Do you spot these flying first time
 

Hi, I wonder if any other people are interesting in guessing whether person you see on board is flying for the first time?
One of top ideas how to spot first-time flyer is kind of unvoluntary one - happens only if I seat close to lav... judgement si then by the fact that someone is unable/don't know how to open lav door... first I thought that things I noticed are isolated incidents but just alst week flying KUL-SGN I've spotted 2 persons who were unable to do that (open lav door). One (female) was ultimately helped by f/a, another (male) finally broke the door!
AX

As a F/A I can spot them pretty easy. Just the other day, had a lady passenger who was trying to open the very small little cubby hole where we keep the demo equipment, I had some fun with it for a couple of minutes, and asked if I could help her find something, she replied " Oh, I'm sorry, the bathroom must be occupied", I then of course led her to the correct door. By the way, this was in FC. Also, you have those that have never sat in FC, and have no clue what to do with the hot towel, where the tray is, and head to the main cabin lav's. Also, in the main cabin, usually the people that are actually watching and listening to the demo, looking for the exits as we go along with the demonstration. If I am in the lead F/A position at the door, most every flight you will have someone board and they will tell you right off this is thier first time to fly. I have had people try to pay me for the sandwhich and coke or ask how much it is.....just a few things I can recall at this time.

They dont lock the lavatory door when using the washroom !

Slightly OT : I forgot to close the window shade in the lavatory just a couple of months ago. First time I was using an aircraft toilet with a window, but I was sure no one was looking in high up in the sky :cool:

1) People in the bulkhead row with all their bags piled in front of them.
2) People who try to put their carry-ons under their own seat instead of the seat in front of them.

Few years ago I was on a small prop job to NYC and the weather got a bit bouncy. The guy I was seated next to got a bit pale, and as the vibrations increased, grabbed the chair in front of him, and looked like he was close to losing it. I figured this was his first flight, or at least the first on a prop, so I told him that this was normal, no need to worry, etc. I asked him if this was his first flight, and he looks at me half p/o'd, half embarrassed and blurts out that he's a g-d PILOT!

The guy had always flown full sized jets, so he wasn't used to the props, and combined with what he defined as the lack of control as a passenger in this weather, had him a bit nervous.

I'll be honest, I'm one of those people who usually fumbles with the lav door on a flight.

After something like 100,000 bis miles over the past couple years, I think I've used the lav twice ever. I simply don't ever have to go that bad in the middle of a flight, so when I do, I look like a complete neophyte.

Sorry, but I always watch the demo, read the card and look around for the nearest exit. It's one of those things that I wouln't want to forget when I need to know.

Also.....
Only once in my life have I not looked at the back of the hotel door for the fire escape 'map', and on that one occassion I had to evacuate in the middle of the night - so now I look every time.

I am a safety advisor, and would always advocate practicing what I preach.

They say as they board "these things look a lot bigger on TV".

Sat in 10A on the A330 yesterday and I was amazed how many people had to double check their boarding pass and ask the FA where where A, G, J, etc were. Is there any configuration where A is not the left side window?

I did try charging a $10 cover charge as people boarded, but nobody fell for it. :D

Of course I had issues with the armrest tray table and the lav door was a little confusing.

I have a ritual of giving my seatbelt a tug to make sure it's tight, quickly checking the exit locations, seeing whether the window is a "throw out" or "in the seat behind" type (I'm in an exit row 90% of the time, usually RJ's), etc., as the FA goes through the spiel. Some of us actually do pay attention. Of course, I have my earplugs in by then - I don't need to hear the words anymore<g>.

If you were on my flight, I would definitley pick you for assistance in an emergency. I appreciate you being so concerned about the safety issues that could happen during any flight.

The exit row is such an important row to be in, so I am happy that you take it serious, but you are one in a million. I have had to stop the demo before to ask passengers to please talk quietly, just because they feel they don't need to listen, there is usually someone that has never flown before who wants to listen and watch the demo.

So you are the one who keeps pulling the ashtray off the doors to get inside the lav? lol. couldn't resist. Seriously, If people would take the time to read the instructions on the door, or they have pictures demonstrating how to open the door on some a/c. I wish I had a penny for everytime I had to say "push" or "pull" the door....I could maybe afford to buy my own small airline......

I often get upgraded to first Class, and I dont like using the
tray in front of me, many a times F/As think I dont know where
it is and try to help. May be it was you the other day :D

I dont pay attention to the safety demonstration either,
It not because I dont care, but I spend on an average 1.5-2 hours
in the air daily, and I an well aware. If its a new aircraft to me..
i'll go over things briefly.

On some airlines, they charge for the drinks and food on the
flight. I wouldnt discount a passenget being a first timer if
he/she ask you how much or offers you money for it.
Jetstar and Virgin Blue are some of those airlines.

But when someone is flying for the first time, I've generally seen
FAs do a pretty good job helping them and make them feel comfortable.

Mostly on the international flights, I've seen people struggling to
find out how to put on the headphones. Usually the ones that
go over the ears confuse a lot of people. :)

When I said they offered money to me for food, this was back in the day when they didn't do that so much. BTW, it probably wasn't me on your flight assisting you the other day, been off for awhile with an injury, but I would assist you if you needed some instructions on how to pull out the tray table, you are not alone in not liking to use the tray table, I am finding that more frequently these days.

I was just kidding about it being you. I hope you get better soon.

I usually dont eat much on the flights, but I do drink a lot of water
and sometimes Tea. Many times I help myself and the FAs dont seem
to mind. I usually know where everything is. I havent seen anybody else
doing this.

This I understand. It's like driving. I fear nothing driving... But when someone else is driving, I'm a wreck.I'm pressing the imaginary brake and and yelling "look out" when there no reason to. :)

Thanks for the well wishes, a little turbulence injury. Well, not a little, broken ankle..I think it is interesting that you would even HAVE to serve yourself. Some of those senior mama's won't let you in thier galleys..lol

I've done this on Domestic: WN, CO, QF,NW and Intl on: DL,KL(WBC), EK
nobody ever objected, but many times on NW they politely tell me
"let me take care of that for you" and they do it! :D

they keep the back galley on many KL flights curtained off..

Just a simple :mad: will suffice as my reply.

What really is nuts is when they have something under the seat in front of them AND under their seat. "I can't put this under the seat in front of me, my other bag is there".

Gotta love it

That's one reason I get an exit row - I don't trust any of the rest of my fellow pax. ;)

When I don't get the exit, I always size up the person sitting there...

Uh oh. You have to do something with the hot towel? What have I been doing wrong with the hot towel?

Easy to spot, they expect a meal :p

Don't feel bad, on some AA flights it's now a hot PAPER towel and it's, well, it's rather . . . strange . . . I just looked at it the first time I got it after being used to hot REAL towels, like ... is this???

They actually believe that FA's are there to help them rather than to "have fun" with their disorientation behind a superior attitude ... poor naive babes! How soon they will learn!

Sooner
 

Surprised no one has mentioned spotting the newbees long before being on the plane. I spot them at security, for some reason they always get in my line right in front of me. :D

Newbees read all the signs while in line and wonder out loud with their partner: It says 1000 speed film is safe, what about my video camera? What speed is that?

Oh no, someone who has never visited with TSA before.

Then the same old exchange:
Newbee puts three bags on the x ray belt.
TSA: you have to take the laptop out of the case, you didn't know?
tray #1 goes into the xray
TSA: you have to take off the jacket before coming thru this WTMD. Oh and the sweater too.
tray #2
TSA: You have to take your boots off
Beep:
TSA: Try emptying your pockets, yes the cell phone and the key ring too
Tray #3
Beep
TSA: Did you empty your pockets, yes the coins too.
Tray #4
Beep
TSA: Try taking your belt off
Tray #5
Beep
TSA: Try taking that Harley bike chain jewelry off, put in the tray
Tray #6
Beep
TSA: You say you have 17 piercings? Step over here, we have to hand wand you, don't worry your three bags and six trays will be there backing up everyone elses bags and holding up the line. Not to worry, those 50 FT PE troublemakers will gladly wait while we SSSS you. :D

IAD seem to get a lot of these.. no wonder their security lines are 50 miles long

Are you my wife? :eek:

I went to the airport with my dad once for his first flight in about 15 years and it went something like this. He had a metal belt buckle, metal buttons on his shirt, steel toe boots, a metal money clip, three sets of keys, and enough change to buy a small used car.

There was a large and unhappy line behind us when he finally got done. Wish I'd thought of it, and I could have just wanded him before we left the house. :p

That made me laugh. People trying to pay for food on board a flight. It's an Airline! They have nothing but money for their operations! Catering is included on your domestic ticket!

What noobs.

:D

This is a great one! And I've seen it happen many times!

Generally you can pick them out at the gate - they are the people with the "deer in headlights" look who have NO idea what the process is, how to get on that plane, or what to do once they are there.

Those aren't first-timers, those are the golds who didn't get upgraded.

Oh well - needed to agree with you in advance, but they should be so shocked they apparently can't read... as on most a/c I've been before it mentions in English and local language equivalents of "push" on the outer side and "please lock the door" on inner side of the door... lol :)
AX

Just this weekend, the lady seated behind me was obviously flying for the first time, and was very nervous about it! When we first started down the runway she said, "Omigod. Omigod. Omigod. OMIGOD. OMIGOD. OH MY GOD! ARE YOU KIDDING ME? ARE YOU KIDDING ME??? WE'RE GOING SO FAST!!!!" I don't remember the rest because I was trying so hard to stifle my laughter. Others around me weren't so successful. I felt bad for her, as she went through the same thing again on landing.

A friend of mine did the same thing when he was asked to step out of the
plane at 12000 ft. On the other hand it didnt bother me.
(we went for sky diving :D )

Could be a sign of a European traveller. I travel regularly with work, mainly within the UK, but sometimes elsewhere in Europe.

Taking the laptop out of the bag is something that has been introduced only in the past six months at LHR, and I have yet to see it anywhere else.

Emptying your pocket of coins seems to be a precaution at some airports only, as I tend not to bother as it is a bit of a nuisance and coins are not picked up. If you approach the machine with a wallet, keys and mobile ready, you are rarely asked if you have coins in your pocket :)

Taking shoes and belt off is something I have only ever seen at DUB, and it really did catch me by surprise!!

Sean

I always like the ones who try to put a carry on under their seat instead of under the seat in front of them. I would think they are first timers.

They might also be those of us who know more than a little bit about aviation and as a matter of principle follow along all the steps.

And we do exactly the same with our checklists when we are at the aircraft controls. Would you expect anything else .....?

You don't get near the flight deck of a jet for your first instruction until you've got hundreds of hours in props, light aircraft types that roll around the sky far more than commercial aircraft do.

Maybe not first-time flyers, but first time in bulkhead: the people who can't figure out where their tray table is located.