“We are not just waitresses in the sky.” If I had a euro for every time I heard a colleague say that in the galley, I’d be flying private. As we move through 2026, air travel has become more accessible than ever, but unfortunately, passenger etiquette hasn’t always kept pace. While our primary role is to ensure your safety in the event of an emergency, 99% of our job involves managing the small, daily habits of passengers that make a 10-hour flight feel like a 40-hour shift. To help you stay on our good side (and maybe get that extra bag of pretzels), here are the ultimate confessions from the flight deck.
The “Galley Yoga” and the Workspace Invasion
The galley—the small kitchen area at the front or back of the plane—is the only place on the entire aircraft where the crew can breathe, eat, and discuss the flight’s logistics. In 2026, with seats getting tighter, many passengers have started using the galley as a personal gym.
We understand you need to stretch your legs to avoid DVT (Deep Vein Thrombosis), but please, do not do your downward dog or full-body lunges right where we are trying to prep 200 meals. It’s our “office.” When you stand there staring at us while we eat our 5-minute lunch, it’s uncomfortable. Stretch in the aisle, near the emergency exits (without blocking them), but let us have our tiny sanctuary in the galley.
The “Barefoot Bandit” (A Health Warning)
If there is one thing that makes every single flight attendant cringe, it is seeing a passenger walk to the lavatory in socks—or worse, barefoot. Confession time: That liquid on the floor of the airplane bathroom? It is almost never water.
Airplanes go through rapid cleaning cycles, and the floors in those tiny cubicles are a breeding ground for bacteria. When you walk back to your seat with those same socks and put your feet up on the seat or the bulkhead, you are spreading germs all over the cabin. For your own hygiene and our mental health, please put your shoes on before leaving your seat.
The Call Button is Not a “Garbage Disposal”
In 2026, we’ve noticed a rising trend: passengers using the attendant call button for non-urgent tasks, like handing over a single used napkin or an empty coffee cup.
Here is the secret: We walk through the cabin with a trash bag every 15 to 20 minutes. If you have a small piece of trash, please hold onto it until we pass by. Using the call button for trash is like calling 911 because you found a gum wrapper. It distracts the crew from monitoring the cabin and responding to actual medical or safety needs.
Timing Your “Bathroom Break”
We see it every flight: the seatbelt sign goes off, the meal carts come out, and suddenly, everyone needs the toilet. When the heavy meal cart is in the aisle, there is literally nowhere for us to go.
If you see the crew preparing the carts in the galley, that is your 5-minute warning. Use the restroom before the service starts. Forcing a flight attendant to “reverse” a 50kg cart 20 rows back just so you can get past is the fastest way to become the least favorite passenger on the plane.
Headphones and the “Silent” Order
When we come by with the drink cart and ask, “What would you like to drink?”, please take at least one of your headphones out. We shouldn’t have to shout or use sign language to ask if you want water or juice. It’s a small gesture of respect that makes the service move much faster for everyone behind you.
Final Thoughts
We love our jobs and we love the sky, but we also love passengers who realize that a plane is a shared community. By avoiding “galley yoga,” keeping your shoes on, and respecting the flow of the service, you’re not just being a good passenger—you’re making 2026 travel a little more human for those of us working at 35,000 feet.
