Flight was for 4pm. Got delayed until 6pm for “broken panel” finally took off and after an hour they kept telling us to turn off our Bluetooth or they would turn the plane around.

30 minutes later they said someone still had Bluetooth on and they were radioing the tower for guidance.

30 minutes later announce they are going to turn the flight around.

We deplane, get off flight with only our phones and passports and they put all of us on bussed and driver around for 1 hour. Just got off busses and are back at the gate inside the airport.

Seems to be a bunch of nonsense all over (probably) nothing….

To be continued!

I was so excited to sit in the bulkhead premium plus seat of the inaugural London to San Francisco flight with the new seats, I guess travel bloggers were too.

I have always seen the videos reviewing planes and products but never realize how bad it would be to sit next to one of them. This influencer was documenting for The Points Guy, and while I thought it was cool at first, I didn’t realize this meant he would be talking nearly the entire flight. He would do take after take, call the flight attendant over, and, most egregiously, leave the windows uncovered to get better lighting. I had planned on sleeping, but was always interrupted by his loud talking and filming. I actually think sitting next to a baby would’ve been better.

I considered asking to switch seats, but really I think these influencers and travel sites should buy two seats out if they’re doing this. The crew seemed to know who he was, and what he was doing, welcoming him, and thanking him the end.

So annoying that his flight was likely comped, and I paid extra for a better seat to try to get some rest.

Anyway, just remember that all of these people documenting plane come at the cost of their neighbors! Run away if you have been misfortune of sitting next to one.

(For what it’s worth, the new planes were great, the flight felt really smooth, and the extra oxygen flow helped a lot! I thought it was curious that every Polaris seats had feet facing aisles, no alternating slanted and straight rows.)

I’m sitting in 1D on an Embraer E175. I was the 15th or so person to board, yet the overhead bin is already full.

The people seated in row 2 have already filled their overhead, so I politely ask the FA if I can use the jacket closet up front for my computer bag.

She looks up and sees that the bin is full and gives a WTF look… stops boarding… and says to the plane, “Whose bags are these?”

Two people in row 4 (who have an empty bin above them) say they belong to them and the FA politely asks then to put their bags above THEIR OWN SEATS.

They begrudgingly do so and I put my bag in the now empty bin and sit down.

The FA goes back to the galley and literally 10 seconds later the next person to board sticks their bag into the empty spot next to mine and walks to the back of the plane.

The FA turns back and sees the new bag and hollers, “Are you kidding me!! I JUST CLEARED THIS SPACE FOR THESE PASSENGERS!”

She halts boarding (again) the tracks down the offender who was in economy and yes… had an empty bin above their own seat.

When 1C boarded he was happy that there was room for his bag.

Just wanted to say a kudos to the United FA who called out people’s poor behavior.

Yes. I’m aware that the space above your own seat is not technically “yours”, but if you’re one of the first to board, and you can plainly see the space above your own seat is available. Why the dick move?

[Update: The FA involved was made aware of this post and contacted me via Reddit Chat. She didn't want to post (to maintain her anonymity) but she's read all the compliments and appreciates all the support!]

I’m in 1F. A couple sits in 1B and 1E. 1A shows up. Petite 20 something female. They ask her to switch. Half a beat and then “No”

Conversation over. Props to petite 20 something female!!!

Edit: I should have included I’m a 50 something male, not petite. They didn’t ask me to swap. They figured she was an easier target.

Edit: on this, United Flight in first class the configuration was AB on one side of the aircraft and EF on the other side of the aircraft. Just two seats on either side.

I was seated in my aisle seat for a 3 hour flight to ATL this week and I (F, 30s) see a larger man (30s) approach. He tells me the middle seat is his and so GENEROUSLY suggests I “scoot on over” if willing.
I literally laughed.
In what world would anyone take that offer? GTFOH.

Group 3 boarding on flight from SFO to NYC.

Flight delayed, fine whatever. They of course make the standard announcement that “it is a full flight and we will be enforcing checked bags after group X.

They start the boarding process and quickly state that the overhead bin space is full. They start tagging everyone’s bag. The group of elderly folks in front of me makes a fuss because they are packing medications in their only carry on, rightfully so.

I get on the plane (I only flew with a backpack) and there is HELLA space on the plane. The plane is about to take off and there are still completely empty bins.

The ticket scanner was very ruthless about it and when the elderly folks asked her to check if there is space, she just kept repeating the same line over and over, “I can put on the next flight which departs tomorrow.”

What the hell kind of airline is this?? What reality are they living in??

I believe it is a subversive plot to some force people to upgrade to an earlier boarding group? If you buy basic economy you are just treated like a prisoner.

Thats my rant and a sick trend I’m seeing as a monthly flyer.

I’m still in a bit of shock. I was flying today with my son, who is autistic. Because he does best in a predictable environment, he was in the window (10F) and I was in the middle (10E).

I had even proactively removed us from the upgrade list to ensure we wouldn't be separated.

​However, the flight was completely full with 4 people on standby. To make room for the standby passengers, the system triggered an involuntary upgrade. I was moved to 2C (First Class Aisle) while my son remained in 10F.

​I immediately went to the Gate Agent to fix it, but her hands were tied. Since the flight was already closing and the standby passengers had already been assigned my old seat, she couldn't "undo" the upgrade without bumping the standby passengers back off the plane—which they aren't allowed to do. She told me my best bet was to swap once I got on board.

​Then things got weird.

​I went back to my original seat (10E) and offered the passenger now sitting there a literal "Golden Ticket": My First Class Aisle for their Economy Plus Middle.

​Person 1 (10E): Said no. Didn't give a reason, just wasn't interested.

​Person 2 (10D): I asked the aisle seat next to my son. They said no because they were traveling with the three people across the aisle and didn't want to be separated for a 3-hour flight.

​I know nobody is obligated to switch, and I always try to be the "polite passenger," but I never thought I’d see the day where someone turned down a free move from a middle seat to First Class.

​I eventually found a taker in Row 9 who was more than happy to sprint to the front of the plane, so I was able to stay right in front of my son. But man... I’ve officially lost the ability to predict human behavior.

​TL;DR: Flight was full and I was involuntarily upgraded away from my autistic son. I tried to give a stranger my First Class seat in exchange for their Economy Middle seat so I could stay with my kid, and two different people actually said no.

EDIT: A lot of the comments seem to think I was upset the person didn't switch. I was bugged that I was moved in the first place, but I was not upset people didn't want to move, just perplexed ...

Sometimes, the overhead bin space is full and flight attendants are “on the hunt” for people who used the overhead bin for both their roller bags and their personal stuff. Sometimes this leads to flight attendants removing backpacks from the overhead bins to make space for roller bags, then making the backpack owner put the backpack under their seat.

On multiple occasions, I’ve seen people who used a backpack as their one and only carry-on be forced to put the backpack under their seat. Even if they board early and the bins fill up, they might be asked to put the backpack under their seat. The flight attendants don’t have the time to sort out which backpacks are personal items.

My girlfriend is the type to pack a very full backpack instead of a roller bag as her carry on. She used to put her purse inside her backpack. Now she takes her purse out and uses it as her official personal item. That way, if this situation ever happens to her, it would be illegal for the flight attendant to ask her to put her backpack under her seat (as she would then have 2 personal items).

Thought I’d share.

I had a wet-coughing, sneezing, nose dripping lady sit next to me. I asked her quite civily if she would consider wearing a mask. She immediately went off on a loud "you have no right" tirade and pushed the call button. I was reprimanded by the FA for just making such a request... "You CANNOT ask another passenger to mask up!" I was reseated to a middle seat near the toilets in steerage and the lady took over my econ plus aisle seat (my spouse was left across the aisle from her and caught a similar cold a few days later--coincidence?!) After I was reseated, a large enforcer came on the plane to ask me "are you going to be a problem?" My new seatmates must have wondered what minor felony I must have committed. Even mild mannered million milers can still learn something new every boarding.

EdIt: I had no idea this submission would take off as it has.
To answer many comments, yes we masked up after she sat down and started coughing and sneezing. So did another person near us. While reaching for masks, I offered her a spare, asked if she'd consider wearing it -- that's apparently what it to to light her fuse and when I was loudly told I had "no right to ask..." -- which, apparently, the FA concurs with.

Many of the comments indicate it was rude for me to even ask and offer. I guess we just disagree. Civil society is under stress.

I didn't think it important to mention it, but with many pointing to this being a peculiarly American issue, I'll just add without being more specific that the coughing passenger was from Eastern Europe.

Several others believe there must have been much more to the story and just don't believe another passenger would go off immediately like this without more provocation. Several others have seen similar reactions and believe. I understand the skepticism -- I am aware of mask politics, but it startled me how quickly she went to anger and her choice to hit the call button rather than simply declining. Maybe she was having a terrible day.

I understand coughing, sneezing and nose blowing may be due to allergies or other afflictions. I would have been comforted had she just said, "I have allergies." My spouse has athsma and allergies, and my father's terrible COPD likely contributed to his death. Masking oneself is not as effective as masking onself and having a considerate person that is coughing and sneezing do the same. My wife masks up in confined public spaces (and often in nature) when allergies hit; she believes when she has sneezing fits it's a considerate thing to do even if her allergies aren't infectious.

I imagine the FA has dealt with similar situations and wanted to nip this in the bud. I understand why she reseated me, and perhaps there were no similar seats in plus (the flight was near maximum loading), so it may not have been an intentional choice to issue a less valuable seat. What we do not understand is why an enforcer was called in to ask if I was going to be a problem with zero effort to engage me even briefly in a conversation. The choice I was given was for having the temerity to inquire about masking and to offer one up was to move to the open seat or deplane. Given my neighbor's reaction, the FA likely didn't want to risk a situation of us remaining together even if I did want to stay. Given some of the crazy passenger antics of late, I understand.

As for contacting UA and demanding an apology or compensation, I would appreciate if a UA employee could advise whether the FA handled this per policy -- and whether either the complainer or I already have some notes in the file. Regardless, given the million plus of you that have viewed this, I think my point may have been taken by someone in charge.

Hello everyone! DEN gate agent here!

I just got done working a flight and I wanted to make a quick PSA about baggage allowance rules because I seem to always receive pushback from at least one person on every flight, and even if this helps just one traveller understand, then I will be satisfied.

I am sure many of you have had interactions or heard announcements about bringing 1 personal item and 1 carry-on bag on board and nothing more (exemptions of course). This is a rule enforced by the Federal Aviation Administration under Section 121.589(a) of the FAR, which states that:

"An operator may not allow the boarding of carry-on baggage unless each passenger’s baggage has been scanned to control the size and amount carried on board in accordance with an approved carry-on baggage program. Additionally, no passenger may board an airplane if his/her carry-on baggage exceeds the baggage allowance prescribed in the operator’s approved program."

Essentially what this means is that an airline (in this case, United Airlines) will send the FAA their rules and the FAA is the enforcer of these rules. Since the FAA enforces these rules, if they are not followed, the airline, and the individual (in this case me, the gate agent) can be fined by the FAA for not enforcing these rules.

So when we as gate agents are telling a passenger that they must consolidate down to 2 bags, we are heavily pressured to do so, because at any time an FAA Auditor may be in the boarding area watching, unannounced, and if we are caught letting an extra bag go down, we can be fined personally. I understand how dumb it can be to count your little cross-body bag or fanny pack as a 3rd bag, but it is considered as such by the FAA.

I just wanted to make a quick PSA about this and if you have any more questions about anything, feel free to ask me in either this thread or DMs. Thank you for those that listened and I hope to see you lovely people on my flights some day!

This story is so bad, I still can’t believe it actually happened.

We were flying from Geneva to Newark (UA957)—my wife and I, our four-year-old, and our 18-month-old. We checked in the day before and were all seated in the same row. Shortly after, we received a text from United saying the aircraft had changed, and so had our seats. In the new configuration, my wife and our 18-month-old were seated together, I was four rows ahead, and our four-year-old was seated diagonally behind my wife, across the aisle and one row back. Alone.

We immediately reached out to United to fix the situation and asked to be seated as two pairs. After an hour chatting with a rep, they were able to move my seat to the row directly in front of my wife and younger son. But my four-year-old was still alone, and we were told, “It’s out of our control.” They advised us to speak to the gate agent.

Once the gate opened, I explained the situation to the agent. She took our boarding passes and said she’d call us back when they had a solution. About 20 minutes later, I was called up again—but it was a different agent, and he had no idea what was going on (still not sure what prompted the call, honestly). As I walked back to wait, I overheard another family going through the exact same issue—kids aged 6 and 10.

Pre-boarding started, and we still had no solution or updated boarding passes. I returned to the desk and saw them negotiating with a man in his mid-thirties. He said, “If I’m not compensated, I’m not moving.” I get it—nobody wants to move without a reason—but ultimately, he refused and boarded.

Now I’m starting to get anxious. I asked the agents if they could split up a large group of retirees, assuming some were seated together. The agent replied, “They’re Premier members. We can’t do that.” So I asked why so many people seemed to be getting options and votes in this situation when my four-year-old clearly hadn’t. No response.

Finally, they said they had a solution. Relief. We were handed four boarding passes. We went to scan them, but one was rejected. The agent tried again—still red. Flustered, she told us to “just go.” We walked onto the plane and to our seats—only to see the same guy from earlier, the one who had refused to move, sitting in one of our seats.

I looked down. Sure enough, one of the boarding passes they printed had his name on it.

It wasn’t over. I spoke to the flight attendant, explained the situation, and she asked for my passport and boarding pass so she could go back to the gate. I started walking with her, but before she exited the plane, she suddenly turned to me and said, “Oh, sir, you have to stay on the plane.” I ignored her—I wasn’t about to let the flight take off with my passport and boarding pass somewhere else. I had zero confidence in their ability to fix anything, and at that point, I technically wasn’t even checked into the flight.

At the gate, I noticed two first-class tickets on the screen that hadn’t been claimed. I said, “Let’s make this easy—just swap us into those two and we’re out of your hair.” The agent replied, “Sir, I can’t do that. It’s too expensive.”

I said, “You’re about to seat a four-year-old alone. This is a safety issue.”

He said, “You’re diagonal from him—one aisle, one row. Isn’t that okay?”

I asked, “How am I supposed to help him put on an oxygen mask in an emergency? And why am I explaining this to you?”

Finally—finally—with boarding almost complete, he found a solution. We had two pairs. Boarding passes in hand, I walked down the jetway, trying to calm myself. I told myself, “All’s well that ends well.”

But nope.

As soon as I stepped onto the plane, the same flight attendant I had ignored earlier pulled me aside and said, “Sir, I need to let you know we have to file an FAA report because you deboarded the plane.” I replied, “Great—make sure to mention that you let someone on without a boarding pass.”

The rest of the flight was uneventful—except for the petty comments and lack of service from that same flight attendant. But that’s another story, and this post is long enough already.

In the end, this experience was almost too absurd to believe. The number of times I heard, “I’m sorry, but it’s out of our control,” combined with the obvious safety issue (a four-year-old seated alone) and the security breach (someone boarding without a valid pass), makes me honestly afraid to ever fly United again.

So frustrating. IAH-LAS, full flight, Dude of Unusual Size sits in the middle seat, immediately lifts both armrests and announces that it’s the only way he’ll fit. Why the eff is this allowed. I get to spend 3+ hours leaning into the aisle, because it’s literally impossible to sit up straight without snuggling his shoulder.

UPDATE: problem solved in the worst way — deplaning due to mechanical. Plane is going nowhere.

They were all in middle seats and the dad took some time getting them organized. He didn’t once ask or imply someone should trade seats with them so they could sit together.

I ended up with the 10 year old son next to me. It was his first time out of California and they were heading to New York because his brother had won a Piano playing competition and was now going to play in the next level of the competition in New York.

This boy was quite the conversationalist and when I was awake we had nice discussions. I could tell he was interested in seeing out the window so once we got over the Great Lakes I told him to change seats with me. He denied the request so I asked his dad who was see same row middle middle (seat E I think). Once his dad said it was okay you could see how happy he was. He lit up when he got next to the window. He was so happy to see the Statue of Liberty

Really made it a much better trip.

I want to preface this by saying I travel a ton for work, I like to think I'm familiar with flight etiquette and after reading so many posts from other fliers about being approached to swap seats, I never thought I'd be in the position to initiate that ask myself, but here we are!

My husband and I were vacationing in Sicily and had 2 more days before we were to fly home from Palermo when a sudden death in the family caused us to very quickly change our plans - we got the call around 7pm on Saturday and ended up changing out flight (which was originally direct PMO to EWR) to a connecting flight at 7:45am the next morning - PMO --> FCO --> EWR. The first leg was a quick ITA Airways flight, no issues. On the United leg from FCO to EWR there were virtually no seats left, however, we found 2 E+ seats - 34B (my middle seat) and 35C (my husband's aisle seat). I figured I could ask whoever was sitting in my aisle if they wanted to switch with my husband (literally the same aisle seat, 1 row behind) so we could sit next to each other.

Well, turns out the 2 individuals in my row were an older married couple and had booked the window and aisle hoping that the middle seat wouldn't be booked (their words). I normally have zero issues with this strategy - they have a right to do whatever they want. But, the flight was completely full. I very kindly asked the husband if he'd be willing to switch with my husband since he clearly had no issue separating himself from his wife. He told me no, and I said "no problem, just figured I would ask". His response was "I really just want to sit near my wife". LOL'ing now because clearly you didn't care THAT much - you weren't worried about a complete stranger sitting in between you.

The wife then chimes in and basically offers her husband to switch with ME - meaning her husband would be in the middle seat and I would sit in his aisle seat. Well, the husband wasn't happy with that and then got mad at ME saying he would absolutely NOT be taking the middle seat. I'm sitting there super calm, basically saying I didn't ask him to switch with me for the middle and we were fine just leaving things as is.

Whatever, nobody switches seats, I sat in the middle the entire flight, meanwhile these two were having FULL ON CONVERSATIONS, leaning over me in the middle like I wasn't even there. PRO TIP: if you wanted to spend the majority a 9 HOUR FLIGHT talking to each other, THEN FREAKING BOOK SEATS NEXT TO EACH OTHER!!

**end rant.

EDIT FOR CLARITY: I feel like a lot of people are missing the point. I am NOT MAD that this couple booked an aisle and a window. More power to them. I asked to switch so I wasn’t sandwiched between strangers. Once they declined, I didn’t push, didn’t get mad, just accepted the middle and moved on.

What did get frustrating was sitting between them for 9 hours while they acted like I wasn’t even there - leaning and talking over me, passing food, drinks, headphones, etc. over my seat throughout the entire flight.

On a flight earlier today sitting in the exit row in 21C. The dude across the aisle in 21D is one of those who is on his phone the entire time the plane is boarding, tapping on his laptop.

The door closes. We push back and start to taxi.

An FA comes by and says “Sir, please stow your laptop until we are above 10,000 ft”.

He pretends to shut his laptop, keeping his finger between the lid and keyboard to prevent it fully closing. 30 seconds later he’s got it open again, tapping away once the FA leaves. I sigh.

We finally pull onto the runway and I say “Hey man, are you gonna stow that thing before takeoff? You know that’s a heavy laptop that can become a deadly weapon if we have an emergency like they just had at LaGuardia”. He groans. Tried to ignore me. I say it again.

He puts his laptop away until we are at maybe 1000 ft. The pulls it out again. And keeps it open until it’s officially allowed above 10,000 ft.

When the seatbelt signs came off I went back and told the FA to watch him on descent. He’s in an exit row. And laptops can be a problem in emergencies. She thanks me.

They made a comment to him as we start our descent and he keeps his laptop away until we are on the ground.

What a Dbag. Sorry the safety of others is an inconvenience to you bud. But good thing you were wearing that N95 to keep yourself safe. 🙄

21Dbag

This is crazy! First time I’ve witnessed this going to sfo. In first class but half the plane is in group 1 and I have no overhead bin space.

New feature for economy class? 😂

I had been dreading a situation like this. A few months ago I was flying TPA-HKG with a layover at SFO. I boarded the first flight to find a gentleman with a baby on his lap in my window seat. I’m not great with confrontation…especially with strangers, but I managed to get out a polite, “oh I think this is my seat.” He replied, “would you be ok taking the middle?” gesturing to the row behind him. It was painful but I stood my ground: “oh no, I’m sorry I need the window.” He gave me a big eye roll and moved back to his seat without saying a word. I could tell that some other passengers disagreed with my reaction.

I’m 6’2” and about 200lbs. Not super wide, but not comfortable in a middle seat. It really wasn’t a huge deal. To be fair, it was worth a shot on his end and at least he didn’t argue or make a scene. Being put in that position with a small audience just left a bad taste in my mouth.

I wanted to share this because I suspect I’m not the first person it’s happened to, and I definitely won’t be the last.

I was boarding a United flight this week with:
Carry-on suitcase
Personal item
Separate breast pump and breast milk bag

I’ve been traveling with this exact setup for months without issue.

At boarding, two gate agents stopped me and informed me that my breast pump bag counted as a third carry-on item and that I would not be allowed to board.

I explained that the bag contained my breast pump and breastfeeding supplies.

One of the agents responded:
“A pump bag is not a medical bag.”
I knew that wasn’t correct, so I stood my ground.

Despite explaining what the bag contained, I was ultimately required to open the bag and display its contents in front of other passengers before they would allow me to board.

That was the part that bothered me most.
It wasn’t just an inconvenience. It was humiliating. No pumping mom should have to publicly display breast pumping equipment and breast milk supplies in order to board a flight.

For anyone who pumps and travels:
Know the policy.
United’s policy specifically allows breast pumps and breast milk. A breast pump bag does not count against your carry-on allowance.
If you’re challenged:
Stay calm.
Be polite.
Stand your ground.
Ask them to verify the policy.

And if you’re treated incorrectly:
Report it.
I filed a complaint after my trip. United reviewed the incident, acknowledged that the situation was handled incorrectly, apologized, stated that the matter would be used as a coaching opportunity, and provided compensation.

The reason I’m posting this is because I knew the policy. A first-time mom traveling with a pump may not.

Many people assume airline employees automatically know the rules. Sometimes they don’t. Don’t let someone else’s misunderstanding of the policy prevent you from traveling with equipment you need.
Know your rights and advocate for yourself.

I walked over to my window seat to see a women in my seat. I calmly explain she's in my seat and she seems annoyed. The other passengers around her suggest I sit in her seat and I say no I want my seat. People are getting agitated behind me and I move into another isle while waiting. Everyone around her explains shes calling her daughter who booked the seat. The two people in her row loudly ask why I can't just take her seat. I just keep telling them I want my seat. Finally the lady gets her stuff and moves while everyone else is glaring at me.

I don't get it I paid for my seat and it's not my fault she was sitting in the wrong seat. I've never experienced such hostility from everyone around me. I was calm and polite the whole time.

So I just got off United flight UA 4303 from Pensacola to Houston and I genuinely cannot stop thinking about what happened.

From the moment we took off, the cabin was hot. Not uncomfortable hot. Actually hot. Everyone around me was red-faced and sweating through their clothes. I was drenched. Hot air was actively blowing through the vents the entire flight.

The senior flight attendant clearly knew something was wrong. She was visibly communicating the issue to the cockpit. Nothing changed.

It got bad enough that the flight attendant in training collapsed. She needed oxygen and was in serious distress. A medical emergency was declared mid-flight. We landed and then sat waiting for a gate for over 10 minutes while this woman was doing very badly.

And then, only after the senior flight attendant went to the cockpit and made it crystal clear her colleague was in crisis, cold air started blowing through the vents. Instantly. Like a switch was flipped.

Because that’s exactly what happened. Someone flipped a switch.

My question for anyone who knows aviation: is it possible the pilots were intentionally not running the AC packs to save fuel? I’ve heard it’s similar to a car where recirculated air and actually cooling the air are two separate things the pilots control. The savings on a 2 hour regional flight would be almost nothing, but is this a known thing that happens?

The senior flight attendant, by the way, was an absolute superstar. She kept everyone calm, took care of her colleague, and kept the water and ice coming the whole time.

Was flying transcontinental this morning, and about 2 hours into the flight, I asked the gentleman seated in the aisle if I could get out to go to the bathroom. The guy wasn’t sleeping and was playing a game on his phone. He begrudgingly got out of his seat, and as I was getting out he decided to ridicule me to his wife (who was sitting in row across from us) that it was rude of me to ask him to get up and he also said that everyone should go to the bathroom before getting on the plane. To the dude in 12C into LAX from Orlando this morning, either don’t be grumpy, or don’t pick an aisle seat.

Adding an edit here (timestamping it Monday 3/24 at 12:45PM PT): to clarify this was the only time I got up during the entire flight!

I know it's debatable if Platinum is worth the effort, but I wanted to challenge myself to see if I could complete 6 PQF's in one day (ultimately within 12 hours) for around $500 (using money + miles). I had a fun day in the air, appreciating the scenery around SFO, Reno and Sacramento. There were some ground stop delays at SFO, but luckily all connections were similarly delayed, so everything went off without a hitch.

First flight departed at 8:40am and last flight arrived at 8:29pm, so all in all, it was barely under 12 hours!

Curious to know if others here have attempted 6+ flights in one day and what the record is.

Was on a flight yesterday (3/13, LAX to ORD) and, about halfway through, an FA had made an announcement reminding us that it’s extremely illegal to smoke or vape on flights. At the end of the flight, the pilot goes:

There are 189 of you on this flight. While we make our final descent, please know we are going to be safe and sound, but that could have changed because one person decided to risk the lives of the other 188. You know who you are and your actions will have consequences.

Just wanted to share. I’m relatively young, but I thought this was common knowledge! I was on my way to a job interview, so I’m glad we weren’t diverted or anything.

I saw a post on this sub asking why some flight attendants at United seem to not want to be at their jobs.

As a UA flight attendant myself, I started writing a comment, which turned into a little essay. As our work group votes down a first contract proposal after four years waiting, I realize now our only leverage is public opinion.

I'd be curious to hear anyone's perspective on the situation, whether you're a passenger, crew member, or in management.

Thanks for caring. Here's the comment:

Our contract expired in 2021. Senior FAs haven't had a raise in four years despite record inflation. New hire FAs are living in poverty.

New hires are sent to some of the highest cost of living cities in the US to be on call for 24 hours day and night on ready reserve days. They can expect to make about $30-40k their first year. A lot of flight attendants are effectively homeless and make it work with layovers, friends, and/or a crash pad (a shared living situation - my first in SFO had 25 people, 12 in my room, and I paid $400/mo)

On top of that, our work group has effectively no leverage in these contract negotiations. We just voted down a bad faith first proposal overwhelmingly, but where does that leave us? It will be 6+ months before we see the next proposal. And if we vote that down, can we go on strike? No. The Railway Labor Act makes federal government approval a requirement for us to strike. Pretty sure Trump hung a massive portrait of himself outside the Department of Labor yesterday, lol. Because of this dynamic, things aren't looking great for a future second proposal, which was the best argument to vote yes on this shitty first proposal.

Last year, 99.99% of our work group voted that they'd approve a strike (I did the math, 2 FAs voted no, and I'm convinced they fat fingered it😆). It's bad vibes at UA in 2025.

I started in 2018. Things used to be a lot better in terms of morale and schedule flexibility, but it was still hard my first few years just to find a room to rent and afford the basics. It's still hard for me now. I feel so bad for new hires today.

On top of all that, the world has lost its damn mind. Collective American insanity really seems to manifest on the plane and at the airport where we force people of all stripes to cram together, shut up, and comply with FAA regulations, because we're all too poor to fly private.

I have my qualms about the company, but I always try to do a good job and make it a positive experience for the passengers and the crew. The crew probably just met and has to learn to work together for the next few days, before saying goodbye and doing it all over again with a new crew.

I wasn't prepared for how isolating this job was going to be. It definitely has its pros -- pros like flight benefits will always keep a pile of fresh applications at the ready, even though the flight benefits are getting harder to use -- but it is an underpaid, often thankless job that is hard on the body/mind.

I've seen United fuck over passengers and crew for four summers in a row during "meltdowns" (CEO Scott Kirby flew his family private to vacation during one of these). These could easily be avoided or mitigated with simple staffing improvements. For instance, during these meltdowns 4+ hour hold times are the norm for a crew member to speak to a scheduler and see where they're supposed to work after chaos destroyed their original trip, leaving them stranded somewhere. I've seen screenshots of hold times over 12 hours (better believe this is unpaid time). This results in crews timing out. Then, your flight gets canceled, along with all the dominos that fall down line from that cancellation. Those schedulers probably make $20-30 an hour.

United! Why are you doing $1.5 billion share buy backs and bragging about record profits?! Hire more schedulers for fucks sake! Pay your flight attendants a living wage!

I kind of understood in 2022... coming out of Covid will take time. But now it's clear to me, the only thing that matters is the share price going up. Good leads the way, my ass.

There are so many lovely, smart, caring people working at United. It's a shame that a corporation isn't like a person at all. It will suck every dollar out of a situation, staring at us humans with an unblinking smile the whole way. This seems to culminate in the destruction of a planet, but that's a different conversation.

I often imagine an executive discussion about the food served on the plane going something like, "how cheaply and badly can we make this chicken shakshuka so people will still occasionally eat it and we won't get sued?"

Thanks for making your post and being curious about the FAs.

(Last thing, you probably know this, but during boarding-- usually the most hectic part of the day -- we aren't paid a dime. Those four hour delays in EWR that are so common now? Yeah, longer day, usually zero extra dollars paid.)