The Crew Lounge Podcast: Recent Episodes

Flight Attendants Sara and Mimi

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By The Crew Lounge - The Crew Lounge

Welcome back to The Crew Lounge. In this week's flight crew podcast we talk with Scott about company mandatated shared hotel rooms on layovers. We also touch on some recent news including: a flight attendant that retired after 63 years and flight attendant secret tips.

Disclaimer: The views expressed are the personal opinions of the participants only and do not reflect the views of their employers.

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By The Crew Lounge - The Crew Lounge

We're back and this week our flight attendants discuss some of what happens when an airline goes out of business. This week's guest, LeeAnn, worked with Mimi at ATA before it went out of business. Topics include: what the rumor mill was during the last years, deciding when to leave the airline and what happened in the last few days from their perspective.

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By The Crew Lounge - The Crew Lounge

The "sky is falling" takes on a whole new meaning in this week's silly and fun flight attendant podcast as we discuss the report that a plane allegedly dropped poop on a New York couple. Inspired by this story we thought we'd help the traveling public with a few lav tips as well.

Disclaimer: The views expressed are the personal opinions of the participants only and do not reflect the views of their employers.

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By The Crew Lounge - The Crew Lounge

Our flight attendants discuss training with Paul and Joe as they finish their class. But first, Sara and Mimi discuss places to see in Chicago on a layover. Do you have any Chicago tips? Is deep dish pizza just for tourists? ;)

Disclaimer: The views expressed are the personal opinions of the participants and do not necessarily reflect the views of their employers.

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By The Crew Lounge - The Crew Lounge

Rumors abound regarding crew scheduling, how its organized and if they have their favorites and not-so-favorites. In this week's flight attendant podcast we are joined by a former pilot crew scheduler to hear the conversation from the other end of the phone. We discuss scheduler pay, hours, bidding and the differences in pilot and flight attendant scheduling.

Disclaimer: The views expressed are the personal opinions of the participants and do not necessarily reflect the views of their employers.

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By The Crew Lounge - The Crew Lounge

Ramp agent, operations, weight and balance and baggage handling are just a few of the jobs that Susan performed before becoming a flight attendant. Listen to this week's flight attendant podcast to learn more about balancing each of these roles.

Disclaimer: The views expressed are the personal opinions of the participants and do not necessarily reflect the views of their employers.

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By The Crew Lounge - The Crew Lounge

Happy Holidays to all our listeners! Join us this week to discuss both naughty air rage and nice trips to the North Pole for sick and underprivileged children. Our flight attendants are joined by Brian discuss:

  • American Airlines may pull 30 Rock from flights but not because of Alec Baldwin
  • RIM execs gnawed through restraints before allegedly assaulting the flight attendant
  • First class air travel thief arrested
  • And in lighter news of the season:
    • Detroit flight to North Pole provided by Silverliners’ Motown Chapter
    • Ronald McDonald house kids in Cincinnati get trip to North Pole on Delta
  • Brian's blog on upgrd.com covering 24 hours in New York City and his newest post on the best places to eat in London

Are you a flight attendant, gate agent or other crew and would like to join us on a future episode? If so, please email us at FA@upgrd.com.

Disclaimer: The views expressed are the personal opinions of the participants and do not necessarily reflect the views of their employers.

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By The Crew Lounge - The Crew Lounge

In this week's flight attendant travel podcast we are joined by Sluggo and Paul to discuss the news, funny passenger stories and the sordid details that he sees in hotel van rear view mirror.

  • Qantas investigates pilot's steamy midair 'interaction'
  • Crew hotel layovers
  • and more...

If you're a flight attendant, gate agent or other crew and would like to join us on a future episode, please email us at FA@upgrd.com.

Thanks for listening!

Disclaimer: The views expressed are the personal opinions of the participants and do not necessarily reflect the views of their employers.

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By The Crew Lounge - The Crew Lounge

In preparation for the holiday season our flight attendant co-hosts discuss travel gifts in this week's flight attendant podcast. Suggested gifts include:

  • Travel size Humidifier
  • A clothes steamer for "ironing" on the road.
  • Travel power strip with USB port for charging your cell
  • TravelPro luggage use coupon code THEFLYINGPINTO15
  • Noise cancelling / folding ear phones. Sound as good as the more expensive brands but without the crazy price tag.
  • Headphones for kids kidzgear.com
  • Slingbox, watch your home shows on the road or Roku to watch Internet streaming on your TV
  • www.flightattendantshop.com
  • great gifts for travelers
  • www.jetsetbetty.com
  • Travel Condoms !
  • And for those on a budget a Tide Stain Stick !

Disclaimer: The views expressed are the personal opinions of the participants and do not necessarily reflect the views of their employers.

The above affiliate links help offset costs of website hosting and podcast production.

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By The Crew Lounge - The Crew Lounge

Today is Thanksgiving in the United States and we want to express a heartfelt thank you to all our listeners worldwide. In this week's travel podcast, we share stories from flight attendants and crew about what they're thankful for and their best Thanksgiving memories.

Thanks for listening and thank you for all your great feedback here, on Twitter and Facebook!

If you're a flight attendant, gate agent or other crew and would like to join us on a future episode, please email us at FA@upgrd.com.

Disclaimer: The views expressed are the personal opinions of the participants and do not necessarily reflect the views of their employers.

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By The Crew Lounge - The Crew Lounge

This week our flight attendants talk with a former People Express flight attendant about working at one of the first discount carriers. We discuss flight attendant and flying news and some of the unique work required at People Express including:

  • TLC ordering 13 half-hour episodes of a reality series
  • AirTran sued over cockroaches on a flight
  • Money stolen from flight attendant, flushed down toilet
  • Newark Airport in the early 80s
  • Collecting airfare on board
  • Cross utilization at People Express
  • and more..

Do you have any questions for a future episode on PEOPLExpress? Comment below or send your questions to fa@upgrd.com

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By The Crew Lounge - The Crew Lounge

Our flight attendants talk with Kristy about flight attendant training and what Mimi is really like. Join us for a behind the training class peak at flight attendant school and one of our co-hosts. We also discuss:

  • Some sad news this week, and a call to all flight attendants to be careful on layovers. A US Airways flight attendant was slain in Mexico City
  • Steven Slater gets one year probation and a standing ovation.

If you're a flight attendant, gate agent or other crew and would like to join us on a future episode, please email us at FA@upgrd.com.

Thanks for listening!

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By The Crew Lounge - The Crew Lounge

In this week's flight attendant podcast we are joined by Seiko to discuss her new role as a corporate flight attendant. In addition we discuss:

  • The new Pan Am show
  • Evangeline Lilly recalls farting in a passenger's face as a Flight Attendant
  • Qantas to revamp their uniforms

If you're a flight attendant, gate agent or other crew and would like to join us on a future episode, please email us at FA@upgrd.com.

Thanks for listening!

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By The Crew Lounge - The Crew Lounge

In this week's flight attendant podcast we continue our previous discussion about Pan Am Flight Attendants with Kevin, Debbie and Jeri who all flew with Pan Am during the 1980s. We discuss the differences and similarities in their training and Pan Am onboard service during the last decade of Pan Am.

If you're a flight attendant, gate agent or other crew and would like to join us on a future episode, please email us at FA@upgrd.com.

Thanks for listening!

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By The Crew Lounge - The Crew Lounge

In this week's flight attendant podcast we are joined by Andrea and Tracy to discuss fitness while on the road.

We discuss some news and keeping active while on layovers:

  • Out with the old in with the new cabin crews
  • Emirates Airlines bets on glamour
  • Healthy rules for Sara and Mimi from Tracy:
    • More water - less beer
    • Lunch bag first ( almonds, hard veggies and fruits, fiber cereals, whole wheat sandwiches..)
    • 4 minutes of the risky business workout is better than a margarita
    • Water, veggie before wing, water, lean protein ( wings generally do not qualify) and tons more like:
    • Get the hotel rest. to prepare a health sandwich that you can pick up on your way out
    • Stretch, breath and be merrier.

Thanks for listening, if you're a flight attendant and would like to join us on a future episode please email fa@upgrd.com!

Disclaimer: The views expressed are the personal opinions of the participants and do not necessarily reflect the views of their employers.

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By The Crew Lounge - The Crew Lounge

In this week's flight attendant podcast we are joined by Amelia, Cliff from uniformfreak.com and Scott to discuss collecting airline memorabilia. We discuss:

Working at KLM

  • The KLM Combi 747s and their often special cargo
  • Collecting airline uniforms, cutlery, dinnerware, and more
  • and more...

Thanks for listening, if you're a flight attendant and would like to join us on a future episode please email fa@upgrd.com!

Disclaimer: The views expressed are the personal opinions of the participants and do not necessarily reflect the views of their employers.

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By The Crew Lounge - The Crew Lounge

Our Pan Am flight attendants have returned in this week's flight attendant podcast to discuss more of Pan Am's onboard service. We start the discussion with the first of seven courses: the caviar cart and walk you through a typical service. We then talk with Gigi and Judy about salaries, schedules, benefits and their eventual switch of airlines.

If you're a flight attendant, gate agent or other crew and would like to join us on a future episode, please email us at FA@upgrd.com.

Thanks for listening!

Disclaimer: The views expressed are the personal opinions of the participants and do not necessarily reflect the views of their employers. Creative Commons picture from Russavia

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By The Crew Lounge - The Crew Lounge

In this week's flight attendant podcast we are joined by Gigi and Judy, two former Pan Am flight attendants. After discussing some recent news, we begin our conversation about Pan Am including:

  • The Pan Am hiring process including language skills and other requirements
  • The weight and height requirements for flight attendants
  • An intro to the service onboard
  • And the differences in training between then and now
  • World Wings International is the organization for former Pan Am flight attendants and can also be found on their facebook page
  • In the news: Someone needs to tell Gerard Depardieu where the bathroom is and hear our reaction to Qantas showing The Female Orgasm Explained

Next week Gigi and Judy give us more insight into onboard service and the inflight meals. (You could get a medium rare steak, heck a medium rare anything!)

If you're a flight attendant, gate agent or other crew and would like to join us on a future episode, please email us at FA@upgrd.com.

Thanks for listening!

Disclaimer: The views expressed are the personal opinions of the participants and do not necessarily reflect the views of their employers.

Photo of Judy, courtesy of Judy ;)

A300 photo creative commons attribution to Deanster1983

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By The Crew Lounge - The Crew Lounge

In this week's flight attendant podcast, Mimi joins us to help co-host and interview Baochi from Boingo Wireless. We discuss using Twitter to make traveling easier, how you can use Twitter to get customer service, and how we've made great friends through the service. In addition we discuss:

  • Cathay Pacific said it has launched a full investigation into photos allegedly showing a flight attendant performing oral sex on a pilot aboard their aircraft.
  • Top 10 grossest things on airplanes authored by our own Sara
  • Passengers stealing from airlines
  • Pan Am show premiers Sep 25th, we're talking with some former Pan Am crew, send in your questions!

If you're a flight attendant, gate agent or other crew and would like to join us on a future episode, please email us at FA@upgrd.com.

Thanks for listening!

Disclaimer: The views expressed are the personal opinions of the participants and do not necessarily reflect the views of their employers.

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By The Crew Lounge - The Crew Lounge

In this week's flight attendant podcast we are joined by our resident foodies Elyse and Jenn to discuss food while traveling. Lots of shocking news from our own panelists and a chat about:

  • Brothers charged with striking pilot
  • J.Lo and Marc's divorce drama, why is it always a flight attendant?
  • Octomom taking over business class
  • European eats

If you're a flight attendant, gate agent or other crew and would like to join us on a future episode, please email us at FA@upgrd.com.

Thanks for listening!

Disclaimer: The views expressed are the personal opinions of the participants and do not necessarily reflect the views of their employers.

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By The Crew Lounge - The Crew Lounge

In this week's flight attendant podcast we are joined by Dominic to discuss his recent time in training. In addition we discuss:

  • Miami woman escorted off flight for taking a photo
  • Americans rank airlines lower than the Post Office and the IRS
  • Study: Long commute could fatigue pilots
  • $20 trick?

Are you a flight attendant, gate agent, or ramp employee? Join us for a recording by using the Contact Us form.

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By The Crew Lounge - The Crew Lounge

In this week's flight attendant podcast we discuss Sara's judging of the some popular flight attendant uniforms with our guest Mike. In addition we discuss:

  • The ranting Southwest pilot apologizes
  • Man sneaks onto plane
  • No infants allowed in first class on Malaysian Airlines

What's your pick? Which airline has the best uniform? Which has the worst?

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By The Crew Lounge - The Crew Lounge

In this flight attendant podcast, recorded a few weeks ago, we asked our listeners on Twitter and Facebook to tell us "What's the most disgusting thing you've ever seen on an airplane" and "What advice do you have for a white knuckle flyer?"

Join us as we discuss the above and news that week including:

  • The man that was arrested for allegedly slapping a flight attendant
  • and more.

If you're a flight attendant and would like to join us on a future episode, please email us at FA@upgrd.com.

Thanks for listening!

Disclaimer: The views expressed are the personal opinions of the participants and do not necessarily reflect the views of their employers.

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By The Crew Lounge - The Crew Lounge

In this week's flight attendant podcast we catch up on the news and talk about the travel blog exchange conference. We discuss:

  • Man kicked off for swearing may sue airline
  • Passenger that was arrested for not pulling up pants
  • US Airways worker stows away in baggage compartment
  • Aer Lingus 'justified' in sacking hash cookie attendant
  • Delta Passenger Kimberly Goodwine Serves Light Punishment
  • The Travel Blog Exchange Conference
  • Our stay through Vacation Rentals By Owner (VRBO) and our great host that sponsored our stay in Vancouver

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By The Crew Lounge - The Crew Lounge

In this week's flight attendant podcast we are joined by Jenn to discuss her switch to international flying and our trip to Vancouver.

  • Man single handedly joins mile high club
  • Ryan Air flight attendants tearing their hair out
  • Shocking Study finds passengers are snobs to each other but flirt with flight attendants. Who would have thought?!
  • We asked our facebook friends "What's the first thing you do when you get home?"
  • off to the Travel Blog Exchange - TBEX in Vancouver