A Flight attendant shares the unspoken rules most passengers don’t know to follow
Flying isn’t always smooth sailing — and Argentine flight attendant Barbara “Barbie Bac” Bacilieri wants travelers to know the unspoken rules that make life easier for everyone on board.
The 29-year-old, who entertains over 2.7 million fans on YouTube with her in-flight stories, revealed the habits passengers should avoid if they don’t want to annoy the crew or put themselves at risk.
Her first rule? Leave the jokes at home. “When the Society of the Snow movie came out, a passenger told me, ‘If anything happens, I give you my consent to eat me.’ I was like, ‘What?!’” she recalled. Others even joked about not wanting a woman pilot — something she says is a definite “no.”
Beyond humor, Bacilieri also warns travelers to avoid certain food and drink choices. That means no plane tap water, no yogurt left out for hours, and no blind trust in airline blankets. “Even though the blankets are washed before each flight, they’ve been used by so many passengers that you never know what might be in there,” she explained.
She also advises against stilettos on board: “In an evacuation, you’d have to take them off so you don’t damage the slide, and at the airport you walk a lot.” And for hygiene’s sake, think twice before stepping into the bathroom barefoot. “Do you think the liquid on the bathroom floor is water? You can’t imagine everything that’s in there.”
Another pet peeve? Passengers lining up to board before the plane even arrives. “Why queue so early if you’re just going to stand around? I prefer to wait until the end and board quietly,” she said.
Dallas-based flight attendant Cher echoed some of these rules earlier this year, calling rompers “a double no-no” for travel. Her advice: skip the one-piece, sandals, and skimpy outfits, since they don’t mix well with dirty floors, cramped seats, or freezing cabin temperatures.
When it comes to flying, Bacilieri sums it up best: pack smart, use humor sparingly, dress for comfort, and trust your instincts — because the sky isn’t always as clean as it looks.
