attendant

An easyJet flight attendant has revealed the ‘secret language’ that cabin crew use to communicate with each other while on board a flight

An easyJet flight attendant has spilled the beans on the covert language they use to communicate while onboard. An anonymous member of the budget airline’s cabin crew popped up on their Instagram feed to spill the secrets.

She clarified that, due to the sheer number of passengers on a plane and the length of an aircraft’s fuselage, cabin crew can’t always communicate verbally with each other. This means they have devised a ‘secret language’ for communication.

Interestingly, it is not a spoken language, but more akin to sign language, with various gestures signifying different things. She revealed: “While I’m here on my own I’ll let you into a little secret.

“As cabin crew you may be aware but we do have a secret language on board, a way of communicating to each other when we want food items and with over 200 passengers on board the plane is very long so you may have noticed that if you would like a ham and cheese sandwich we do a croque monsieur, a chicken wrap, and a calzone pizza but don’t tell anyone I told you.”

Whilst mentioning the croque monsieur, she mimicked a crocodile with her hand. For the chicken wrap, she extended an arm out like a chicken wing before rolling her hands together to signify a wrap. Lastly, for the calzone, she placed the heel of her hands together before bringing her palms and fingers together, presumably to illustrate the folding together of a calzone.

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People in the comments section were impressed, with one saying: “Absolutely iconic!”

“We were just talking about this after our flight last month,” said another, while one person said: “I saw a crew member do this to another crew member, I realised it was internal sign language!”

“I often watch the crew doing this trying to work out what they’re on about lol,” one person said. Another said: “Ha ha my Mrs worked a few out on our flight back to MAN from AGP last week.”

Sherry Martin Peters, a flight attendant and founder of Atlas + Wild, has shared a list of her favourite supermarket buys she makes sure to put in her shopping basket when abroad

Is there a sensation that etches itself more deeply and immediately into the British brain than the first time you enter a French supermarket?

I doubt I will ever forget the thrilling aroma of different chilled meats, walking down an aisle of completely unfamiliar cereals, or realising that you can buy small fireworks and about 400 varieties of drink syrup in a single shop.

Supermarket shopping abroad is a serious phenomenon on social media, with more than 50 million posts related to ‘grocery store travel’ on TikTok. It is packed full of travellers showing off their finds and remarking at how different everyday things are abroad.

Last year, travel giant Expedia identified “supermarket tourism” or “Goods Getaways” as a major trend for 2025. The firm predicted that more travelers, particularly Gen Z, would visit foreign supermarkets to find unique products that have gone viral on social media.

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OPINION

Milo Boyd

Sherry Martin Peters, a flight attendant and founder of Atlas + Wild, has avidly visited different supermarkets throughout her long career of jet-setting across the world.

“Tourists seek landmarks and magnets for souvenirs. Flight attendants seek out grocery stores. We know which Lisbon supermarkets stock sangria worthy of wrapping inside a shoe, which Korean store to stock up on collagen face masks, which French markets sell lavender honey that doubles as a sleep remedy, and which South African shelves hold rooibos tea rich enough to taste like rest,” she told the Mirror.

“Fresh Italian pasta. Salted butter from France. Brazilian mate packed between uniforms. Lisbon sardines in artful tins. These aren’t novelty purchases — they are edible memories, our way of claiming a place as lived, not just passed through. If you ever were to peek inside a flight attendants pantry, it’d look like an international grocery store. And that gives us comfort.”

Sherry has shared her favourite foreign supermarkets when travelling abroad, and what she buys in them. “Some of this may be found in specialty stores in the U.S. but we are buying the same at dirt cheap prices,” she notes.

Do you have any foreign supermarket staples or any tips for shopping abroad? We’d love to hear from you. Please email [email protected]

Italy: Carrefour, Coop, and Esselunga

• One litre bottle of “rustic unfiltered” olive oil by Carapelli
• Any Italian red wine that’s about 7-10 euros – they are all fantastic
• Fresh hand-cut pasta from Maffei or from a local pasta shop
• Tomato paste by Tuscanini or Mutti
• Canned tomatoes and tomato sauce by Cento, La Fiammante, Divella and Mutti
• Fresh chunks of Parmesan for grating

France: Monoprix

• Bordier Butter, or Grand Fermage Sel de Mer (sea salt butter) is a cult product
• Lulu Barquettes boat cookies
• St Michel Original Madeleines
• Fleur de Sel gray sea salt
• Duck Confit Reflets De France (duck in a can)
• Torres Truffle potato chips
• Pringles (taste better than in the US)

Portugal: El Corte Inglés and Continente

• Dom Simon sangria (actually from Spain) and cinnamon sticks to marinate it in
• Local wines like Vino Verde, but use the Vivino app to look for ratings to try new ones
• Fresh pastéis de nata (custard tarts Portugal is famous for) from the bakery
• Grand Fermage Sel de Mer butter (French)

Oct. 27 (UPI) — A Delta Air Lines flight attendant inadvertently deployed the plane’s emergency slide, before departing Pittsburgh International Airport over the weekend, forcing passengers to rebook and costing the airline “as much as $200,000.”

Passengers, bound for Salt Lake City on the Airbus A220-300, were rebooked onto other flights Saturday night and Sunday morning.

“While the aircraft door was being opened, crew inadvertently deployed an emergency slide at the gate in PIT,” a Delta Air Lines spokesperson said in a statement. “As a result, customers on the return flight from PIT to SLC were rebooked on other Delta flights to their destination later that evening or the following morning.”

The expensive error could cost the airline “as much as $200,000” for passengers’ hotel accommodations and repacking the slide, which can cost $12,000, according to aviation website simplifying.com. Other industry sources put the cost to repack an emergency slide on Airbus A220 models between $50,000 and $100,000.

The flight attendant told passengers he had 26 years of flying experience and admitted he accidentally raised the door handle while arming the plane for departure, which triggered the emergency slide to inflate.

“He did apologize and was quite flustered, cited over the 26 years of career, it never happened,” one passenger said.

Emergency slides are built to fully deploy in seconds in order to get passengers to safety as quickly as possible. In this case, the slide deployed against the jet bridge. That left passengers trapped inside the plane for more than an hour as engineers worked to disassemble it.

Bob. Mermaid. Code 300. Gate lice. These are all code words that flight attendants use to subtly discuss passengers when whizzing along at 30,000 feet. Knowing how to crack the code is key to working out what they’re talking about

Flight attendants have a subtle way of letting each other know if there is a hottie onboard.

When working the aisles at 30,000 feet, there isn’t much room for maneuvering a food trolley around or gossiping about which of the passengers has caught your eye. Which is why flight attendants use two code words to make it clear which way their heart is beating.

“If you hear them refer to someone as ‘Bob’, they are using the secret acronym ‘babe on board’. When you are disembarking from the aircraft, if the flight attendant says ‘cheerio’ to you this could also be code they have a secret crush!” a flight attendant, who asked to remain anonymous, told eShores.

“We always run back to the galley and let the rest of the crew know where the sexy passenger is sat. We will be extra nice to them and give them freebies. I can confirm phone numbers have definitely been written on napkins!”

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Sherry Martin Peters, a veteran flight attendant and founder of Atlas + Wild AtlasAndWild.com, is keen for passengers to know that, behind the professional exterior, she and her colleagues lead intriguing and sometimes less glamorous than you might expect.

“I’ve been an international flight attendant for 26 years, and passengers only see the smiling, polished version of us—but there’s an entirely different reality behind that image,” she told the Mirror.

“We speak in acronyms because airline lingo becomes its own mother tongue. Trips aren’t described by days, but by city: ‘I’m flying Athens this month.’ Casually mentioning having lunch in New York, then breakfast in Paris is not bragging — it’s just Tuesday and it’s our normal. Confusing to outsiders, yes. You may start to understand it, and even speak our language to some extent if you are married to us, or are close friends.

“Our geography is fluid. Our bodies no longer belong to a single time zone. So we build rituals to feel grounded — even when we’re 35,000 feet above it.”

There are plenty of other codewords that flight attendants deploy when subtly chatting about passengers. They include:

• Mermaid – A playful yet passive-aggressive nickname for a passenger who deliberately sprawls out across empty seats to deter others from sitting in their row.
• Code 300 or Angel – These indicate that someone has died on board.
• ABP – translates to ‘able-bodied passengers’. These are individuals that the crew seek out just in case of an emergency.
• Gate Lice – This term refers to passengers, often inexperienced flyers, who crowd around or line up at a gate at an airport, completely blocking the boarding area and preventing First and Business Class passengers from getting on the plane when they’re allowed to.

Have a story you want to share? Email us at [email protected].

Andrea Owen, who has been TUI cabin crew since 2003, has shared her top tips for flying with children to boost your chances of as little going wrong as possible

A flight attendant has shared her top tip for boosting the chance that a flight with kids goes well.

Andrea Owen, who has been TUI cabin crew since 2003, has lifted the lid on some of the best tips for travelling with children that she’s learned in her 22 years of flying.

From short-haul to long-haul flights, Andrea has flown at least 3,000 times and sees hundreds of families take to the skies every week to some of TUI’s popular destinations, such as Majorca, the Canaries, Mexico, and Jamaica.

Andrea says: “After all these years of flying I have looked after thousands of families, I can tell you that the secret to stress-free family travel is preparation. I always tell parents to expect the unexpected, pack more snacks than you think you’ll need, and don’t be afraid to ask crew for help. A lot of us are parents too, and we genuinely want every family to have a great start to their holiday.”

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Andrea’s number one tip to having a successful flight is to choose the right boarding time. When, exactly, is a personal decision.

“This one really depends on your child’s personality, and you know them best. Some families find that boarding as soon as possible gives them that extra breathing space to get settled, stow the bags, and get the kids comfortable in their seats without feeling rushed. But I’ve also seen plenty of parents who swear by boarding last, especially if their little ones can’t sit still for long,” she said.

Below are Andrea’s other top tips:

Relieve ear pressure

“This is one of the most common concerns parents ask me about, and it’s really easy to solve. For babies and toddlers, feeding during take-off and landing is brilliant, whether that’s breastfeeding, a bottle, or even just a dummy – the sucking motion helps equalize ear pressure. For older children, give them chewy sweets or lollipops about 30 minutes before landing as that’s when the pressure really starts to build. I’ve seen many tears avoided with this simple trick.”

Always pack a variety of activities

“I recommend packing a small bag stuffed with variety – different toys, activities, and snacks. What works brilliantly is either letting them pack their own bag so they’re excited or pack some surprise toys they haven’t seen before. Keep everything small and compact with plenty of pencils, crayons, and paper. A surprise sticker book with a little bag of sweets is absolute gold. The games I see working best are Snap, Dobble, and colouring. And here’s a lovely tip – encourage your children to draw pictures for the cabin crew. We absolutely love receiving them and always have a stash of stickers at the ready for every flight.”

Help them to feel prepared

“Preparation is everything when it comes to keeping children calm. Before you leave for the airport, talk through exactly what’s going to happen. Checking in, going through security, boarding the plane, and what take-off and landing will feel like. Let them know about the noises they might hear and explain that their ears might feel different. This is particularly useful if your child is neurodiverse. The key is to make it sound like an exciting adventure rather than something to worry about.”

Bring your home comforts

“Packing home comforts like a small pillow, blanket or cuddly toys can help children of all ages feel more relaxed. If you’re travelling at times when your child would normally be having a nap or going to bed, I really encourage parents to try and stick to that routine as much as possible. Let them sleep if they want to, you’ll arrive at your destination feeling so much fresher and ready to enjoy your holiday. It’s also worth thinking about time zones if you’re flying long haul. Maybe start adjusting their sleep schedule a day or two before you travel. A well-rested child makes for a much happier holiday start!”

Dress in layers

“The temperature on board can vary throughout the flight. That’s why I always recommend dressing your child in layers so you can add or remove clothing to keep them comfortable. It’s always handy to pack a spare pair of clothes in your hand luggage just in case of a spill or accident. I’ve seen many parents caught out without a change of clothes, and it makes the rest of the flight uncomfortable for the both of you.”

Snack trays

“Those little snack trays with multiple compartments come in really handy. Kids absolutely love them and there’s something about having lots of different treats in separate sections that keeps them entertained for ages. You can fill each compartment with different snacks: fruit, crackers, cheese cubes, raisins, a couple of sweets. It turns snack time into something fun and interactive, and it means you’re not constantly rummaging through bags. We also have healthy snack boxes for kids available onboard which they love, so there will always be something they can eat. “

Don’t be afraid to ask cabin crew for help

“Don’t ever feel worried about asking us for help, that’s what we’re here for. Over my 22 years of flying, I’ve seen everything. We’ve warmed countless bottles, fetched extra sick bags, provided colouring sheets, and even entertained little ones while parents take a breather. Many of us are parents ourselves, so we completely understand how overwhelming it can feel. Whether you need extra wipes, help with the overhead locker, or just some reassurance, we’re here to make your journey smoother.”

“We know flying can feel overwhelming for families, whether it’s your first flight with kids or you have an anxious flyer in the family, there are lots of simple and easy tips you can put into place to make it seem that little bit less daunting.”

Oct. 2 (UPI) — Two planes operated by Delta Air Lines subsidiary Endeavor Air collided Wednesday night on the tarmac of New York City’s LaGuardia Airport, according to reports, which said one person was injured.

Delta Air Lines described the incident in a statement as a “low-speed collision” between Endeavor Air Flight 5047 and Endeavor Flight 5155.

Flight 5047 was arriving from Charlotte, N.C., while Flight 5155 was to depart for Roanoke, Virginia.

Delta said preliminary information shows that the wing of Flight 5155 made contact with Flight 5047’s fuselage.

The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey said the collision occurred at a gate at 9:58 p.m. EDT.

Delta said a flight attendant suffered a minor injury in the collision, while the port authority said they had been transported to a nearby hospital as a precaution.

“Delta teams at our New York-LaGuardia hub are working to ensure our customers are taken care of after two Delta Connection aircraft operated by Endeavor Air were involved in a low-speed collision during taxi,” Delta said in the statement.

“Delta will work with all relevant authorities to review what occurred as safety of our customers and people comes before all else. We apologize to our customers for the experience.”

The incident is the first to occur during the government shutdown, which has shuttered programs and left federal workers furloughed.

Earlier Wednesday, the National Air Traffic Controllers Association warned that government shutdowns “reduce the safety and efficiency” of the National Airspace System and erode safety.

“During a shutdown, critical safety support staff are furloughed, and support programs are suspended, making it difficult for air traffic controllers and other aviation safety professionals to perform at optimum levels,” it said in a statement.

Skye Taylor, 50, from Southampton, travelled the world with Virgin Atlantic for 16 years and has revealed the worst routes for drunk and disorderly passengers

A former cabin crew worker has shared her experiences of “absolute chaos” on certain routes where passengers consumed the most alcohol.

Ex-flight attendant Skye Taylor, who spent 16 years travelling the globe with Virgin Atlantic, made her comments after a discussion on RTÉ’s Today with Claire Byrne show. Travel correspondent Simon Calder sparked the debate by questioning whether it was time to trial alcohol-free flights.

Simon highlighted an increase in individuals combining alcohol with prescription drugs, leading Claire to ask: “If the airlines decide that they’re going to trial this and ban the sale of alcohol on flights, does it not just encourage us to get tanked up at the airport?”

After the conversation, Skye, 50, from Southampton, argued that a complete ban wasn’t the solution. However, she did advocate for restrictions on alcohol, attributing most of the issues she faced on the job to alcohol-related incidents.

Offering a troubling insight, she revealed: “Long haul flights… It is absolute chaos sometimes. I had an absolutely awful experience in upper class. I am going to say it because it was awful.

“There were a lot of quite well off guys off to a boxing match in Vegas and because they were in upper class there was no control on how much they were drinking.

“They literally drunk the bar dry which led to some behaviour that I couldn’t imagine seeing, like trying to touch the cabin crew, just in general, awful.”

She revealed that passengers mixing alcohol with prescription medication often caused the biggest headaches.

Skye also urged travellers to exercise caution, revealing how one drink at 30,000ft in the air was equivalent to downing three on the ground.

The mum, who left the industry after developing insomnia, said some upper class passengers felt overly entitled after splashing out so much cash for their seat.

However, she insisted this shouldn’t give them the right to make cabin crew workers feel threatened.

And discussing the contrast in different destinations, she added: “It is crazy to see the difference in routes. Say you are going to Dubai, the majority of your passengers are not going to be drinking because they don’t drink alcohol (in Dubai), so there are very very few incidents on flights like that.

“But the rest of the time the incidents are caused by alcohol and it is scary, it is scary sometimes when you are up there.”

So what does Skye reckon are the worst flights for drunken behaviour?

Las Vegas

Skye discovered the American party capital Las Vegas was the worst flight when departing from the UK.

She explained: “On the way out it can just be carnage. Which does make you feel unsafe as crew and other passengers if they are flying with families and stuff like that as well.”

But the return journey is frequently vastly different.

She revealed: “It is very different, if you come back from Vegas nobody wants to drink on the way home, so it is a very different atmosphere. Everyone is relaxed, chilled, everyone is going to sleep. It makes your job very easy.”

Magaluf and Ibiza

Predictably, two of Spain’s most legendary party hotspots featured on Skye’s list of the most challenging flights.

While detailing some of her tactics for handling disruptive passengers (see below), Skye highlighted the destinations as among the most problematic on budget carrier routes.

Jamaica

Remembering a flight to the Jamaican capital of Kingston, she revealed “it was absolutely chaos”.

Skye added: “And it was a big aircraft but we had the staff to deal with it then and I think most airlines now don’t have the staff. They are down to minimum crew and that’s not leaving anyone to watch for people drinking because they are too busy.”

The most challenging route, she discovers, is from the UK to Las Vegas.

Following her description of Las Vegas as the most difficult route, Skye noted that paradoxically, on the homeward flight to England, nobody aboard wishes to drink.

‘Booze ban is not the answer’

According to the International Air Transport Association, air rage incidents have risen by 8% in the past year. And while not believing that an alcohol prohibition on flights was the solution, Skye did offer one recommendation.

According to Skye, most difficulties emerged when travellers brought aboard alcohol purchased in the airport, before uncorking the bottle during the flight. She firmly believes any booze bought in duty free should be collected during boarding, then returned after touchdown.

Skye reckons this would prevent passengers “acting like they are in Wetherspoons” which occurs on numerous routes.

She concluded: “It definitely needs tighter restrictions and even if alcohol is free on board, just reduce that, especially routes that cause the problems, so low cost routes it is going to be Ibiza, Magluf, that type of flight.

“Stop them bringing alcohol on that board, because that is when they act up. I don’t know how they get away with it anyway, it is purchased outside the aircraft and it shouldn’t be in their hands, that’s my opinion.”

A flight attendant has shared the eight items she believes are essential to bring on a plane, especially if it’s a long-haul flight, as it will make your experience more relaxing an enjoyable

Flying off somewhere, whether it’s for a holiday or for something else, can be nerve-wracking, particularly when you’re facing a lengthy flight or you’re not an experienced traveller. One of the most crucial tasks before heading to the airport is ensuring you’ve packed all your must-have items.

Holiday packing can feel daunting, as it’s a mix of trying to squeeze everything in whilst avoiding creases, worrying about taking too much, or panicking you haven’t brought enough with you. Whilst many travellers choose to check their luggage, you’ll still be permitted to bring a small bag into the cabin as hand luggage.

Taking to social media, cabin crew member Chloe has revealed eight items she considers absolutely vital to take aboard an plane in your hand luggage, especially for long-distance journeys, as they’ll make your trip more pleasant and comfortable.

“Must haves on planes, from a flight attendant,” she posted on the opening slide of her TikTok post.

She then went on to dive into her recommendations of things that she things are essential to pack for a plane.

1. ‘Poo’ spray

Using the loo on an aircraft can be an uncomfortable situation for some passengers, particularly when nature calls for number twos. To make the ordeal more bearable for yourself and fellow travellers, Chloe suggested packing a ‘poo spray’.

Whilst it might sound peculiar, the spray is applied either around the lavatory or straight into the toilet bowl and will consequently mask unpleasant bathroom odours.

“It’s called Poopurri and yes it works. Be a good human and spray before you walk away,” Chloe posted.

2. Snacks & drinks

Next, she suggested bringing your own food and beverages aboard the aircraft. Her primary reasoning for this centres on how unforeseen turbulence or conditions might postpone the scheduled meal service.

“If turbulence hits, you might not get served for hours,” she explained. “Bring your own snacks and drinks, plane food is mid anyway.”

3. Disposable toothbrush

“Nothing hits like brushing your teeth after a long flight nap,” she said. “These little guys are pre-pasted! No sink, no mess, just fresh.”

The item she endorsed was a multipack of throwaway mini toothbrushes that already contain toothpaste, eliminating one additional product from your packing list.

Should you prefer not to purchase another single-use item, an excellent alternative would be simply packing your own toothbrush and toothpaste in your hand luggage for freshening up before touchdown.

4. Noise-cancelling headphones

Aircraft can be loud, which can make the journey feel considerably longer than it actually is. To combat this, Chloe suggests packing some noise-cancelling headphones for use during the flight.

“Trust me – they’re a lifesaver, she said. “Block out crying babies, engine noise, and snoring seatmates. “”.

“Just make sure they come with a wire for in-flight screens,” she added.

5. Steam eye mask

“Best travel hack I’ve found,” she said about her fifth tip, which was steam eye masks. These masks help to boost blood flow around your peepers.

The warmth can also help you unwind and drift off more easily.

“The heat soothes my dry, tired eyes and eases the pressure. It’s the only reason I can sleep on flights now,” Chloe said.

6. AirFly

If you’ve got headphones or earbuds that need Bluetooth to function, having a Bluetooth transmitter, such as an AirFly, will let you use your own headphones for the in-flight entertainment.

“A game changer for anyone who flies and wants to use their own wireless earbuds instead of those uncomfortable airline headphones,” Chloe said.

7. Good neck pillow

If you know you’ll want to kip or chill out during your flight, investing in a neck pillow can be brilliant for preventing a stiff or sore neck.

However, Chloe warned her viewers to ensure they purchase a decent quality one.

She said: “Not all neck pillows are created equal. Find one that actually supports your head or risk waking up with neck pain and regret.”

8. Passport and pen

Finally, as most travellers will already know, the most crucial item you need to take on your flight is your valid passport.

But Chloe also made sure to mention that you should pack your own biro.

“Double-check that your passport isn’t expired. And bring your own pen!” she said. “You’ll need it for customs forms, and flight attendants never seem to have extras.”

Chloe then shared a few more tips to make your flight more comfortable, including wearing compression socks, carrying gum or mints, a pill case with medications, sanitising wipes, hand sanitiser, a reusable water bottle, and face masks.

Over the past week, as the summer holidays draw to an inevitable close and the return to work and school looms, searches for ‘how to get over jet lag’ have risen by more than 400%

A flight attendant has suggested that passengers switch on one setting to maximise their chances of beating jet lag.

Returning from summer holidays can feel less than fun when jet lag hits. Over the past week, as the summer holidays draw to an inevitable close and the return to work and school looms, searches for ‘how to get over jet lag’ have risen by more than 400%.

A British Airways flight attendant, who spoke on condition of anonymity, has shared her tips for overcoming the worst of the timezone-based ailment. Here are her top techniques:

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1. Adjust your phone’s blue light settings

One of the primary causes of jet lag is the disruption of your body’s natural sleep-wake cycle. To counteract this, change the setting on your phone to automatically switch off blue light after a certain time. Blue light, similar to natural daylight, tricks your eyes into staying awake, hindering your ability to wind down to a restful sleep.

2. Wear sunglasses upon arrival

If your destination is ahead of your body’s time zone, wearing sunglasses upon arrival can be a clever hack to block out excessive daylight exposure. Flight crews always suggest donning sunglasses during your journey from the airport to your accommodation to help your body adjust to the local time and ease into a more relaxed state without straining your eyes.

3. Gradually adjust your sleep schedule

When travelling east, it is often the time difference that presents the most significant challenge for combating jet lag. To prepare your body for the shift, adopt a gradual approach. Start adjusting your sleep schedule one week before your trip by going to bed an hour earlier each night. This pre-emptive step will make the time adjustment smoother and help you feel more refreshed upon arrival.

4. Nourish with light snacks

During instances when you need to stay awake a little longer, especially when the clocks go back, we recommend having a light snack. Some travellers might be hesitant to eat during the nighttime of their home country, but it’s important to remember that food is fuel. A light snack can provide a much-needed energy boost and keep you alert during extended periods of wakefulness.

5. Brush your teeth

A common tip among flight crews is to brush your teeth. The mint in the toothpaste can provide an invigorating sensation, giving you a quick burst of energy and temporarily fighting off fatigue.

6. Gel eye patches for revived eyes

Travelling can take a toll on your eyes, leaving them feeling tired and dehydrated. Flight attendants swear by gel eye patches as an effective remedy. These patches combat tired eyes and help rehydrate the delicate skin around the eyes, leaving you looking and feeling refreshed. You can find some great gel eye patches on Cult Beauty.

7. Take short naps strategically

Napping can be tempting, especially if you are feeling fatigued after a long flight. However, taking long naps or napping at the wrong time can disrupt your sleep schedule even further, so as soon as you arrive, adjust to the local time. And opt for short power naps (20-30 mins) to recharge without interfering with your nighttime sleep.

Ryanair’s optional seat reservation fees can quickly add up – but a former cabin crew member has shared a clever tip that could help you sit together without paying

Flying with a budget airline such as Ryanair can sometimes feel like rolling the dice.

While flight prices are often low, the extra fees for things like luggage, priority boarding and choosing your seat can quickly add up – especially if you’re travelling in a group and want to sit together.

Many travellers assume they’ve got no choice but to shell out for seat selection, but a former flight attendant has shared a clever trick that could help your party sit together without paying the fee. Jane Hawkes, a travel guru and ex-cabin crew member, explained that while this approach isn’t suitable for everyone, it can be highly effective for mates, couples or grown-up travellers.

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She explained: “Obviously if you’re travelling with children you might not want to do this. Because if you’re travelling as a family, you’ll probably want your children with you to keep an eye on them. But if you’re travelling with friends or a partner, then never pay to book a seat together.”

Instead, the travel guru recommends holding off until you board and then having a word with the flight attendants or other travellers, reports Galway Beo.

She continued: “Just wait to get onboard and then say ‘we’re travelling together and we didn’t realise we’d be separated’. You could just ask other passengers around you, who can be very accommodating. It’s worth asking but there’s not much point asking before you get onboard.”

Jane also noticed that passengers are generally more eager to help if it means they can escape an unwanted middle seat.

Ryanair offers a range of seating options, with prices varying depending on the location of the seat, the route, travel dates, and whether the seat is reserved at the time of booking or at the airport.

The cheapest option is the standard seats, which cost between €4.50 and €21.50 per flight. Extra legroom seats, usually located in the first two rows, are the most expensive, with prices ranging from €12 to €38 per flight.

Additional extra legroom seats situated further back in the cabin cost between €8 and €26 per flight. Front seats, covering rows 2 to 5, are slightly cheaper than extra legroom, costing between €7.50 to €24.50 per flight.

Families travelling with children under 12 – excluding infants – must also comply with Ryanair’s mandatory family seating policy. At least one adult must purchase a reserved seat and sit next to their children, however the airline allows up to four children free reserved seats in rows 18 and 33. Charges for compulsory family seats range from €4.50 to €13.50 per flight.

A man was left baffled when a family of plane passengers lied to a flight attendant in order to get him to switch seats with them – but he ended up getting the last laugh

Unless you can shell out the money for an upgrade, travelling by plane is often a draining experience. You can find yourself sitting in a cramped space for hours on end next to a complete stranger, and it’s often luck of the draw whether your seatmate has any bizarre habits that make you want to tear your hair out.

But one man has claimed that sometimes, not even getting upgraded to a fancier class makes you exempt from rude passengers who expect you to accommodate them. In fact, he asserted that on one recent flight he took, a family attempted to lie to a flight attendant so that they could take his seat from him.

In a post on Reddit, the man explained he decided to book business class on a recent flight because he could bag himself a window seat while guaranteeing that the middle seat remained unbooked, meaning he’d have a bit more room.

When he boarded his flight, he took his seat across from an older man sitting in the aisle seat on the other side of him. Moments later, however, the other man’s wife and son came in and asked if he would switch seats with them to allow the family to sit together.

But there was one problem – the wife and child were in economy class, so swapping seats would have meant a downgrade.

Warning: The below Reddit post contains strong language.

The man refused this unfavourable offer, and the family made a counteroffer in which the son would sit in the free middle seat with his dad while the mum went back to economy. It turned out they lied to flight attendants on board the plane to make this deal happen.

In his Reddit post, he wrote: “His wife and son came in, asking me to switch (business for economy) so they could all sit there. Then, [they] told me that if I didn’t switch with the wife, the son would sit in the middle at least. [The dad] reasoned that I didn’t need an empty seat next to me and claimed the stewardess allowed it.

“Turned out, [the flight attendant] said it was possible if the other passenger agreed, to which they replied that I was family, so I would 100% agree.”

The man refused to move and told the flight attendants the truth, and the family were eventually made to go back to the seats they had been assigned.

He added: “I didn’t budge. The son and wife had to stay in the economy, and his father spent almost four hours muttering passive-aggressive comments. Whenever I took off my headphones, he was still going…

“Like what the f**k. But shoutout to the stewardesses (another one had to come, because they refused to go back to their seats) for staying professional.”

Commenters on the post were shocked at the family’s behaviour, especially considering that the dad could have swapped with someone in economy class to ensure his family could sit together, but didn’t want to give up his luxury experience.

One person said: “He didn’t give up his seat for his family, just wanted you to.”

Another added: “It’s wild how some people feel entitled to what others paid extra for. Lying about being your family? That’s next-level manipulative. You had every right to your seat and your space. Props to you for standing your ground, and huge respect to the flight attendants for backing you up.”

A third wrote: “The family 100% booked like this on purpose. Get three business class upgrades for the price of one. They probably saw a ‘travel hack’ on TikTok and then were mad when the scam didn’t work. Good on you for not budging.”