20 Things Flight Attendants Are Too Polite to Tell You

Flight attendants may be smiling stewards of the open skies, but after spending their days (and nights) dealing with wary, rude passengers, they've got a few things they want to say. These air professionals deal with a lot, including keeping us safe, hydrated and fed, even when we're not behaving our best. We've found the top 20 things flight attendants admit to thinking (and wishing they could say to our faces) when we're 35,000 feet up and acting as if we're the only ones who matter. Spoiler alert: We're not.

When flight attendants welcome you aboard with a smile, it's rude to ignore them. A simple "thank you" is easy to say, but all too often passengers can't seem to muster this most basic of replies. Flight attendants are people with feelings, and ignoring them or, even worse, being rude, is a surefire way to get on their bad side. Who knows? Failing to be polite might result in your flight attendants "forgetting" to offer you beverage service. Of course, they would never intentionally forget, would they?

Hey, passenger with a smartphone, tablet or laptop: Your flight attendant can see what you're watching. If you're one of those travelers who think it's acceptable to watch, say, pornography, just know they can see it and, yes, they're totally judging you, as are your fellow passengers. (We were shocked to learn that some airplane passengers actually do this. While there's no specific law banning travelers from watching pornography, airlines are at their own discretion when dealing with passengers who do so.)

The overhead bins have limited space, and you, dear traveler, don't have the right to hog it. Turn your larger carry-ons when placing them in the overhead compartment so that they take up the least amount of space while still allowing the bin to close completely. Smaller bags and purses need to be kept out of the bins and placed under the seat in front of you to maximize space for other passengers.

Scratch that, any part of your body that extends from your seat to another passenger's is a problem. From dealing with people who think it's OK to wedge their feet onto someone else's armrest to having to kindly ask passengers to stop bouncing their knees or legs against another passenger's seat, flight attendants are seriously over travelers thinking their comfort matters more than anyone else's.

While flight attendants never mind helping passengers who need assistance, they are totally overwhelmed by travelers who press the call button nonstop throughout a flight. Along with managing the personal requests of hundreds of people, flight attendants have a schedule to maintain and pressing the call button, especially to ask redundant questions— like "When's the beverage cart coming through?" or "How far away are we?"—only interrupts their flow.

Planes, even jets, are actually pretty small when it comes to personal space. That being said, flight attendants, as well as all the other passengers, can smell when someone passes gas or takes off their shoes in-flight. Don't be that traveler who pollutes the air everyone is forced to breathe. This also applies to those who like to apply perfume or cologne. Just because you think it smells nice, doesn't mean everyone else will, too.

Honestly, we're not even sure why anyone thinks it's OK to touch someone while they're working. If a flight attendant walks past you, a simple "excuse me" suffices to get their attention. If that doesn't work, you can wait and try again or, if it's truly important, press your call button. Don't, under any circumstances (unless you're saving their life) reach out and grab them. That's not just annoying, it's also completely inappropriate.

Mad about the lack of leg room, dining options or general discomfort of squeezing into your too-small seat that barely reclines? Frustrated that you see smiling passengers up front holding fruity drinks with little umbrellas? Not the flight attendant's problem. If you want a better experience while flying, pony up and pay for first or business class. Don't expect flight attendants to accommodate your desire for luxury when you chose to book a coach class ticket.

Along with not expecting the same accommodations in coach as you have in first or even business class, please, don't think it's OK to walk into their zone or, even worse, use their bathroom. If there's a curtain separating your plane section from another, that's a clear indication you're not supposed to go in there, unless otherwise instructed. Don't make the flight attendants be the bad guys for having to tell you to leave.

Whether you're asked to remain seated with your seat belt fastened, to raise your seat in the upright position or put away your electronics, you're expected to do it, no questions asked. Flight attendants are not policing your flight to inconvenience you, rather to keep everyone (including themselves) safe. Just because you don't like or agree with an airline's rules doesn't mean you get to excuse yourself from following them.

Every flight has at least one (and usually more) of those entitled passengers who try to cop a freebie while in the air. While airlines do incentivize certain problems (like getting bumped from a flight or premium zone), don't expect flight attendants to comp you free drinks and food for every minor annoyance you encounter. While freebies are at their discretion, flight attendants are far more likely to hook up a friendly passenger than one who frivolously complains.

There's nothing more annoying to a flight attendant than passengers who get up out of their seat right after takeoff, while the plane is still reaching cruising altitude. When the captain and flight attendants have made it clear that passengers are to remain seated until the seat belt sign is turned off, they mean it. Walking after takeoff is dangerous for everyone, and if you fall, it could force the plane to turn around, ruining everyone's trip.

Flight attendant does not mean child care attendant. These air professionals have a lot of responsibilities in the air, and none of them include providing babysitting services for parents. If you choose to fly with your child or children, don't expect your flight attendants to help you take care of them or keep them occupied. While some may choose to offer a hand out of the kindness of their heart, it's not required nor should it be expected.

Did you pack a really heavy carry-on and now you're having trouble lifting it into the overhead bin? That certainly sucks, but it's not your flight attendant's job to help you lift it. Imagine what would happen if flight attendants did the heavy lifting for all of their passengers, every flight? Spoiler alert: They'd wind up with severe back problems. You can ask another passenger to help you, but at the end of the day, your heavy carry-on is your responsibility and no one else's.

While you certainly have the option to ask for a cup of coffee or tea, if you're on a short flight (45 minutes or less), your flight attendant will quietly curse your existence. Since water can't be heated for hot drinks until the plane reaches altitude (approximately 20 minutes into the flight) and preparation for landing begins about 30 minutes before touching ground again, your hot drink becomes a major inconvenience and safety hazard.

Let's be honest, flight attendants probably don't feel bad when their extremely heavy beverage and snack carts accidentally run over a passenger's foot or carry-on. Why? Because they've literally told us a gazillion times to keep the aisles clear for this very reason. Carts are bulky and block a flight attendant's line of sight. That means it's up to passengers to have the wherewithal to know where to put their appendages and belongings while in-flight.

Granted, some people have disabilities that make speaking in a low voice difficult (if not impossible), but some passengers are just obnoxiously loud. Since planes are essentially metal tubes flying through the sky, all that sound reverberates, meaning just about everyone can hear passenger Bob's fishing trip story or all about passenger Susie's marital problems (TMI, by the way). Make the flight attendants and fellow passengers happy, and bring it down a notch, m'kay?

Food allergies aside, there's little flight attendants can do to accommodate special in-flight food requests. Unless you've notified the airline prior to your flight about your meal concerns, you're likely out of luck when it comes to getting a customized entree. Also, please note that every passenger has an in-flight menu in the seat pocket in front of them. Read it. When a flight attendant comes to your row and asks what you'd like to order, don't ask what they have available. That's just lazy.

Being a flight attendant requires people to be professional and courteous on the job. It doesn't mean they're a passenger's new BFF. Chatty passengers be warned: You're not charming or endearing when you step into a flight attendant's work space and take up their time so you can shoot the breeze. They've got a job to do and when they're in their small area away from travelers, they're definitely not hoping you'll swing by for a visit.

Sadly, this is only on our list because, occasionally, disagreeable passengers confuse flight attendants for their personal wait staff. Yes, a flight attendant will assist you with beverages, meals and personal safety while on the plane, but that doesn't mean they're your on-call maid or butler. Treating them as such is demeaning and makes just about everyone on the plane (including the flight attendants) hate your guts.