WORKING as a flight attendant requires a lot of problem solving skills – especially when dealing with passengers' problems.
However, there are some mistakes people make that can completely ruin their holidays that they expect us to be able to sort out. A lot of the time, it's completely impossible.
In this, my latest blog for Sun Online Travel, I'll reveal the three silly errors passengers make that can have huge consequences.
The first of which is forgetting passports. Unless you live next door to the airport, that's almost certainly going to result in you missing your flight.
Yet at least one passenger every two or three flights will ask the flight crew at the airport if there's anything we can do to help them.
I'm not sure what they expect from us – we can't change international entry requirements, nor can we hold up the flight just because of a passenger's absent mindedness.
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It's in no way our problem, it's theirs and it drives us mad that people would even think to ask if we can do anything about it.
If you're the type of person who might forget their passport, make a list, check that you have everything you need the night before, and don't leave anything behind.
Home isn't the only place that people leave their passports, or other important belongings, either.
Loads of passengers leave things behind on the plane and again there's not a huge amount we can do about it, other than quickly check your seat.
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The plane usually has to set off on another trip pretty soon after it lands and we don't have the time to turn all the seats upside down looking for your wallet.
So equally, take as few things out of your bag as possible during the flight and make sure you've got them all when we've landed.
Otherwise you're unlikely to see it again, no matter how much you plead with us to let you get back on the plane.
If that's your passport, depending on which country you're in, that could have huge consequences for you – none of which you want to deal with when trying to enjoy your holiday.
Similarly, not checking entry requirements before visiting certain countries is a really easy way to waste all the money you spent on your holiday, only to then not be allowed to travel.
This is most commonly seen on flights to America, where passengers don't realise that they need an ESTA to enter.
If you forget to apply for your ESTA, you probably won't be able to fly, it's as simple as that.
I have seen a couple of miracle on-the-day applications go through in time, but for the most part, it's unlikely that your application will be approved quickly enough, if you're doing it at the airport.
Similar problems came up when there were Covid restrictions were put in place, some of which still apply.
If you've forgotten to do a test, or haven't got the jabs you need to enter a certain country, that's on you and there's nothing we can really do to help.
Believe it or not, airline staff don't have any vaccines on hand at the airport to give to passengers who need them.
Yet the way some people plead with us, you'd think we'd be giving out jabs during the flight as part of the service.
Flying is one of the things in life that requires you to have some very specific items with you at all times and it's entirely up to you to sort it out.
We can bring you the drinks and snacks when you're settled, and keep you safe if there's a problem on board.
But beyond that, you're on your own, so don't ruin your holiday just because you forgot something really simple.
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