The last hour has flown by, and the destination is finally in sight. The pilot has announced the descent, and we will be landing soon.
As a passenger, you're looking forward to your destination, but have you ever wondered what happens on board the aircraft when you leave? As a flight attendant, I'm happy to give you a glimpse behind the scenes!
Safety first
Safety is priority number one in aviation, that's absolutely clear. Once the aircraft has safely arrived at the gate and the engines are shut down, you'll hear the announcement "cabin crew, disarm slides", over the intercom, a phrase you might be familiar with.
This is the signal for the crew to release their seatbelts and then deactivate the automatic inflatable slides attached to the disembarkation doors. Forgetting to do this would lead to quite a big party during disembarkation.
Opening the doors
Afterward, we wait for the ground personnel to attach a staircase or air bridge to the door. This can take a bit longer at some airports, often leading to irritated passengers.
The next step is to open the doors. This is a carefully executed procedure to ensure everything goes smoothly. The doors are only opened once the pilot gives the signal, and the ground crew is ready to receive passengers.
We, as cabin crew, double-check that the automatic inflatable slides are indeed deactivated and that a staircase is ready to welcome us.
Greetings and smiles
Then your vacation truly begins! As passengers finally exit the aircraft, we are there with a smile to say them farewell. Unfortunately, not everyone can get out of their seats, so we offer assistance to some passengers who need a little extra help disembarking.
Lost and found
When everyone is finally off the aircraft, we collect any lost items passengers may have left behind during the flight. The man in 23C was very pleased when I found his wallet, and the lady in 7A was also delighted when I returned her hat.
When we find lost items, we always try to register them based on the seat number so that we can return them to their rightful owners.
Party time at destination?
I often get the question: "Are you staying at your destination for a few days?" In my case, the answer is 'no' 99% of the time. I mainly fly short distances, which means that I immediately have to return and take new passengers back to Belgium after dropping them off. In less than an hour the plane is unloaded and afterwards reloaded again with new suitcases and new passengers.
I say that we return immediately in 99% of the cases, because it can always happen that something unforeseen happens and we have to spend the night on location. After more than 100 flights I have still not experienced that. What I did experience was a planned overnight stay on one of the Cape Verde islands.
Back to the story. In the meantime we are on the ground for 25 minutes. If we want to stay on schedule, we have to take off within 35 minutes, but a lot still needs to be done before that is possible!
Preparation for departure
The four cabin crew members, including myself, start cleaning the cabin. We neatly arrange the seatbelts, pick up trash and make sure the safety briefing cards are prominently placed at the back of the previous seats for the upcoming passengers.
While the cabin crew cleans the cabin, the pilot takes a walk around the aircraft to visually inspect its technical condition. Once this is done, we are finally ready for a new batch of passengers.
I quickly check where any dogs or cats might be seated and prepare extra seatbelts for any babies. Moments later, we hear "boarding" over the intercom, and I'm back in the cabin welcoming passengers.
Conclusion
As a flight attendant, our goal is to ensure that every passenger has a safe and comfortable journey. Whether you're boarding or disembarking, we are here to make your travel experience safe and unique.
So, the next time you board the plane, know that there's a team of professional and friendly cabin crew ready to ensure a seamless flight.
Thank you for flying and see you soon!
By: Rico Valkenborgh | December 27, 2023
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