Originally Posted by
yaromac
I often take flights from the East Coast to the UK (EWR/PHL to MAN/London etc) and in recent years, I've found it harder and harder to get sleep because the flight attendants take so long to turn off the main cabin lights after the meal service because after clean up, they bring the duty free cart round, which they do both loudly and obtrusively (are they on commission for duty free or something?) I watch them waking up kids, disturbing business people, and I wonder why someone doesn't think about this timing. Oh, and then there's the breakfast service, which begins with clanking and lights about 2 hours after you've finally got a bit of dark and quiet after duty free. Just what you feel like, being woken up with acidic OJ and overly sweet pastries so you can sit and stare into the distance for an hour. Maybe it's just me, but I remember a time when f.a.'s would recognize that people need and want to sleep on night flights - now it seems to be all about their own routines, which aren't conducive to rest.
Yes, and I use a bose noise canceling headset, and iPhone white noise, and a eyemask from Brookstones, and all the rest, but I think, sometimes, I get annoyed by how inconsiderate they are when they bang into me with the cart, or startle me by saying "DUTY FREE" loudly right next to my head, and then I can't drop off very easily.
Yes, FAs are on commission with duty free. At least with AA they are.
With regard to the follow-on service, the FAs want to get the breakfast served as quickly as possible so they can pack up the galley well in advance of descent/landing. I know that sometimes it seems to start too soon after things finally quieted down, but the FAs are just trying to do their job efficiently. I often will eat the breakfast and then go back to sleep for another 45 minutes until the "prepare for landing" announcement.