Why flight attendants hate Diet Coke and other shocking secrets

Why flight attendants hate Diet Coke and other shocking secrets

Next time you order Diet Coke and see your flight attendant looking glum - don't worry, it is not you, it's the drink.

In a tell-all book, former flight attendant Heather Poole talks about the competitive role of a cabin crew and revealed shocking secrets of their work life that some might find ridiculous or amusing.

Diet Coke is the bane of flight attendants, according to Poole who worked in the airline industry for over 15 years, due to the fizzy nature of the drink. It takes "forever" for the fizz to settle and the waiting time can have her serving three more passengers, she shared with Metalfloss.com.

We have heard of people attempting to sneak their pets up in the plane, but some have also tried to fly with their dead family member.

A quick search online shows there have been a few cases of people trying to board the plane with their dead relative and almost getting away with it.

In 2010, BBC reported that two women tried to sneak a dead 91-year-old man onto the plane by saying he was asleep and covering his eyes with sunglasses. The women - his widow and step-daughter - were subsequently arrested by the police.

Why so? According to Poole, it is expensive to transport human bodies and depending on the airline, it can cost up to US$5,000 (S$7,000).

If a dead body is discovered during the flight, the plane will have to make an unscheduled stop or find a way to store the body.

Getting the job is already tough, but flight attendants can also be fired during their strict probation period for bizarre reasons, Poole reported.

She knew of one new hire who lost her job for not being properly dressed - as she was seen with her uniform sweater tied around her waist.

wjeanne@sph.com.sg

This website is best viewed using the latest versions of web browsers.