to start with requests.
They wait until the plane’s in the air, when the service actually begins. If you’re thirsty, grab something at the gate. Trying to get extras before the doors are even shut just creates more confusion and slows down everyone else’s boarding process.
Going barefoot around the cabin
This is a big no. Flight attendants have insider knowledge of what ends up on those floors, and let’s just say it’s not all water spills. From mystery fluids to bathroom surprises, that carpet is not the fresh, clean space you might imagine it to be.
Even if they take their shoes off briefly during long-haul rest breaks, they never walk the aisles or use the loo without something on their feet. If you’re tempted to pad around in socks or, worse, bare feet—don’t. You’re not at home, and your soles will thank you for it.
Snapping at cabin crew over things they can’t control
Flight attendants know how much behind-the-scenes logistics go into every flight—delays, weather changes, seating swaps—it’s a lot. So when passengers get angry at crew members for things like turbulence or gate changes, it’s clear they’ve got the wrong target. No one working on the plane decided to delay your trip just to ruin your day.
If you’ve ever felt tempted to lash out at someone in uniform, remember they’re doing the best they can under tight rules and even tighter schedules. Flight attendants would never direct frustration at someone just trying to keep the flight safe and smooth.
Leaving rubbish stuffed in the seat pocket
Those seat-back pockets are not bins, but people treat them like they’re magic waste holes. Flight attendants see it all: chewing gum, used tissues, empty food wrappers, and sometimes worse. They’d never leave their row looking like a teenager’s bedroom after a junk food binge.
They make a point of handing over their rubbish during the collection rounds or taking it off the plane with them. It’s just basic courtesy. Keeping the space tidy doesn’t just help the crew—it makes flying feel a bit less grimy for everyone.
Clogging the aisle during boarding or disembarkation
Standing in the aisle to dig through your bag, have a chat, or adjust your coat is a classic passenger mistake. Flight attendants know it holds up boarding, causes bottlenecks, and stresses out everyone behind you. When the plane’s full, every second counts—=m and every bit of space matters.
They stay aware of their surroundings and move quickly and neatly when it’s time to board or leave. No one wants to be stuck behind someone blocking the way because they suddenly need to repack their hand luggage in the aisle. It’s just bad plane manners.
Thinking they’re the only one with somewhere to be
We get it—everyone’s got connections to make, bags to collect, lives to live. However, flight attendants would never loudly complain or push past other people because they think their timeline is more urgent. Planes don’t come with VIP exit lanes, and impatience doesn’t get you out any faster.
They understand that everyone is in the same situation, and that keeping calm and being considerate helps the whole process go smoother. Being that one person who’s shoving through the aisle muttering about how late they are just makes you look entitled, not efficient.
