The long haul flight to Japan is a breeze in Air NZ’s comfortable Business Premier seating. Video / Air New Zealand
The life of a flight attendant is anything but boring. While flying to and from destinations like New York, Narita and Chicago, Air New Zealand flight attendant Logan Buckley sees a lot of incredible things.
He is also asked a lot of questions by passengers. From practical to peculiar, Buckley shares the most common the crew hear.
‘Have you got a pen?’
This is probably one of the most common questions, Buckley said, adding they always recommend passengers bring a pen onboard for arrival cards or other notes.
“Sometimes we can help supply you with one, but of course, there’s often not enough to go around, so next time you’re doing your travel checklist, make sure you add ‘pen’ to your list,” he said.
Logan Buckley said people often ask for pens, noodle cup snacks and why they can't use the business class bathrooms. Photo / Supplied
‘Do you serve noodle cups?’
It may seem like an unusually specific question but Buckley revealed that other airlines overseas sometimes offer this snack, so people tend to ask.
“We cannot serve noodle cups for health and safety reasons as they don’t have lids,” he said. However, the team can offer other snacks during the flight, such as the iconic Cookie Time Cookies. All passengers need to do is ask.
‘What meal options do you have?’
Passengers are typically told the meal options far before the service begins but Buckley said it’s still one of the most common questions.
“We give our customers plenty of notice before meal service of what meal choices are on offer, but we’re often still asked,” he said. Repeating the offer can get a little repetitive and while the crew were happy to remind people, Buckley encouraged passengers to remove their headphones and listen in for the announcement, if they can.
Unfortunately, options are limited when it comes to stretching out or lifting the heart rate on a plane. However, Buckley said they often tell people to take a little walk around and stand up for a bit.
“If you need to go for a walk feel free to come say hello to us in the galley, we’re always keen for a chat but there’s not quite enough space to do any yoga,” he said.
‘Why can’t I pass the curtain to use the toilet in business class?’
The question is one that has often caused heated debate among travellers and Buckley has a firm but fair response at the ready.
When people ask why they can’t pop into the business class bathroom, Buckley said it was all about ensuring people enjoy a positive and peaceful flight.
“We want to make sure all our customers onboard have a fantastic experience and avoid too much foot traffic past our customers, so we keep people to their respective cabins,” he said.
