Where Is The Gate?

A uniform usually exudes competence. You might think that it is a good idea to ask for directions when you spot a pilot in uniform. Let us tell you that this is actually a bad idea. A pilot who works in Charlotte, North Carolina, reveals, “I may be in uniform, but that doesn’t mean I’m the best person to ask for directions in the airport. We’re in so many airports that we usually have no idea.”

Secret Language

There are a certain jargon and lingo that only industry insiders know. Pilots are known to have somewhat of a secret language that only he and his crew would understant. Examples would be, Blue juice = the water in the bathroom toilet, as in “No blue juice in the lav [lavatory].” Kids are often called crumb crunchers where they would often say, “The flight to Anaheim [near Disneyland] is packed with crumb crunchers.”

Your Shoe Choice

While flying, most people dress comfortably and not necessarily stylishly. We usually see people wearing sweatpants and flip flops too. But pilot Joe D’Eon had suggested that putting on a pair of sneakers while traveling is the best option. He recommends,  “I always tell my kids to travel in sturdy shoes. If you have to evacuate and your flip-flops fall off, there you are standing on the hot tarmac or in the weeds in your bare feet.”

Temperature Control

You might assume that the chilly weather in planes to be the norm, but this is actually not the case. The pilot actually takes charge of the air conditioning. A pilot has revealed, “Cold on the airplane? Tell your flight attendant. We’re in a constant battle with them over the temperature. They’re moving all the time, up and down the aisles, so they are always calling and saying, ‘Turn up the air.’ But most passengers I know are freezing.”

“Free” Tickets Are Horrible

The best perk that coming along with working for airlines would definitely have to be the free tickets. Time has definitely changed this. A pilot from South Carolina explains, “I give them only to my enemies now. Sure, you can get a $1,000 airfare to Seattle for $100. But since you have to fly standby, it will take you three months to get back because you can’t get a seat.” It does not sound inviting at all right?

Autopilot?

We mostly associate the word “autopilot”  with the pilot relieving himself from the duties that bar him during the flight. However, a pilot has clarified that an “autopilot” is not what he had been lead to believe. “People tend to think the airplane is just flying itself. Trust me, that’s not true. It can fly by itself sometimes. But you’ve always got your hands on the controls waiting for it to mess up. And it does mess up,” he revealed.