Come Fly With Me

Well it's been a heck of a week. Flying out to Adelaide on Monday for most of the week, driving in and out of the city and going north, south, north, south etc. On top of that, a dust storm blew up and across east and blanketed Sydney in an eerie red haze before travelling north to cover Queensland in it's blanket.

Travelling as often as I do, I have started taking notice of some things at the airport. First off, people don't like seeing someone breeze past the regular check-in line and go into the "priority" line and get served first. Until I was able to do it, I was with them. Now when I do it, I see the looks some people have on their faces.

Another thing I've noticed is that when the announcement goes over to say that the plane is ready for boarding, a lot of people will jump up and hurry to be the first in line to get through the gate. It's an interesting thing, because the staff of the airline are not going to close the gate after x amount of time and whomever is still waiting in line to get on won't be allowed to. Everyone who is there will get on. Plus, if you get on and get in, you may very well have to get back up and out to allow someone else to get past you into their seat. Yet many people will still try and hurry to be the first in line. It must be an instinctual thing. I mean, we certainly hear it often enough growing up. "You have to be the first in something" "You have to be the best in something". I wonder if all those houndings have somehow made it so that if there is a line or a queue, we all want to be ahead of the person standing in front of us.

I've also come to realise something else. The job of flight attendant is not one I envy. Dealing with the general public is not fun, particularly when some people are petty and whiny. Flight attendants have to be parents to a planeful whiny, crying children who throw tantrums when they don't get whatever they want. I recall a time last year when a flight was delayed due to extremely high winds and general bad weather. I was standing in line to get my ticket reprinted and the man in front of me was abusing and berating the poor flight attendant behind the counter, as if it was her fault the flight was delayed. I intervened, pointing out that it wasn't her fault they delayed the flight. She didn't get on the phone and tell them that it would ruin your day, so make it run later. She was only relaying information given to her to ticket holders. It deflated him enough that he didn't wish to continue arguing with her, retrieved his new ticked and moved off. The gratitude from the flight attendant was apparent by just looking into her face. Knowing the kinds of people they have to deal with, I always make a point to say the little niceties to them like please and thank you. When approaching them behind a counter put them at ease by asking them how their day is, make a little joke, get them to smile or laugh. It will also make them more receptive to your requests and more willing to help you out with your enquiries.

So next time you fly, take a little time to say thank you to a flight attendant. It may end up making your trip a little more comfortable for they remember the ones who were friendly toward them.