26 hurt on turbulent Continental flight

by Katie Hammel on

On most flights, turbulence is a minor inconvenience. You have to return to your seat and buckle in, and you may have to wait a little longer to get your next vodka and cranberry (oh, is it just me that needs a cocktail, or three, to relax on a plane?). Planes are generally able to avoid the worst of the bumps, thanks to radar and reports from other planes in the area. But sometimes, turbulence strikes seemingly out of the blue, and that may be when it is the most dangerous.

This could be what happened on Continental Flight 128, which hit severe turbulence on its way from Brazil to Houston and was forced to make an emergency landing in Miami early on Monday. The plane encountered the turbulence just northwest of Puerto Rico and landed at Miami shortly after 5:30 a.m.

The turbulence was so rough that it catapulted passengers from their seats, slamming them into luggage bins and bashing their heads into overhead seat controls, cracking the panels and breaking glass in the reading lamps. 26 people were injured. Four of the injuries were reported as serious and 14 people were taken to the hospital.

Passengers stated that the turbulence didn’t last very long, and that after it had passed everyone remained calm. There’s no word yet on what exactly caused the turbulence, but the FAA is investigating.

[via ABC News]

Galley Gossip: More flight attendant pet peeves – the summer edition

by Heather Poole on

It’s summer and school’s out! Time to take that family vacation you’ve been waiting for all year. What does this mean for flight attendants? Full flights, lots of kids, and a terrible time trying to commute to work. It also means a whole new set of flight attendant pet peeves…..

1. Deodorant – Need I say more?
2. Boarding – Just because you have kids does not entitle you to board first, especially when the ages of those kids fall into the double digits. Oh I know it takes a little longer to get settled in due to the Winnebago sized stroller piled high with who-knows-what, but airlines strive for on-time departures and the fastest way to get the airplane out is to board from back to front. Sit tight and wait for your row to be called.
3. Car seats – There are dozens of different models to choose from each year, so unless your flight attendant has a child that owns the exact same car seat, he/she will be just as clueless as to how to secure the seat properly. Review the installation instructions before you board and make sure you’re not blocking other passengers from the aisle before spending a good fifteen minutes strapping it to the seat.
4. Blankets – It’s hot as a mother out there, but don’t come on board an aircraft half dressed and then get angry at me when I’m unable to find you a blanket. Most domestic flights don’t even offer blankets anymore, and if they do, there are only a handful to pass out. Bring a sweatshirt next time.
5. Snacks – Traveling today is much like being on an episode of Survivor in that you must come prepared for the worst. Sure, you may not be hungry when the snack cart rolls by, but if there’s even the slightest chance you might get the munchies an hour before arrival, buy the snack! Don’t wait until it’s too late. We do run out of food. Or just bring your own snacks next time. I do.

6. Kids – I know it’s a long flight, and yes, your little stinker is adorable, and I really don’t mind that he’s standing in the aisle when the seat belt sign is off, but please, please, please, when you see us trying to get the service done, keep little Johnny in his seat. Do you really want me to fall on top of him? Or accidentally kick him down the aisle?
7. Parents – You’re sitting in first class while the kids are in coach. I get it, you’re worried, makes perfect sense, but don’t keep asking me to move a one-hundred-and-fifty pound beverage cart so you can continuously check up on them. And don’t you dare take first class service items back to coach. If you’re worried that much and you’d like to share your experience, try sitting beside them next time.
8. Call lights – They’re there for a reason, which means it’s okay to use them. But ringing the flight attendant call button fifteen times on a two hour flight is just not acceptable, even if the person ringing that bell is under two feet tall. Lights and sounds are used as a means of communication between crew members, so if the call light is being abused don’t be surprised if a flight attendant arrives at your row holding a fire extinguisher. If you’re a parent, quick – learn how to turn the call light off!
9. Deplaning– The captain makes an announcement to prepare for landing about twenty minutes prior to touch down. How about using this time to get the princess dressed and the toys packed – instead of waiting until everyone has deplaned except for the crew. There’s nothing worse than arriving to a city late at night with only an eight hour layover and while the cleaners wait to board, mommy is just tying the shoes while daddy is checking every seat back in sight.
10. UM’s: There’s been a lot in the news about airlines losing unaccompanied minors, but what about parents who show up 45 minutes late? Or not at all! It’s happened. I, myself, got stuck at baggage claim with a kid who looked to be about 10 years-old. I would have asked him his age, but he didn’t speak English, so we just stood there smiling at each other – for 45 minutes.

Photos courtesy of: (suitcase) Ksfc84, (Monkey) Rob, (Airplane) Woodleywonderworks

10 Passengers we love to, umm….not like as much as the others: Day 4 – The passenger who tries to score a free first class seat

by Heather Poole on

In Grant Martin’s post, The top 5 myth’s about getting an upgrade, he wrote…

Flight attendants have no control over who gets upgraded when there always might be one last business class passenger coming down the jet bridge right before departure, so they can’t give away a seat. After the boarding door is closed? Maybe if you’re discreet, but with everyone watching, the flight attendant will most definitely say no.

Now I don’t know if Grant was ever a flight attendant, dated a flight attendant, or spends a lot of time in the galley talking to flight attendants, but he’s absolutely right! Flight attendants do not have upgrading powers. But agents do, so make sure to talk to one before you board. That said, the only passengers I’ve ever seen upgraded for free after the door has been shut were uniformed military personel…and…well…they kind of deserve it, don’t ya think?

Below is a list of 10 types of passengers who don’t deserve an upgrade, but give it a shot anyway….

1. I-think-I’m-a-frequent-flier passenger – “I’m a frequent flier and…” That’s how it starts. First of all, I can spot a frequent flier a mile away, so please don’t tell me how many miles you’ve flown because that’s my first clue you haven’t flown as often as you think, not compared to our frequent fliers today. See those passengers sitting in the exit row, as well as the first three rows of coach? Those passengers are at the top of the upgrade list. The best seats on the airplane are held and/or blocked for passengers who fly tens of thousands of miles each year. Anyway, real frequent fliers know the drill, they know what to expect, and they know where, exactly, their name is on the upgrade list, which means I don’t have to tell them they won’t be getting an upgrade, the way I’m telling you, because they know, that I know, that they know exactly what’s going on.

2. The curious passenger – “Hmm…I was wondering…is first class available?” asks the passenger who has just sauntered very…slowly…down…the aisle, checking out all the empty seats in first and business class on their way to their seat in coach. The answer to this question is no. First class is almost always booked full, so just because you see a few open seats does not mean those seats are available. Many of our frequent fliers spend time relaxing in private airline clubs and often times will be last to board the flight. If for whatever reason Mr. First Class does not make the flight, Mr. Exit Row will be taking the seat before you.

3. The injured passenger – Comes on board limping, moaning and groaning as soon as he/she spots me standing at the aircraft door greeting passengers and immediately begins the old bad back and knee routine. There’s no way they’ll be able to endure an entire flight cramped in a coach seat, I’m told, even though they already knew this when they purchased their tickets in coach online months ago. Hey I feel your pain, I know flying is not easy, but that does not equate to a free upgrade. However, if I can find a few extra pillows and blankets (they’re not always on board), I’ll do whatever I can to make your flight more comfortable. Just keep in mind there’s only so much I can do.

4. The inconvenienced passenger – Either their headsets don’t work, the reading light is out, the seat doesn’t recline, I ran out of the beverage of their choice, or there’s a smelly person sitting beside them, whatever it is, and it’s always something, they believe they’re entitled to a first class seat because of the inconvenience. If there’s another seat available in coach, you’re more than welcome to it, but there’s no way I’m moving you from coach to first class when there are seats available. Click here to find out why.

5. The charming passenger – “Wow, what a great smile,” says the passenger who is now squinting at my gold plated name tag pinned to my blue lapel. “So how are you doing today, Heather?” Although this passenger is always nice and polite, my favorite kind of passenger, whenever someone uses my name the alarm in my brain automatically begins to ring – alert, alert, special request coming! Nine times out of ten this passenger works in sales and while they may be successful on the ground, they’re not so successful at 35,000 feet.

6. The ill passenger – I wrote about this passenger in great detail in the Galley Gossip post, The passenger didn’t ask for much. Oh you remember her, the passenger who asked for a first class seat, a business class mug, help to the bathroom, uncooked veggies and potatoes, and then had the nerve to tell me she would be deplaning first, even though she sat in coach. Look, I’m sorry you’re sick and I’ll bring you all the Ginger ale, hot tea, damp towels, and barf bags you need, but just because you don’t feel well does not give you the right to a first class seat, not when you should really be at home, not barfing all over our premium passengers.

7. The surprised passenger – This passenger seems genuinely shocked to learn you have to actually pay for a first class seat. I’ve seen this passenger wander on board and make themselves comfortable in a plush leather seat located in one of the first rows of the airplane, reclining the seat all the way back, propping their feet on the foot rest, and treating themselves to a glass of champagne. “I just thought you might be nice,” a passenger once said after I told her she and her husband could not stow away in first class, not when they paid for a seat in coach. While I am nice, I’m not that nice.

8. The honeymooning passenger – Whenever someone tells me it’s their honeymoon, I know exactly what they want, big time special treatment. And I give it to them. I ask about their wedding and talk to them about where they’re going and I might even make an announcement to congratulate the happy couple. But I don’t move them up to first class. Even when times were good and airlines weren’t furloughing employees and going into bankruptcy every other week, I didn’t upgrade honeymooners just because they decided to take their relationship to the next level and tie the knot.

9 The celebrity passenger – I’m a celebrity get me out of here! is not just a television show, because I’ve actually seen it happen on the airplane. Now I’m not naming names, but years ago I had a very famous singer known for his long blond locks who purchased a seat in coach and then demanded to be upgraded for free because he said he’d be “mobbed” in coach. All I can say is, my how times have changed. Because today I’m pretty sure that the singer who recently broke up with – I better not say – only wishes he could get mobbed in coach.

10. The combination passenger – This is the worst type of passenger, Pulling every trick in the book, this passenger has no shame and will stop at nothing in their quest for a free upgrade. Trust me when I tell you there’s always a multiple number of issues going on here. Like sometimes they’re honeymooning and inconvenienced, while other times they’re injured and also charming. It doesn’t matter what they are, they just are, and I’m the lucky one who gets to hear all about it until the end of the flight.

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10 passengers we love to hate: Day 2 — bringing a warm meal on the plane

by Scott Carmichael on

Today’s annoying passenger is a tough one – I’d love to hate them more, but their annoying behavior is not entirely their fault.

Still, passengers who think it is cool to bring a huge bag of warm food on the plane are high on my list of airplane pet peeves.

Sure, they are probably hungry, and they need to bring their own food, as the airline won’t be feeding anyone. But many of these passengers bring really smelly food.

I’ve sat next to someone on a 6am flight who thought it would be fine to bring a massive breakfast platter on board. He had the works – eggs, bacon, sausages, hashbrowns and breads. The whole plane smelled of his breakfast, and many of the passengers were clearly annoyed.

Is it that hard to find a less smelly snack that early in the morning? International flights are worse, especially when the airport sells a large variety of really smelly foods. Next time you are waiting in line to order a meal for your flight, first check your watch to see if you have enough time to eat before you board, if not, then order something that is least likely to annoy your fellow passengers. If that is not an option, then you’d better have enough cash to order food for the entire plane.

Read about ALL the passengers we love to hate.

Galley Gossip: Nut allergies on the airplane

by Heather Poole on

Recently Patricia Aspinall, of Travel Savvy Mom, wrote an interesting article about her experience on board a flight to the Caribbean with a passenger who had a nut allergy, while traveling with her husband and daughter, a two and a half year-old. Like my own two year-old, Patricia’s daughter is a picky eater, so Patricia did what any smart mom would do and packed snacks – peanut butter granola bars.

When the flight attendants on Patricia’s flight asked passengers to refrain from eating nuts, Patricia had no idea what to do about her hungry child, so she asked a flight attendant. “The flight attendant didn’t have any solutions,” wrote Patricia. “It seemed this was a first for them as well.”

Solutions? Unfortunately, there’s just one solution – no nuts! Regardless of picky eaters on board. Not to sound harsh, but I’d rather have a hungry child on my plane than a plane that has to divert because someone has a serious allergy attack.

Daniel More, MD, from About.com, wrote…

A recent study showed that nearly one in 10 people with peanut, tree nut or seed allergies experienced an allergic reaction while traveling on an airplane. Surprisingly, most of these reactions occurred as a result on inhaling airborne particles from peanuts. This occurred after multiple bags of peanuts were opened near a person with peanut allergy. Airborne peanut particles seem to be common on airplanes, since peanut proteins have been found in the ventilation filters of commercial airplanes.

Since commercial airlines may not have emergency medical equipment on board, and because there may not be a medical professional traveling as a fellow passenger, people with peanut allergy need to be prepared. Calling various airline companies to see if peanuts are served on the planned flight is a good idea, but never a guarantee that peanuts won’t be present on the airplane. Carrying an Epi-Pen, as well as an antihistamine, is the best way to be prepared for an allergic emergency. For a long flight, a person with food allergies should consider bringing their own food on the airplane, since airplane food could contain hidden ingredients and may not be labeled as containing common food allergens

Because we no longer serve free food on board the airplanes, nuts are always a popular snack with passengers and crew alike. They’re healthy and filling and fit easily inside a tote bag. My favorite, almonds and pistachios. My coworker last week shared a bag of cashews. People bring nuts and products containing nuts on board all the time. So what happened when a child with a nut allergy walked on board my mother’s flight two years ago?

“The child looked to be about eight years old,” my mother said. “He was on his way to seek medical treatment with a specialist. He tried to smile, but he couldn’t because his lips were too swollen. It was the saddest thing I’d ever seen. The skin on his entire body was splotchy, puffy, and swollen. Whenever he’d try to scratch his mother had to force him to stop. I’ve never seen anything like it. Honestly, I had no idea it could be so bad. His eyes were so swollen he could hardly see out of them. Just because of a peanut allergy!”

“As soon as all the passengers were seated on board that flight we made an announcement and told everyone they couldn’t consume nuts because we had a passenger on board with an allergy,” my mother continued. “Everyone was very nice about it. Not one person complained. Then we went through all of our snacks and removed anything with nuts – candy bars and trail mix. We couldn’t even serve the people in first class the warm mixed nuts because his allergy was so severe.”

Not every passenger with a nut allergy experiences the same thing. Recently a passenger came on board and told me she had a nut allergy. I asked if it would be okay if we served snacks containing nuts. She said that was fine, though she, herself, wouldn’t be able to eat them. Every case is different, which is why it’s very important we all work together on this issue. If you’re a passenger with an allergy, please tell the flight attendants just how serious your condition is. If your a flight attendant who finds out there’s a passenger with a nut allergy on board, make you ask how serious the condition may be. While there are no reports of passengers dying from starvation on board a flight, at least none that I know of, I do not believe the same can be said for someone with a serious condition who has accidentally inhaled nuts from passengers sitting nearby.

Don’t forget I’m not just a flight attendant, I’m also the mother of a 2 year-old. I travel with my son often and I always do what Patricia did, I pack snacks – cheese and crackers, raisins, a sliced apple, peanut butter and jelly, cheese nips… Never, ever, do I depend on the airline for my hunger needs, regardless of how much I’ve paid for my ticket. I’ve worked way too many flights where we’ve run out of food (the flights aren’t catered full in coach) or the flight is delayed for hours, or even worse, the flight diverts! Flying can be like a a real life episode of Survivor. You never know what’s going to happen and you’ve got to plan ahead. Especially when you’re traveling with a child. That means you have to pack snacks – maybe even an assortment of snacks if your child is a picky eater.

Patrica went on to write about her experience on board that Caribbean flight…

I was told to go ahead and eat the food I brought. I replied that I wasn’t willing to take the risk. Finally they gave us some free snacks, but asked us please not to tell anyone. They didn’t have enough for everyone. As allergies are becoming a bigger and bigger issue each year, airlines need a definitive policy. As for me, I will definitely rethink what snacks I pack for our next flight

The flight attendants should NOT have told Patricia to go ahead and eat the peanut butter granola bar. However, in defense of those flight attendants, I probably would have done the same thing if I hadn’t heard my mother’s story about the child with the allergy traveling on her flight two years ago. I mean who knew an allergy could be so bad? I mean I have food allergies, but I only get congested when I eat things I shouldn’t eat. Seriously, unless you’ve experienced something first hand, or know someone personally who has a serious allergy problem, you really have no clue how much a person can suffer.

Patricia was smart to have packed granola bars for her child and it was not her fault that she couldn’t give her child the snack she’d packed. Now if I’d been Patricia, I probably would have just purchased another snack from the flight attendant. End of story. Because it’s not the airlines fault that a child with a nut allergy was on board the flight. Nor was it the child’s fault he/she had an allergy causing all items with nuts to remain unopened. There are no easy answers here. Unfortunately these things do happen from time to time. That’s why it’s so important to come prepared. For anything. Thank goodness Patricia new better than to take the risk and open the bar. Thank goodness the flight attendants had a few extra snacks to hand out – free of charge. More importantly, thank goodness the flight landed without further incident.

Got a nut allergy? You might want to read this post about Delta and Northwest. Also, check out these bag tags and nut allergy labels. (featured at the top of this page)

Photo courtesy of (airplane snack) Sean Mun son, (allergic reaction) Nancy