Today was my first day back to work in over two months, due to knee surgery. I was actually a little nervous but only for like two minutes. As soon as I walked in to the crew lounge, I saw a flight attendant that was in my recurrent ground class. He and a table of other flight attendants that I knee wanted to know if I could sew on a button. If only they knew my Mother! In other words, I better know how to sew on a button. It’s practically in my genes.

I got out to the plane and everything was as if I had never left. In fact, everything including the printer in the lounge not working, was just as I had left it.

This first day back includes one flight to Toronto with a completely unreasonable “0-dark-hundred-hours” report, which simply means really, really early in military time slang. The passengers were fantastic and had that great Canadian accent that I love. I was looking around for a Tim Hortons hat but didn’t see one.

Well, I have to get some sleep so I’ll chat with you some more later. Thank goodness tomorrow’s Cincinnati Women Bloggers meeting is at a coffee shop! make mine a dopio, please.

Waiting to find out if we are even getting on the aircraft is a bit nerve racking. What people do not understand is that it’s not always that easy when you are traveling standby. Sure, it’s great that I have the benefit of traveling however, it’s only if there is a set available and if my seniority is high enough to get the seat still. We lucked out!

Getting settled on the plane is only as easy as the people in front of you and how much stuff you brought yourself. Personally, I try to bring as little as possible.

TIP: Only bring what you are willing to carry. After you pick out what you think that you want to bring, put back something.

Also, remember that there are others on the plane and the faster that everyone is settled, the quicker you can leave. Please for all parties involved do not get every little thing out of your bag until everyone is seated. If you need your book for during the boarding process then get it out before boarding begins. If you insist on bringing a lot of luggage then may I suggest boarding as soon as your section is called.

Take your seat and then once everyone is on board, you can get something else out of your bag that you may have forgotten because the next time that you will be able to get that special something is in the air with the seatbelt sign turned off. If I didn’t already mention this, place your bags in the overhead right away or you may not be able to due to full compartments. We also ask that you are not an overhead compartment hog by placing once bag underneath the seat in front of you!

Funny story: now that it’s over anyway…there was a bag at my husbands feet that was not his on one of his flights. He simply thought it was the passenger next to him and was kind enough to let it stay only to find out later that it was the passenger behind and across from him that was too good to keep it at his feet yet wanted to have it within view! NEVER EVER do this as a passenger. As said above, if you don’t want to carry it, don’t bring it! Also, if it’s not your bag, do not be so nice and ask who’s bag it belongs to.

The rules on the different flights are obviously going to bring about variations in the rules. It doesn’t matter if you are flying on Comair or Delta, your electronic devices are to be turned off before the main cabin door is closed. The only actual difference is that mainline (Delta) is larger and therefore not as able to check every single passenger to make sure of compliance. Also, they have more flight attendants that can do the other duties while checking for said compliance. So, when I make the announcement to turn the items off, please do it. You will not die if you don’t get in that last 20 seconds, I promise. After over 12 years, I have not lost a single passenger. If after repeated attempt met with non compliance (or just one depending on my mood), you will either be met by someone with even more authority or I will personally confiscate the item until you are allowed to use it.

Sit back, relax, be respectful to the other passengers and the flight attendant(s) and enjoy the ride!