When it comes to travelling, cabin crew members know all the best tricks. Photo / Getty Images
When it comes to travelling, cabin crew members know all the best tricks. Photo / Getty Images
As the world's most frequent fliers, cabin crew have travelling down to a fine art.
We've scoured the web to find some of the most useful tips flight attendants have offered to keep your next trip running smoothly - from preperations, packing and precautions, to passing time at the airport.
1. Keep your luggage labelled - inside and out
Writing for MailOnline Travel, flight attendant and author Neil Jackson offered a handy hint to ensure your luggage doesn't go astray.
"Before you fly, use a marker pen and write your name, home city and email address on a sheet of A4 paper. Get it laminated in a print shop and put it inside your suitcase to identify it, if your baggage tags fall off."
While you're at the print shop, Jackson says you should make several photocopies of your passport – one for your hand luggage, one for your travel companion and one to leave with someone you trust as home.
"It sounds like overkill, but cabin crew have photos of their passports on their phones as well. They even email the pictures to themselves as a final fall-back."
While you're leaving the copy of your passport, give them a copy of your travel insurance policy too – then they'll know who to contact if you end up in any trouble.
3. Choose your seat wisely
Avoid choosing a seat near partitions on a plane, if you don't want to sit near a baby. Photo / Getty Images
While most passengers choose seats at the front of the plane, so they can disembark first, flight attendants say you'll get better service at the far end of the aircraft.
"The reason is simple: We like to avoid responding to call bells from the front of the plane because answering one means potentially flaunting whatever item the passenger has requested to everyone else along the way," a flight attendant with 2.5 years' experience wrote for Oyster.
"This can cause a problem since planes often don't have enough extra vodka, pillows, earplugs, and toothbrushes, or the time on shorter flights to deviate from the service schedule."
"For passengers sitting near the back of the plane, however, it's much easier to slip in that second mini bottle of wine."
If you'd rather not be seated near a baby, choose a seat that's located far from the bulkheads – these are the only places where a bassinet can be secured.
4. Don't order a special meal unless you have to
If you want to improve your chances of an upgrade to the pointy end of the plane, forgo ordering a special meal. According to Neil Jackson, vegetarians hardly ever get upgraded, as there may not be a suitable meal for them up front.
5. Arrive early for last-minute deals
Some airlines offer deals on upgrades on the day of a flight, Celessa Dietzel, a flight attendant with three years' experience, told Business Insider – including first class seats, sometimes.
"So be in the boarding area good and early during boarding, because this is when you'll hear the announcements for last-minute upgrade purchases you might be able to get," Dietzel said. "It's not for every airline, but it does happen."
And make sure you're dressed for the potential upgrade – don't change into your pyjamas until you know where you're sitting.
6. Consider your clothing
Don't wear shorts on a flight - as you never know where you might end up diverting to. Photo / Getty Images
Dress for any occassion.
Despite your destination, Neil Jackson says it's not a good idea to fly in shorts – because you don't know where your flight might end up.
"A recent Swiss Air flight from Zurich was aiming for Los Angeles where it was 21C and sunny. But after a technical issue it spent nearly 12 hours in Greenland - where it was -21C and snowing."
Leave the jandals for the beach as well, in case you end up evacuating the plane.
"Emergencies are incredibly rare, but if they happen you want to be in sensible shoes," Jackson says.
7. Pack smarter
Pack light and try and fit everything you need in a carry-on bag. Photo / Getty Images
Cabin crew always recommend packing light – and as the world's most frequent fliers, they've got it down to a fine art.
"I once saw a hiking documentary where someone said that we carry all of our fears in our luggage," flight attendant and travel blogger Bianca DiValerio told mentalfloss.com.
"What if I need this? What if this goes wrong? But what if it rains? Whatever it is, handle it when it happens. That is part of the joy of travel!"
If you're travelling alone, you can probably fit everything you need in a carry-on bag and avoid the wait at baggage claim later.
You can also check with your hotel to see if they have a washer/dryer available and if they do, bring some detergent packs with you. That way you can eliminate the amount of clothes you need to pack.
The way you pack is also important – and many swear by rolling, rather than folding.
The crease-defeating technique has been adopted by many frequent fliers and travel professionals.
"My favourite travel hack is definitely the clothes-roll technique," a flight attendant with one year of experience told Business Insider. "I am often gone from home for several days, even up to three weeks, and I save space by rolling my clothes instead of folding them."
8. That goes for hand luggage too
If you have to check a bag, make sure you have the things you need in your carry-on. Jackson recommends keeping a charger and power converter for your destination handy, as "often planes are delayed or diverted and don't risk dead batteries in strange countries".
There's also one other important item you'll want to have in case your bag goes missing.
"Have a change of underwear in your hand baggage. It won't take up much space but it will tide you over till the shops open if your main bag is delayed or disappears," he says.
9. Get exercise when you can
While you're waiting at the airport, try and fit some movement in. Photo / Getty Images
Get some exercise while you're waiting for your flight, as you're going to be doing a lot of sitting.
"Most people hit the bars and restaurants to pass time," DiValerio says.
"I like to take advantage of ground time by walking laps to get my steps in or just sitting and people watching.
"Everyone is coming and going. There is excitement all around and, if we take a moment to look up from our devices, that energy is contagious."
Be nice to flight attendants - you're all in this together. Photo / Getty Images
While delayed flights are annoying for everyone, don't take your frustration out on the crew - according to mentalfloss.com, they might not even be getting paid yet.
"Our pay starts when the forward entry door is closed," DiValerio says. "That means every time we are boarding or deplaning or the flight is delayed due to weather, mechanicals, or medicals, we aren't making money."
As we all know, a little kindness goes a long way.
"We're just as anxious to get on the move as you are," DiValerio says. "If it happens to be the end of our trip, we too have families waiting for us at home, parties to get to, holidays to enjoy, and funerals to attend."
