From LA to New York

Posted in A Day in the Life of a Flight Attendant | 5 comments

For the last two months when putting in my bids, I’ve been trying to avoid JFK and I succeeded. However, the trips at the end of September and all of October that I usually like to bid no longer exist. Almost all the four-day commutable trips go to JFK once. Honestly, its kind of expected, I work for a growing airline with limited destinations.

However, with flying to JFK comes working the dreaded Los Angeles – New York flights. Those flights seem to boast the most needy, demanding, and rudest people on planet earth. Of course not all of them are that way, but most are. In my first year at my current airline, its all I flew, and honestly, I got burnt out. But, I just worked my first LA-NY flight in 2 months and I was re-initiated into the club.

It started off as a good morning, I had plenty of sleep, I woke up refreshed and rejuvenated and I was ready to fly. Once we started boarding, I knew we had a problem.

This woman came on board and instantly made a comment about our lighting, saying it wasn’t bright enough. She couldn’t seem to understand why the cabin wasn’t fully lite with white lights. I explained to her that the lights were on as high as they could go, but she should feel free to leave her window open and reading lights on to help brighten up her area.

We took off and it came time to take orders for lunch in First class, then it happened, all hell broke loose.

We have a company policy that states when flying from the West to the East you take orders from 1A to the end of the F/C cabin, then when flying from East to the West you reverse it and take orders from the last seat to the first seat. So, I followed procedure and when I got to the last seat, I found the lady with the lighting issue.

So, nicely, I asked if I could get her something to drink and then I said something I hate saying but it has to be done:

The only option from First class that I have left is the Pork entree. Unfortunately, the vegetarian option has already been selected by other passengers. However, if the Pork isn’t okay for you, I can glady get you an option from the main cabin.

Her response was simply “No.”

So I responded with “No?” And she started screaming:

No. I don’t want the Pork and No, I don’t want anything from the coach. I’m in First Class and I want a first class meal. Tell someone else that you ran out of the veggie entre, why does it have to be me?

So explained to her the process of taking orders and the fact that we don’t have 2 of each meal per passenger to choose from because that would be a waste. She again asked me to tell someone else they were out because she flew on my airline over American because she heard so much about our food. I told her that I wouldn’t be able to tell other people that I ran out, because she was speaking so loudly that the rest of the passengers overheard what she wants me to do. I thought I’d comprise and said that I would go ask the other passengers who selected the vegetarian option if they would consider switching, but made no guarantee that it would make the entre available.

Of course, no one switched. They shouldn’t have to, either. I don’t blame them.

So, I went back to her and said

I apologize. I asked the other passengers if they would switch their option and they all declined. So, once again, I can get you the Pork entre or one of the vegetarian options from main cabin, and, should Pork be the problem and Chicken is okay,  the appetizer I have is Chicken.

Then, I got the typical LA-NY response, that I should have expected: Was the chicken raised with hormones?

Okay, now I realize I’m about to lose my cool. But she beat me to it. She started screaming again that she was in First class, wanted a First class meal, she  felt it was RUDE that I offered her the veggie option then took it away, she thought she was dreaming, she said she never received such rude service. So I responded that I was done with this situation and should she need anything, please ring the call button.

I continued my First Class service and passed out the appetizers. After 20 minutes, I got a call button. Guess who? She called me over and said that I was discriminating against her now, because we didn’t get along, and that’s why I didn’t serve her an appetizer. I told her that I already offered it to her, and she declined because I couldn’t tell if the chicken was raised with hormones. She said she NEVER said she’d pass on it, and she wants it. I told her “no problem, It’ll be right out.”

About 30 minutes after she got the appetizer, “DING.” It’s her again.

I never eat Pork, but I’m so hungry, I guess I’ll take it. I can’t believe you personally tried to starve me and deny me food by not getting me the veggie option, but I’ll take the Pork.I also want your contact information and place to send a letter about how you treated me.

So, I sucked it up, without telling her “you’re F****G ridiculous!” and served her the Pork. She ate, EVERY last piece. Seriously. (I have pictures.)

The passenger in 1F (seated in front of this crazy woman) gets up to use the restroom. She comes into the galley and says “what the hell is her problem?” I apologized for her having to hear me argue with this lady, and she said it was fine. She said it was kind of comical for the passengers in Row 1. I mentioned to her how this passenger just requested my information to send a bad letter about me to the company. She was shocked. Shocked that this woman could be so unreasonable. She grabbed my pen, and wrote down her email on a business card of mine. She told me that if she tried to mess with me, and if I received a letter about today’s flight to contact her, and she would send a positive letter on my behalf. Thank you Melissa Rivers. You are such an AWESOME woman and you were pleasure to have on my flight! Thank you for your support!

Finally, as the woman with the issue left the aircraft in New York she said “thanks, hun, you’ve been so sweet.” I didn’t know what to think about this! You gave me such an issue the whole flight long, and now you’re trying to be nice? Buh bye now!

Edited on 9/24 to add: Melissa has read and responded to this blog on twitter:

MelRivers: I am following u because of: http://bit.ly/poE1G Glad I could help. That woman was nuts. Xo

and my readers (and friends on twitter) responded supporting Melissa by following her on twitter which prompted her to respond with:

MelRivers: Thanks to all my new f/a followers. People don’t get how hard your job can be. Xo

Like I said above, she’s truly one of the most down to earth, fun and real celebrities I’ve ever met. Thanks again! Hopefully, I won’t have to email you and request that letter and that lady will just keep living her life in her own little bubble.