A flight attendant from Virgin Australia has given a behind-the-scenes look at a typical pre-flight routine, including checking toilets and safety equipment
It’s easy to assume during a quick changeover that cabin crew staff scramble on-board to do a quick clean before new passengers arrive.
But this is just one small part of what they do, in fact there are a whole host of areas that need checking before the first customer is welcomed on-board. A TikTok video from airline Virgin Australia documents all the important checks that cabin crews conduct behind the scenes. The first part of the pre-flight walkthrough shows a cabin crew member checking the jumpseat harness.
The jumpseat is typically where cabin crews sit during the flight, you may have even noticed that they sit in a very regimented way: with their hands tucked under their thighs. Checking the harness prior to take-off and adopting this specific position are all important measures to keep crews safe in the event of an emergency.
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According to the video, the next step of the pre-flight check involves collecting the guide that will be used to complete the remaining safety equipment checks. With this guide, cabin crews are then able to ensure that all first aid equipment – also giving them the opportunity to check the condition of the equipment.
The next part of the video shows a cabin crew member setting aside specific safety equipment. The video clarifies this is a demonstration kit – likely to be used during the pre-takeoff presentation. After these initial safety measures, a cabin crew member conducts lavatory checks and catering checks. During these assessments, cabin crews make note of water and waste levels to relay to their cabin manager.
Once fridges are stocked and all safety equipment is checked and ready, the pre-flight check is complete and cabin crews are ready to welcome guests. But this is only one element of the job, the next part begins as soon as they welcome passengers onto the aircraft.
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You may have assumed the warm greeting is motivated by good old fashioned hospitality. But according to another social media explainer, crew members are actually assessing the physical fitness of each boarding passenger at the door.
In a now-viral TikTok video, MrsMiva – who claims to work for TUI out of Stuttgart airport – has explained flight attendants use the boarding process to check if passengers are able fliers. According to the creator, flight attendants are checking to see if passengers may be “too drunk or sick to fly”.
In the caption for the video, MrsMiva also clarifies that the greeting helps attendants see who could possibly assist in the event of an emergency. The video has been viewed over 18 million times and started a flurry of conversation in the comments section.
