Summer Flying: Tips for Infrequent Flyers

It is the best of times, it is the worst of times: Summer. Flying. 

During the summer months, people tend to go on vacation more. In response to this trend, airlines have more available flights and they often sell tickets at cheaper rates. 

Additionally, more of my coworkers go on vacations as well, leaving their trips to Junior Reserves like me so I end up working my hiney off (while wearing a wool uniform) during the hottest months of the year. The good news is that I get to make more money. The bad news is that I AM VERY TIRED. 

Seriously, Summer Flying has me waking up at 2am for flights some days, 6pm other days, and criss crossing time zones like it's my job. 

But wait. It's literally my job. 

"More people, more problems" is never truer than during June, July, and August, when the temperatures rise and so do the number of people on our aircraft who have no idea how to handle riding on a plane. Couple that with the inevitable summer storms that wreak havoc on base operations for many major airlines, and you've got yourself a perfect storm. (heh)

Summer flyers tend to be less experienced with air travel- maybe you only fly a couple of times a year for that big vacation, and THIS IS IT. 

There's absolutely nothing wrong with that! Thank you for buying a plane ticket and helping to keep me employed! I'm really glad you're here. 

HOWEVER. 

There are a few basic things that you can do to maintain your sanity AND help your flight crews love you as you go on your summertime adventures, and luckily for you I'm sharing those tips with you today. 

Five Tips for Infrequent Travelers:

1. Plan for things to go wrong. 

Your flight will get delayed and cause you to miss your connection. There will be no outlets on the plane.  The lines will be long at security, getting food, or for the bathroom. 

One of the worst parts of air travel is that NOTHING is within your control - except how well you prepare for the inevitable. 

Get to the airport at least two hours before your flight.
Carry snacks with you.
Pack whatever items you might need for a surprise overnight in your personal item. Try to avoid checking a bag.
Bring an external battery like this one: iJoy Portable Charger Ultra-Slim 10000mAh Power 10K Power Bank (Green).

I understand how frustrating it is to get trapped or stranded in an airport due to circumstances beyond your control- it has happened to me many many times.
I get how enraging it is to miss out on things at your destination that you were supposed to be participating in.
But please, keep your cool and be polite to the airline employees. 99% of the time what has happened to you is out of their control too. We WANT you to get to your destination. Please be polite and calm, and remember that everyone you're dealing with is just a human being.




2. DO NOT ask your Flight Attendant "What do you have?"

There is a menu in the setback pocket in front of you.
Or just order what you would always order on the ground.
Or order what you really should anyway: water, no ice.
(Or wine. I'm for it.)
Say please when you make your request.
Say thank you when it's handed to you.
It's that simple.





3. DO NOT ask your Flight Attendant for a blanket!

Airplanes are air-conditioned on the ground and it is COLD when we get up to 30,000 feet in the air.
Don't wear a tank top and shorts and then ask me for something to help you stay warm.
No matter the season, dress in layers to fly. I never ever ever fly in shorts or a short skirt because I know I will freeze and practically get hypothermia. Don't dress for the five minute walk from the car to security, dress for the airplane you're going to spend six hours on. Pro tip: keep a handy cotton scarf like this one with you whenever you travel:

4. Download the app for the airline you're flying.

Seriously you guys, the airline I work for has the most useful app.
You can track your bags, monitor gate changes and flight delays, and even pull up maps of various airport terminals so you can figure out how to get from gate A22 to gate F19. It's even free to use with our in flight wifi.
This way you can avoid asking your flight attendants questions like "Am I going to make my connection?" to which our answer (or at least the truthful answer) is ALWAYS "I don't know."
We aren't psychic. We aren't omnipotent. 
Use the app to check you inbound arrival time and the departure time of your connection. Technology is good.

5. Please don't use the bathroom while the seat belt sign is on.

Guys, following lighted and posted signs on an aircraft is literally the law. Additionally, if the seatbelt sign is on it's probably because we've just taken off, we're expecting turbulence, or we're about to land. In all of those circumstances it is REALLY DANGEROUS for you to be out of your seat. 
Go to the bathroom in the terminal before the flight. Use the lavatory when the sign is off, even if it's not a pressing issue.
Don't get out of your seat when the plane is taxiing on the ground. If we're about to take off, you could cost us our place in line for takeoff. If we've just landed you could get seriously injured if we hit a bump or stop suddenly. Just the other day we had almost reached the gate and the pilots had to suddenly hit the brakes hard. All the passengers who had undone their seatbelts smacked their heads on the seat in front of them and felt very foolish.
And on that note, if you see flight attendants sitting in their jumpseats you should most definitely be sitting in your seat.

Let's all fly smart this summer! 

Leggings on Planes: A Flight Attendant's Perspective

Over the past few days we've all seen this story blowing up all over the internet. 

Girls boarding a plane in Denver were asked to change their clothes at the discretion of a Gate Agent who felt that leggings didn't fit the parameters for appropriate attire. 

Well. I have some thoughts on the issue. 

In this particular situation, the girls were "pass riders" or as we call them where I'm from, "non-revs". They were flying using the work benefits of a family member or a friend who works for the airline. Non-revs have specific attire requirements that they have to comply with in order to utilize their flight privileges. 

Non-revs need to follow the parameters outlined by the airline they're benefitting from. That's totally fair.

HOWEVER. 

This conversation is about more than just leggings on planes. 

It's about how we view female bodies as sexual objects. 

It's also about how we, as a society, determine what is or is not "appropriate". 

Here's what it boils down to for me:

1. The clothing you choose to wear sends a message to the people around you about who you are. 

If you've paid for your ticket on a plane you can send whatever message you want to because you're only representing yourself. 

If you're traveling for business or in another specific capacity you might need to dress differently. 

When I put on clothes to leave the house, I am making a conscious choice about how I want to be perceived that day. 

Generally, I want people to glance my way and assume I'm a competent and polished person. I wear makeup. I comb my hair. My clothing style is mostly classic and sometimes kind of androgynous. It could most kindly be called "High WASP via Vermont".

People will always misunderstand you. There will always be people who misinterpret what you say or what you write, or how you present yourself in public. It's up to you to determine how that's going to affect what you do. 

2. All leggings are not the same. 

There are athletic leggings, casual cotton leggings, printed fashion leggings, and then there are tights, which are NOT leggings. 

I have no problem with leggings being worn as pants as long as they are completely opaque. I'm also aware that there are some people who don't feel the same way and when I leave the house wearing leggings as pants, I might encounter pushback. 

That might mean judgmental looks, or that might mean having a discussion about the validity of leggings as appropriate attire for non-revving. 

I don't believe that see-through clothing is ever appropriate on an airplane. 

I don't care who you are, I don't care what you're doing, an airplane is not the place to be provocative or push buttons. It's a place to be polite and to focus on safety. 

If it would have more than a PG rating in a movie theatre, it doesn't belong on a plane. 

I once had a situation where a passenger was wearing a shirt with a certain curse word all over it, and I had to work with the Gate Agent and the Captain to have her change into something that wasn't R rated. I wasn't personally offended by her shirt, but as a Flight Attendant it's my job to help make sure that passengers on my plane are treated with respect by the crew and also by their fellow passengers.  By wearing something so decidedly provocative in a public space, the woman who needed to change was not being respectful toward the people around her.

It's especially important to be courteous to those around you in public when you're on an airplane because it's a high stress situation for many people. 

When you're not on a plane, wear whatever you want to, friend. You do you. Just be aware of the message that you're sending. 

3. This topic is tricky because of how our society treats women as sexual objects. 

Objectification is simple: it's treating a person as a thing rather than as a human being. 

Sexual objectification is a huge and grossly complex issue that I don't really want to dive too deeply into, because I do not have a degree in Gender Studies or Psychology. 

I will say though, I am so sick of people debating whether or not it's appropriate for women to wear leggings in public because of the effect that leggings might have on men. 

Dudes, get ahold of yourselves. Your self control is not my responsibility. 

In the meantime, ladies, wear those leggings in whatever way you are most comfortable. Rock your outfits while flying. 

But whatever you wear, please keep consideration and respect in mind when you're deciding what to wear in public, especially on an airplane. 

Packing List: Flight Attendant Training

Exactly two years ago I was getting ready to leave for Flight Attendant Training, and I was trying to figure out what the heck to bring with me. 

Packing for training is complicated by two factors:

1. You're about to live in a hotel room for six weeks.

2. You don't know where you're going after those six weeks are up. 

Normally I abhor overpacking, but in this particular situation there are so many different factors that can come into play. Location of training, your base, whether or not you'll be able to go home before going to to your base, if you're moving to your base, time of year, weather, etc.  

Here is a general list of things that I packed when for initial training. 

Business Casual Attire:

Two pairs of pants

Trouser socks

Three dresses

Two blazers

Four button down shirts

Three blouses

Two skirts

Ten pairs of pantyhose

Black flats

Black heels (less than 3in)

Additional flats

Additional heels 

Casual Attire:

Workout Clothes

Gym Sneakers

Socks

Undergarments

Leggings

Dresses

Jeans

Casual tops

T-shirts

Casual shoes

Flip flops

Seasonal Clothing:

Sandals

Boots/Booties

Warm coat

Scarves

Gloves

Toiletries:

Shampoo

Conditioner

Soap

Hairspray

Facial Care routine items

Extra contact lenses

Glasses

Makeup

Makeup remover wipes

Lotion

Hand sanitizer

Enough medications for two months (prescription and OTC)

Vitamin C Supplements

Hair dryer

Class Supplies:

Notebook

Folder for loose papers/handouts

Highlighters

Pens

Post it Flags

Post It Notes

Masking Tape

Markers

Flash cards

Tote bag to carry class stuff in

Swimsuit that you can wear a shirt and shorts over

Other Items:

Laundry soap (I brought a baggie of soap pods)

Quarters for laundry

Water bottle

Snacks

Extra phone battery/external charger

Tablet

Chargers for phone and tablet

Reusable grocery bags (these are great for laundry)

Plastic baggies

Power strip/extension cord

Things to keep in mind:

-You're going to get uniform clothes and luggage while in training, so be ready to leave with more than you came with.

-Depending on the time of year and your base options, you may want to bring more or less seasonal apparel. I trained in Dallas and got based in Philly over March, so I had to make sure I had some transitional coats etc.

-Honestly, you probably won't NEED all of this for your six weeks of training, especially if you have access to a washer and dryer, but you will probably want most of it when you get to your base. Think through the logistics of getting to your base now. Will you fly home to collect your things before driving to your new city? Will you fly straight from training to your base? If you're flying to your base straight from training, I'm going to recommend that you take advantage of checking as many bags for free as you're allowed to. 

-Store your suitcases under your bed. You can keep a bunch of stuff that you aren't currently using in your bags during training. Use them for storage.

Have more questions? Email me: highflyingadoredblog@gmail.com

5 Things to Know About LuLaRoe

Yesterday I was shopping at a craft store when I overheard two women chatting about these leggings one was wearing. 

"It's called LuLaRoe! My daughters are selling them!"

When I brought my fabric over to have it cut, I joined in the conversation about LuLaRoe because I'm basically in love with LLR clothes. 

The woman who was cutting my fabric had never heard of LuLaRoe before, which made me realize that there *are* actually some people in this world who aren't familiar with these glorious leggings yet. 

If you've been one of those people, or you're just wondering about all of these Facebook groups you keep getting invited to or crazy leggings you're seeing people wearing, this post is for you. 

5 Things to Know About LuLaRoe

1. It's a woman owned and woman centered company.

LuLaRoe was founded by a mom. Their origin story is a classic "garage origin", even if in this case it's more of a "sewing room" story. The company was founded by a woman, and I'd guess (without having seen any kind of facts on this) that about 98% of LuLaRoe consultants are women. The company promotes the idea of selling LLR as a way to support families, and I think that's great. I think everyone is entitled to structure their work/life and their family the way they want to as long as they aren't preventing other people from living their lives. So you do you, ladies.

2. It is a multilevel marketing company, but it's different.

Like the Tupperware, makeup, and scented candle parties we've all been invited to in the past, LuLaRoe is definitely a MLM company. Individuals sign up to become "consultants" and they pay for an initial inventory that is physically sent to them. 

You buy clothes through in home parties or (my favorite) through Facebook groups that are organized by a consultant. There are Facebook groups that you join and if you spot an item you like you comment "sold" and you're emailed an invoice. Once you pay that invoice, your items are mailed to you by the consultant. Party hosts get perks for helping the LLR Consultant connect with more clients- usually clothes. 

As someone who has purchased other products from MLM events in the past, I've found it interesting  how the way that the product distribution is structured seems to be less encouraging of competition between consultants, in large part because every consultant has a different inventory from every other consultant. If anything, this encourages collaboration between multiple consultants on events, combo parties, or Facebook group networking events where you're entered to win a prize if you join all of the consultant's Facebook groups in the "circle".

3. You never know what you're going to get.

This is a really really critical part of what makes LLR special and what I think has been driving the explosion of popularity in the last year- no two consultants have the same inventory. They can request specific styles and they can sign up for  special "theme" items like Valentine's Day leggings, but consultants can't put in an order for only teacher themed leggings, or only green leggings. You might find a pattern that you LOVE (if it's something magical you're on the hunt for you call it your "unicorn") and you have to scour multiple groups for things with that theme. For me that's airplane patterns and red/white/blue color schemes. I have friends who are also into this and we help each other by finding items in different groups. The thrill of the hunt definitely adds to the experience. 

The whole line covers a lot of different styles, but not every consultant carries all of them. You can check out the full list here. 

4. This clothing is empowering women. 

Yes, there's the obvious financial empowerment for the consultants who do well at selling things, but I've also seen these clothes empowering the women who buy them. 

These clothes are comfortable, confident, accessible, and modest. The patterns and bright colors are just plain fun, and the fabrics and sizing are very forgiving. For so many women we've been battling clothes in fitting rooms and numbers on tags for our entire adult lives. It's really nice to be able to select something simply based on whether or not you think it looks fun and to know it's going to fit your body. 

It's equally nice to know that everything you want covered is going to stay covered. I'm a big fan of the leggings plus an "Irma" top, because that outfit is comfortable, allows for a full range of motion (useful when you're hanging out with kiddos), and it's modest. 

Personally, I feel most confident in clothes that are considered "modest". That's my thing. If you want to let it all hang out, no judgement. Again, you do you. 

These clothes really come in all sizes and it makes my heart sing whenever I see women get excited about showing the world who they are. 

5. Ohmygoodness, these buttery leggings tho.

My introduction to these leggings came when a Flight Attendant friend came up to me in the Crew Room and told me I had to touch her leg because the leggings she was wearing were so soft. I'm so glad I listened to her because now I pretty much live in them when I'm not working. 

The leggings come in two sizes, One Size and Tall and Curvy. They come in patterns and solids. 

All of them are SO soft, SO comfortable, and COMPLETELY opaque. 

I've said it before and I'll say it again: leggings are pants if they aren't see through. 

I started with a couple of black pairs (which have become increasingly hard to find) and now I'm wearing full on patterns. As I type this, I'm wearing LLR leggings with little red and blue airplanes all over them. SO. CUTE. I even used a picture of them for the background of the graphic for this post. My wonderful friend found them (my unicorns!) and mailed them to me for Christmas. Joy!

Essentially every item makes a great addition to a travel wardrobe, depending on your destination, of course. I always have a pair or two of the leggings in my layover suitcase these days, and they've quickly become essential travel clothes for me. 

LuLaRoe is not haute couture, and I'm fine with that. 

These clothes are practical, comfortable, and fun. I'm totally digging it.

Enjoy! 

*This post was in no way sponsored by LuLaRoe or any consultant. I'm just jazzed about it*