If tourists will “dramatize” or “lie” to flight attendants, with free food / drinks and the opportunity to move to a more comfortable chair, they can say goodbye. Stewardess Miguel Munoz shared with the Express newspaper several ways in which passengers can take advantage of increased comfort in flight.
“Sometimes people come to me and ask for orange juice or a snack because they say they have dizziness or a drop in blood sugar. We [the team] automatically think they are lying to get something for free. And probably some people are really lying. But I always think that if you lie, it will definitely come back. But if they don’t lie and I don’t give them anything, it’s even worse. That’s why we have no choice but to trust the passengers,” she explained.
According to the airline employee, tourists who have directly stated their request can get something for free on board the plane, because, as it turned out, flight attendants cannot question the passenger’s request, claiming that they are cheating. However, the fulfillment of the request depends on how to ask, added Munoz.
Most airlines don’t give anything away for free, not even water, so when passengers come in saying they really want to drink, they need to take medicine, or they just ask for a glass of water, I have to officially say no. First, I always tell them that we sell water bottles. I usually give them away for free, but it all depends on how you ask. For example, if after I say we charge for water, they [passengers] are upset by saying something like “but the law says you have to give me water for free” or “it’s a human right”, I won’t nothing. And if tourists say that they feel bad, or ask very politely, I will definitely give a bottle of water,” said the expert.
As for upgrading the class, according to the stewardess, only those who were polite and honest can count on it. “If passengers come to me and say they need more space for some reason, I move them to overwings.”
However, you need to be careful in your expressions. “Because if you say you have a sore knee, for example, I have to be careful with these people, because passengers sitting at emergency exits are instructed to help the crew in case of an emergency. If you can’t use the emergency exit because your knee hurts, I can’t transplant you to that place. So the trick with a sore leg will not work, “she warned.
So what do passengers have to say to move them to a number of emergency exits? “My advice is to be honest and not dramatize. If it’s true that you have a sore leg, don’t lie about it, because you may not know it, but it won’t do you any good. The other day, the passenger said that his thigh hurt and he wanted to have extra legroom. Unfortunately, because of this I could not move it to the emergency exit, but I put it in the last row, which was completely empty,” said the flight attendant, adding that tourists can express their desire to move to vacant places and most likely they will meet.