This is the term we must use as FA’s. After all, how can I be sure a passenger is drunk? Did you know that Diabetics breath can smell as though they have been drinking? They can act like it to, so we never say that you are intoxicated only that you “appear” to be. Although, I’m pretty sure I can usually tell the difference. I do try to have tolerance, I think as you get older you can usually conjure up some compassion due to personal experiences in your own life. As is the case for a young woman on my flight recently. She didn’t “appear” to be intoxicated until well into the flight, which can happen…the altitude increases the effect of alcohol dramatically. Well, as long as a person “appearing” intoxicated on my flight isn’t violent or belligerent I will usually just keep an eye on them and show the same sensitivity that was shown to me many years ago. Here is my story, and why I don’t drink on airplanes; ) Oh, and this is just between us, I will deny it if you tell anyone……..

I had only been a FA for about six months when my Mom and I took a vacation to St. Marten. My Mom told her husband I had a layover there…I wish….and that she was coming. The next day, when she should have been returning home she called to let him know that we had a mechanical and would be stuck there for a week…..ummm, no they are not married anymore but that is another story. Anyway, our flight home was very full and we were lucky to occupy the last two seats. Middle seats, several rows from one another. Well, here’s what happened, my seat was in the middle of two “old” men…men who were at the time my age now…LOL…I was only about 24 at the time. I also had too much sun, and didn’t weigh much so it didn’t take much to get me drunk. I ordered a glass of wine and I honestly thought that was all I drank, but apparently my new friends were re-filling my glass with their own stash. Needless to say 3 hours later when we landed I wasn’t drunk, I was trashed, passed out trashed, so trashed that I had to have an aisle wheelchair to get off the plane and another wheelchair to get through the airport. What happened to my new friends? Well, my Mom got a hold of them and they are probably still sorry they gave me that wine. I could hear my Mom yelling at them as we walked through the airport, “If she gets fired, she’s your responsibility!!!” In fact all I did was hear what was going on as we zoomed through the airport because my head was down in my lap as I was being pushed in the wheelchair. Then it happened I lifted my head to puke and my Mom pulled my head into her chest and let me toss my cookies all over her! She was so concerned that I was going to get in trouble even though she had already removed my crew tags from my luggage. I was pretty safe but she panicked. Only a Mom would do that for you.(maybe, this should be a post for Mother’s Day?) So, after she finally released the culprits we took a cab back to my crash pad, extending her trip even more, and yes, I continued to get sick in the cab. Sorry, Mr. Cab Driver if you are reading this. Once back at my crash pad, she settled me in my room and left to make a phone call and wouldn’t you know, she locked herself out. I didn’t wake to her pounding on the door, it was hours before she got back in, and she has never let me live this down especially because early the next morning when crew scheduling called I popped right up, answered, jumped in the shower and was ready to go…I did mention I was 24, right?