24. En Route

Have you ever taken a trip by airplane? If not, read this article and it will tell you about the good and courteous services on board a plane.

The large airplane is en route to a country which most of its passengers have never visited before. "En route" means on the way. The passengers are the people riding in the airplane. Most of these passengers are tourists—people who travel to see another place, area, or country. Most tourists travel for pleasure. They enjoy seeing different places and meeting other people.

The long flight, or trip by air, is almost over. The passengers have finished their dinner. Most of them are resting or relaxing—sleeping, reading, or talking. But for Miss Brown and Mr. Green, who are going home, there are still many things to do before their arrival.

Sue Brown is a stewardess and Sam Green is a steward for their country's airline (the company that operates the airplanes). Their job is to look after the comfort and safety of the passengers who ride in the passenger cabin of the airplane during the flight. They are also called cabin or flight attendants.

Passenger safety is the main job of flight attendants. Miss Brown and Mr. Green must make sure the passengers are sitting safely. The things passengers bring on the plane with them must be put away safely so that they will not slide around during the flight. If the plane should move or turn suddenly, a loose object could hit and injure someone.

Before the flight begins, the flight attendants tell the passengers: "Please stow all hand or carry-on luggage under the seat in front of you or in the overhead compartments."

The things passengers bring aboard (on) the plane are called hand or carry-on luggage. "To stow" these means to put them away. Carry-on luggage can fit either under the seat or in a special compartment (enclosed space) above the seats over the heads of the passengers. Cabin attendants must make sure these compartments are closed properly during the flight.

En route, the cabin attendants serve food and beverages (drinks) to the passengers. This keeps the attendants busy and on their feet during most of the flight. On a flight of five hours or more, Miss Brown and Mr. Green walk between 10 and 15 miles—or 16 to 24 kilometers—as part of their jobs.

Their duties also include welcoming the passengers aboard the airliner and helping them to find their seats. A flight attendant must show the passengers where the emergency exits are and explain how to use the oxygen masks.

The flight attendants also give out pillows and blankets to help make passengers comfortable. They give passengers magazines to read. They must be able to answer questions about the times of flights and the services of the airline.

"It's an interesting job," Mr. Green says, "and we meet many interesting people. We get to see different places. But it's not all fun. We live out of suitcases, and we serve hundreds of meals each day. A flight attendant has to enjoy taking care of and serving people."

"Even under the best conditions," Miss Brown adds, "taking care of a plane full of hungry, thirsty people is not easy. But we have to stay calm and pleasant at all times. This is especially important when bad weather makes a flight rough or bumpy, when a plane is late, or when there is an emergency."

Flight attendants must learn about the safety equipment of the airplane in which they are flying. They must know how to get passengers out quickly and safely if there should be an accident. And, most important, they must be able to keep the passengers calm in an emergency.

All flight attendants must be able to give first-aid. This is the help that is given to a sick or hurt person before regular medical treatment from a doctor can be obtained. Such treatment can often save a person's life if it is given quickly. Learning to give first-aid is an important part of a flight attendant's training.

"A flight attendant," Mr. Green says, "has to be able to stay calm and courteous at all times. This is important for the safety of the passengers."

Miss Brown adds, "Passengers spend more time with flight attendants than with any other airline employee. The service the passengers receive on board the plane determines whether or not they will fly again on one of our airplanes. We want them to continue to be customers of our airline. So it is important that we give them good, courteous service."

From English for the Travel Industry, McGraw-Hill Inc., 1982.