A flight attendant has shared insights into the significance of your response when they greet you with ‘hello’ as you board the aircraft.
For those who are anxious about flying, a warm gesture from the cabin crew can be comforting and ease some of the stress associated with air travel.
You’ve probably noticed that flight attendants often welcome you with a ‘hello’ as you enter the plane.
While this greeting is partly done out of courtesy, there’s another, more practical reason behind it.
The primary reason flight attendants say ‘hello’ is to gauge whether a passenger might be unwell or intoxicated.
It’s not uncommon for travelers to have a few drinks at the airport bar before boarding, but overindulging can result in being denied access to the plane.
Wizz Air flight attendant Iona Iachim recently addressed this topic on TikTok, explaining that the greeting serves not just as a polite gesture but also as a way to “check whether or not you are too drunk or sick to fly.”
Another flight attendant from the Hungarian budget airline supported these claims.
In a caption over a video of Rania making an in-flight announcement, the cabin crew member disclosed: “Did you know that your flight attendant greets you not only out of politeness?”
After a brief pause, Rania clarified that the greeting helps to assess if a passenger is “too drunk or sick to fly.”
According to industry standards, flight attendants are also on the lookout for ‘able-bodied passengers’ (ABPs) who can assist in the event of an emergency evacuation.
https://www.tiktok.com/@username/video/7394501211736624417
So, if a flight attendant says ‘hello’ to you, it’s not an indication that they find you attractive or want to ask you out on a date—something that has disappointed some TikTok users.
“I always thought it was my devastatingly good looks and awesome personality. Now I’m heartbroken,” one person commented.
Another added: “I came home from Vegas drunk with my cousins and I was so shocked they even allowed us on the plane.”
Additionally, when assigning seats in exit rows, flight attendants look for passengers who are capable of assisting in an emergency, meaning children, elderly individuals, and those with physical or mental disabilities are generally not placed in these seats as they might obstruct an evacuation.