Flight attendants emphasize the importance of respectful communication methods from passengers. This request aims to address a prevalent issue faced by airline crew members. Several experienced flight attendants shared their experiences on the “Jumpseat Chronicles” podcast, urging travelers to avoid physical contact for gaining their attention. Instead, they encourage the use of call buttons or verbal requests.
Co-host Joshua Boyd stated, “We get poked and touched as flight attendants,” highlighting the frequency of this problem among crew members. He humorously noted, “If we got paid $1 for every time this happened, we would be millionaires.”
Flight attendants suggest passengers use call buttons, make eye contact, or politely wave for assistance.
Etiquette expert Diane Gottsman, from The Protocol School of Texas, clarified that touching a flight attendant infringes on personal and professional boundaries. She advised passengers to use alternative methods like eye contact, friendly waves, or call buttons. Gottsman reminded passengers, “Just as you would not touch the passenger next to you, you do not reach out and touch a flight attendant.”
Gottsman emphasized the importance of allowing flight attendants to focus on passenger safety. She stated, “Please use the call button or your voice, but please do not touch us.”
The issue sparked debate online, with some travelers supporting the call for non-contact methods. One Reddit user noted, “I’d love for this to be in an announcement, ‘If you need our attention, please use the call button or your voice, but do not touch us.'”
Contrarily, some argued that a light tap is often considered socially acceptable for gaining attention, especially in a noisy cabin. However, many passengers shared concerns that verbal requests might not be heard on crowded flights, with one stating, “My ‘excuse me’s’ definitely fail much more often than they succeed.”
Leave a Reply