The 'inconvenient' mid-flight request flight attendants hate to hear
As you might expect, every flight attendant has a horror story about annoying passengers.
Usually, they're requesting special treatment or upgrades, and can be pretty rude in the process.
Though there's one thing that irks flight attendants more than anything else - and it's to do with meals.
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You don't want to annoy your flight attendants. Getty Images/iStockphoto
According to a seasoned Emirates cabin crew member, the most "inconvenient request" is when a passenger asks for a meal after the service has ended.
Maybe they slept through the service, or maybe they didn't realise how hungry they were. But either way, it makes life very hard for the flight attendants.
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"Once the meal service concludes, the galley transitions from full operation to rest mode," cabin crew member Sophie Dunne wrote for Islands.
"The ovens are turned off, and the carts are stowed. Any spare passenger meals in the oven eventually cool down and can't be reheated."
They can't reheat meals once they've cooled. Getty
Just like in restaurants on land, the 'kitchens' in the sky have to stick to strict food preparation laws.
Reheating a meal for a hungry passenger violates those rules.
Plus, you're interrupting the cabin crew's downtime.
"Once the service is over, flight attendants finally get their own break," Sophie wrote.
"At that point, the crew have gotten ready for work, commuted to the airport, sat for a briefing, carried out a security search of the cabin, boarded passengers, and completed a two-hour service."
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Cabin lights are often dimmed after meal service. Getty
Sophie says that this 'downtime' is for flight attendants to eat, rehydrate, and prep for the rest of the flight - while also doing cabin checks and answering call bells.
Trying to scrape together a meal for a passenger who passed on food during meal service is just an extra task they have to add to the list.
"There's also a chain reaction to consider," she adds.
"When one passenger is seen eating after lights-out, it inevitably sparks curiosity. Before you know it, the cabin is busy again in a quasi-service of requests and demands."
The cabin crew needs a bit of down time. Getty Images/iStockphoto
Of course, Sophie says, it's ok to ask for food if you're hungry on a flight. She just asks that passengers be more aware of how onboard service operates - if you think you'll want food but plan to nap, ask your neighbour to wake you up when the trolley comes around.
Emirates provides 'Do not disturb' and 'Wake me up for food' stickers for passengers to attach to their seats, Sophie reveals.
Bringing your own snacks is another practical solution: protein bars, fruit, or prepared sandwiches from airport shops are good to have on hand.
Even if you bring your own sealed cup of noodles from home, you can politely ask your flight attendant to add hot water to it.
