Flight attendants deal with unruly passengers all the time. How we handle a problem passenger depends on the situation. Most of the time a few simple techniques can be applied to diffuse a situation, but I’ll get to that in a moment. Because sometimes, every once in awhile, we have no choice but to involve law enforcement – not just for our safety, but for the comfort and safety of passengers on board. What kind of behavior could possibly result in an arrest? The following scenarios actually took place in flight and are a few examples of what not to do on an airplane.

THE GROPER: When I first started flying, a big wig studio executive sitting in first class from New York to Los Angeles walked into the business class galley and pinched my you-know-what in front of three coworkers. Shocked, we all just stood there trying to comprehend what had just happened. That’s when Mr. Big Wig actually did it again.

THE FIGHTER: A young woman dressed suggestively wandered around the coach cabin talking to several different male passengers. Later on we learned she had asked each one of them to buy her an alcoholic beverage. After they refused, she finally came back to the galley and requested a beer. The flight attendant refused to serve her since she appeared to be a minor. The passenger responded by punching the flight attendant in the face.

THE FLASHER: A passenger stood inside the lavatory with his pants down around his ankles. Whenever he’d hear someone pass by, he’d push the accordion door open and quickly expose himself.

Here’s a tip: If you wouldn’t do it at your mama’s house, don’t do it on the airplane.

Continue reading GALLEY GOSSIP: 5 WAYS FLIGHT ATTENDANTS HANDLE DIFFICULT PASSENGERS