Flight Attendant Clears up One Big Misconception About First Class Service
Stop me if you've ever been through this before: you're sitting in economy, maybe even premium economy, and you're just behind the first-class seating area. Shortly into the flight, a crew member jumps on the intercom to warn passengers that drink service is either delayed or cancelled due to predicted turbulence. OK, no problem, life happens- but then, you look up and see that the passengers just in front of you in first class are sipping champagne!
What the heck? Did the crew members lie to you? Do they just not feel like doing their jobs for the whole cabin? Those are the kinds of thoughts many economy passengers have had after witnessing this exact scenario take place. However, flight attendant and travel vlogger "BrenFrend" knows what's actually going on, and on March 9, he took to TikTok to clear up this misconception.
The source of confusion, according to @bren_friend, comes down to the difference between "hand" service and "cart" service. Unlike the passengers sitting in the rest of the plane, who get served with those giant beverage carts, first-class passengers get hand service, meaning that flight attendants can just get up and grab them something from the galley without hauling out any heavy equipment. It may seem unfair that first-class passengers can still get served while the rest of the plane goes without, but Bren claims that's for everyone's safety.
"That is hundreds of pounds full of cans, and then you have hot coffee on top, so if there's any unscheduled or unplanned turbulence, or if there is planned turbulence, you don't want that splashing and burning you and burning other people," Bren explained. "It takes time to wheel that cart out and wheel it back in."
Bren personally knows flight attendants who were thrown to the ceiling multiple times when their flight was hit with unscheduled turbulence during beverage service. Those attendants were so severely injured that they were out of work for two years on Workman's Comp. In his caption, Bren also referenced the Hawaiian Airlines incident in July 2023, in which, according to USA Today, three flight attendants and four passengers were injured after the plane "encountered unexpected severe turbulence."
There are, of course, cases where turbulence is too severe for anyone to get served: first class, economy, or otherwise. However, in a follow-up video, Bren explained that because first-class cabins are usually pretty small and close to the galley, flight attendants can potentially still serve first-class guests if turbulence is predicted but not yet active. It depends a lot on the airline, the size of the first-class cabin, the layout of the plane, and how bad the weather is outside.
Taking Care of the Snack Situation
In his own travels, Bren has learned not to expect cabin service as a given, and instead brings his own food and drink on board or eats between connecting flights. While he acknowledges that sometimes life gets in the way, he advises that other air travelers cover their bases by doing the same whenever possible.
Speaking personally, although I don't usually get hungry on planes (except on long-haul flights), I make sure to always bring a reusable water bottle with me when I fly. If you get the travel munchies something fierce, though, flight attendant "CiCi in the Sky" has a great how-to guide on making "snackle boxes" that offer a diversity of snacks in a compact, carry-on friendly container.
My personal philosophy is to treat myself like a first-class passenger, even when I can't afford a first-class seat. If I have a drink or a snack I want on board, I do my best to bring it with me so that even if cabin service gets cancelled, I'm set. Turbulence or no, preparing for the worst always helps- even if it's for something as minor as getting your snack on!
For more WanderWisdom updates, be sure to follow us on Google News!
Have you had a funny, interesting, or just highly memorable experience while traveling? We'd love for you to submit a video of your travels for a chance to be featured on WanderWisdom and our social channels! Click here to upload your clip and share your adventures with the world.
