Think flirting with a flight attendant will help you score first-class seats on the fly? Get your head out of the clouds.
As a forewarning to airheads hoping to schmooze their way into free upgrades, an airline steward is virally revealing why sugary sweet talk and buttery flattery won’t grant wannabe high rollers access to the VIP section.
“Our airline considers it as stealing,” flight attendant Destanie Armstrong, 25, explained in a trending TikTok that’s landed more than 11,000 views since it was posted last week.
The blond’s buzzy word to the wise came in response to a virtual inquiry as to how often sly economy flyers try to bum a first-class cushion.
“We never allow that,” added Armstrong, who did not disclose her employer. “If someone wants to switch cabins or even get an upgrade, that’s to be dealt with [by] the gate agent.”
“Flight attendants do not deal with any of that,” she continued — contradicting a steward who regaled over 3 million social media fans with hacks on securing a slew of in-flight freebies.
The no-nonsense Armstrong went on to explain that attempting to wing one’s way into priority seating is often an exercise in futility, as the choice chairs are typically filled by folks who can afford them.
“Usually first class is always full,” she said. “So, people don’t really have the room to pull some stupid stuff [like sneaking a seat].”
Armstrong noted that on the rare occasion that a top-tier seat becomes available, frequent flyers with a little money or a few airline credits to blow might be able to secure the sought-after spot.
“If you have a credit card or if you have some status with the airline, [gate attendants] usually end up upgrading people by the time the flight is ready to take off,” said the Gen Zer.
Her tip on pulling sky-high rank seems to be right on the nose.
An off-duty American Airlines pilot was digitally exposed last week for allegedly swiping a first-class seat from a passenger, owing to his prime aviation status.
But on Armstrong’s flights, high profiles and honeyed words won’t get you far.
“There have been multiple times that men have hit on me thinking that I’m gonna move them to first class because they told me I was pretty,” she shrieked, recalling an ill-fated flirtation from a recent traveler.
“He was like, ‘You’re so pretty. This is the most beautiful cabin crew I’ve ever seen,’” Armstrong remembered. “[He then said], ‘Also, I see there’s a first-class seat open, like, I would love to take it.’”
Rather than granting his wish, she gave him a piece of her mind.
“I literally deadass looked at him and was like, ‘Oh, I’m not going to take that compliment now because I know you’re just trying to use me for first class.’”
And when passengers on a budget aren’t trying to woo her out of a stellar seat toward the front of the airbus, she claims they’ve got designs on popping a squat in the exit row — mid-plane seats stationed next to the emergency door.
“Exit rows are upgraded seats, and for my airline you get free cocktails when you sit [there],” she said. “One time this guy moved [to an exit row seat], and he literally argued with me.”
“He was like, ‘Yeah, I’m also willing and able to assist in an emergency,’” recalled Armstrong, who questioned the flyer about the move. “I was like, ‘Oh no, sorry. You can’t move to this seat. It’s an upgraded seat.’”
“And he was like, ‘Is it really that big of a deal?’” she said.
“I’m like, ‘Yeah, well, it’s company policy,’” continued Armstrong. “‘Just doing my job.’”