Bring Your Own Milk

Posted in A Day in the Life of a Flight Attendant | 8 comments

Summer travel is officially underway, and that means more and more children are boarding airplanes. Though I’m sure its stressful to travel with children, mostly due to the embarrassment when the child overreacts to something, parents really need to plan ahead. The question which comes up about every other flight really makes me cringe:

Can I have milk for my baby?

Two things annoy me with this question:

1) I cannot allow the airplane to move with a company issued service item at your seat.. so even if I had milk, you cannot have it until we’re in the air.

2) Yes, I have 2 pint size cartons of milk for coffee and tea and no you may not have it for your baby.

Why did you not bring milk for your own kid? Did you not realize you’re about to fly from coast to coast for 5 hours and did not have something for your kid to drink? Especially if you know your kid can’t or doesn’t drink the typical airplane beverages (which have been the same for YEARS, including juices), pack it yourself! Don’t assume the airline will have all the items you have at home to care for your kid and later think it’s okay to throw a hissy fit of shock and awe when we tell you we don’t have it.

The excuse is always “well TSA won’t let me.”  Not true. TSA allows you to bring formula, breast milk and even juice through security for your child as long as you declare it.  See: TSA & Children

Also, if you didn’t do your research before heading to the airport, as you obviously didn’t, how about going to Starbucks or a coffee shop in the airport and buying a glass of milk to ensure your child has milk?

Milk is not included in the cost of your airplane ticket.

One of my favorites is when we’re 3 hours into a 6 hour transcontinental flight and a parent asks for milk. If I haven’t used it by then, I’ll offer it but with a disclaimer that there is no fridge onboard to keep it cold and it’s been sitting on ice. The look of disgust and confusion overcomes their faces 99% of the time.

How can you not have a fridge?  How does the food stay cold?

Can you just heat up this bottle of milk that I have, in the microwave?

This is when I keep repeating to myself — Okay, breathe. Breathe before you talk. Seriously? You just asked me for milk and once I say mine might not be cold enough you MAGICALLY pull one of your out of your bag, and, furthermore, was your bottle refrigerated while in that bag? And even if it was kept cold.. now you want me to zap it with microwave radiation in a 123ft airplane filled with 150 other people?!

After the evil and mean thoughts subside the textbook response comes out:

I’m sorry, we don’t have a fridge onboard because we don’t have the room nor the space for one. We use dry ice inside our carts to keep the food cold. Also, we don’t have a microwave, just ovens. I can grab a larger cup, fill it with hot water and we can rest your bottle in it until it warms up. I’ll be right back.

Who knew that milk, one of life’s most nutritious liquids can cause so much pain and anguish among flight attendants.

–

A Note for Parents Traveling with Children: If your flight has a scheduled stop in a city it is NOT okay to leave your kids on the plane by themselves for your scheduled ground time while you head into the terminal in search for food without ever telling a flight attendant that you’ve left! Especially when you have 4 kids aged between 3 and 7.