United Flight Attendants Are Addicted to Headphones
Jennifer Billock June 26, 2018
There appears to be an epidemic among young flight attendants on United Airlines flights: a tendency to wear earbuds or Bluetooth headpieces strung around their necks in order to have instant access to their own music and entertainment during service breaks.
When Zach Honig, editor-at-large of The Points Guy, boarded his business class United Airlines flight, all he wanted was an Old Fashioned. The airline recently launched the menu item as a featured drink – but apparently some of the flight attendants didn’t pay attention. Honig was told the drinks don’t exist on the flight (until he got one) and then was told that there were no more stocked on the flight (until he got another one). Honig also learned that the candied orange peels that are meant to go with the beverage were actually kept by the crew for themselves, after the flight attendant told him there really weren’t any.
One of the worst parts, though, Honig said in a Twitter thread reported by Inc., is that the flight attendant was wearing headphones the whole time, strung around his neck. Apparently this uniform “enhancement” has recently become a problem across the airline’s flight attendant staff.
“I’ve seen this myself on flights,” an anonymous crewmember told Inc. “Flight attendants wearing Bluetooth headsets around their neck. It’s usually younger ones. Must be a generational thing.”
The reasoning behind it appears to be that the flight attendants want to have instant access to their own music and entertainment between services. United has tried to end the practice but hasn’t had any luck so far.
“Those uniform compliance checks the company wanted to do don’t really seem to be having much effect, eh?” another anonymous crewmember told Inc.
[Photo: Shutterstock]
It's not just limited to UA. It is rampant in ALL industries. But it doesn't make it right.
I'm sorry, it's my generation, I'd rather have my headphones on most of the time. But I also know there's a time for work and there's a time for play. Serious question, if it weren't for safety regs, how many flight attendants would a 777 (or whatever aircraft) have? I feel like a flight could easily be done buffet style. Like put out a box of sandwiches at the back, some drinks and let people fend for themselves. I don't fly business class often, but frankly I'd rather serve myself drinks at least. I know some airlines have a self serve bar, but whenever I've flown J the plane either doesn't have it, or they have it but don't put it in service. But I'd much rather serve myself a drink than have to wait for the FA, or call them, or get a drink not mixed well or incorrect.
The problem is how do you keep everyone in compliance at 35,000 feet? Unless they put multiple cameras on every a/c they can't catch who is doing it.
Flight attendants have to realize they don't own the airline but work for it serving passengers not themselves. If they can't get this fact they should be fired.
Any effect on safety having the crew dulling two of their sensory holes midflight?