Flight attendant reveals why they greet passengers and it's not to be polite

If you’ve ever taken a flight, you’ll know that the cabin crew greet passengers upon their entry into the aircraft.

While it may have seemed like nothing more than a polite gesture up until now, a flight attendant has revealed the real reason behind the friendly greeting. Ioana Iachim, a flight attendant working for Wizz Air has confessed there’s a hidden meaning behind a cabin crew member’s affable hello during boarding.

Taking to TikTok to share some of her insider secrets, Ioana revealed: "Did you know that your flight attendant greets you not only out of politeness but also, to check whether or not you are too drunk or sick to fly."

Presumably, cabin crew then keep an eye on passengers they believe could stir up trouble or may not be fit to fly, and might even prevent them from boarding. Ioana’s video currently has over 3.5 million views and over 190k likes.

Several travellers were shocked at Ioana's revelation, with one writing: “And I thought they fancied me.” Another TikTok user commented on the video: “I never greet them back because I am an introvert.” One added: “So why do I always sit next to people hacking up a lung and nobody does anything.” Ioana’s hack isn’t the only flight attendant secret that has been revealed in recent times.

As a flight attendant for the past 22 years, Sue Fogwell has warned fliers against ordering a Bloody Mary while in the skies. While speaking to Travel + Leisure, Sue shared that giving the Bloody Mary a miss is probably wise. The cabin crew member said: “Due to the very high sodium content, I always avoid drinking Mr&Mrs T/bloody mary mix and tomato juice.”

This is because drinks and foods that have a high sodium content can dehydrate passengers fairly quickly, especially on long-haul flights. What’s more, the vodka in a classic Bloody Mary has also been identified as a dehydrator, with the NHS advising fliers to limit their alcohol consumption while on an aircraft.

In another instance, ex-flight attendant and viral TikTok sensation, Kat Kamalani, shared some unnerving truths about the state of an aircraft’s water tanks. She warned: "Don't you ever, ever, ever consume these products from an airplane, from a flight attendant! Rule number one never consume any liquid that is not in a can or a bottle."

She went on to claim that "those water tanks are never cleaned and they are disgusting". In fact, cabin crew themselves won't touch hot drinks. She explained: “We rarely rarely drink the coffee or tea. They come from the same water tank. And so when you're drinking that coffee and tea come from that hot water and it's absolutely disgusting.”

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