UK Edition
Confusing cabin crew jargon explained
Have you ever been bemused by the lingo used by cabin crew at 30,000 feet? Want to know what "doors to manual" really means? Telegraph Travel asked Charlotte Southcott, a flight attendant at Monarch Airlines, and Patrick Smith, a US pilot, to explain some of the more commonly used phrases.
Charlotte Southcott, flight attendant at Monarch Airlines:
Arm and crosscheck
Before departure, all the exits are put into emergency mode. One crew member will request the rest of the crew to arm the doors during the public announcement (meaning that if that door were to be opened the escape chute would automatically deploy). The cross-check part is where the cabin crew physically check that the opposite door has also been armed. You tend to hear cross check on larger aircraft and double check on the narrow aircraft.
Doors to arrival/manual and crosscheck
Upon arrival the doors will then be returned to their manual setting.
Debrief
We record every little detail of every flight on the “debrief” and these are kept for a long time. It also means we keep a record of every incident whether it be a medical situation, a disruptive passenger or a catering problem. This ensures all feedback (good and bad) gets forwarded to the relevant department as efficiently as possible.
The demo
The safety demonstration. Our priority is always your safety and we love it when you pay attention to our “demo”.
The flight deck
This actually means the cockpit, however sometimes we use it when referring to the pilots themselves. When you hear us ask, “Do the flight deck need anything?” it normally means, do they need another coffee?
Hat bin
As in “Please place your bags wheels first into the hatbins.” Why are these called hatbins? Surely they’re not used for hats? Well, in the 1960s, when flying was extremely glamorous, they actually were. Back then they were also just a small shelf where ladies could place their hats to avoid being crushed. (Now we suggest placing these smaller items on top of your wheelie bags to avoid a squashing.)
Hot bit
No we aren’t gossiping about the attractive customer we’ve spotted in 15D! It’s just the part of the meal that has been in the oven.
The hold
“We’re in the hold” or “We’ll be in the hold for about fifteen minutes”. This can be a confusing one, as I’m sure you are aware the hold is where all your checked bags are stowed in the rear of the aircraft during the flight. However we also use it to describe the holding area high above the airport where planes are circling, and holding, ready for ATC (Air Traffic Control) to give instructions to land.
Gash bag
Quite simply, the rubbish bag! Another military term, apparently if you were the gash man in the navy you got all the rubbish jobs.
Landing lips
That last slick of lippie we apply to look fresh as a daisy before we come to land and do our final “thank you” and goodbyes of the day.
PA
Our lovely public announcements. These contain loads of info – be sure to listen out for them from ourselves and the flight deck. You might miss something important.
Plonkey kits
Apparently this originates from the ships’ galleys. Our plonkey kits are the small bag of essential things we carry on our flights. Ours tend to contain ice tongs, oven gloves, small clippers, a sewing kit and a clothes brush. I always carry a few extras in my work bag: Hand cream, a phone charger (in case of unexpected night stops) and always a deck of playing cards. Many crew also like to personalise their little bags.
Starburst
You’ll see this happen when a service is started in the middle of the cabin and the trolleys work out towards the galleys.
Top of the drop
“Only forty minutes until the top of the drop”, otherwise known as “top of descent”. This refers to the point where we start descending for landing. No vigorous dropping and nothing to worry about if you overhear it.
Wagon train
You’ll see one of these in the cabin when we have two services following on behind each other, e.g. drinks, immediately followed by perfumes and gifts. We often have to do this on short flights.
“We’ve met”
Did it ever appear odd that two crew members meet in the cabin, say this and then walk away from each other? This is what we do when we are carrying out visual checks on seatbelts and also happened quite often in the charter days when serving tea and coffee.
Patrick Smith, author of Cockpit Confidential, a book on air travel:
All-call
Often part of the arming/disarming procedure, this is a request that each flight attendant report via intercom from his or her station - a sort of flight attendant conference call.
Last-minute paperwork
Everything is buttoned up and the flight is ready for pushback. Then comes the wait for “last minute paperwork,” which winds up taking half an hour. Usually it’s something to do with the weight-and-balance record, a revision to the flight plan, or waiting for the maintenance guys to deal with a write-up and get the logbook in order.
Flight level
There’s a technical definition of flight level, but I’m not going to bore you with it. Basically this is a fancy way of telling you how many thousands of feet you are above sea level. Just add a couple of zeroes. Flight level three-three zero is 33,000 feet.
The first officer
Better known as the co-pilot. The first officer sits on the right and wears three stripes. He or she is fully qualified to operate the aircraft in all stages of flight, including takeoffs and landings, and does so in alternating turns with the captain.
Ground stop
This is when departures to one or more destination are curtailed by air traffic control, usually due to a traffic backlog.
EFC time
Example: "Good news, we've been given an EFC time of 30 minutes after the hour".Meaning: The expect further clearance (EFC) time, sometimes called a release time, is the point at which a crew expects to be set free from a holding pattern or exempted from a ground stop.
Wheels-up time
Similar to the EFC time, except it refers to the point when a ground-stopped plane is expected to be fully airborne. The crew must plan to be at or near the runway as close to this time as possible.
Area of weather
Example: "Due to an area of weather over New Jersey, we'll be turning southbound towards Philadelphia".
Meaning: Typically, thunderstorms or a zone of heavy precipitation.
Air pocket
Colloquial for a transient jolt of turbulence.
Final approach
For pilots, an airplane is on final approach when it has reached the last, straight-in segment of the landing pattern - that is, alligned with the extended centreline of the runway, requiring no additional turns. Flight attendants speak of final approach on their own more general terms, in reference to the latter portion of the descent.
Deadhead
A deadheading pilot or flight attendant is one repositioning as part of an on-duty assignment. This is not the same as commuting to work or engaging in personal travel.
Equipment
Example: "Due to an equipment change, departure for Heathrow is delayed three hours".
Meaning: an airplane. (Is there not something strange about the refusal to call the focal point of the entire industry by its real name?)
Gatehouse
An idiosyncratic way of saying the gate area or boarding lounge. Gatehouse has a folksy touch that I really like. They should use it more often.
Ramp
The aircraft and ground vehicle movement areas closest to the terminal - the aircraft parking zones and surrounds.
Alley
A taxiway or passageway between terminals or ramps.
Apron
Similar to ramp, this is basically any expanse of tarmac that is not a runway or taxiway - areas where planes park or are otherwise serviced.
At this time
Example: "At this time, we ask that you please put away all electronic devices".
Meaning: now, or presently. This is air travel's signature euphemism.
Final and immediate boarding call
A flamboyant way of telling slow-moving passengers to get their asses in gear.
To purchase a copy of Patrick Smith's Cockpit Confidential, see www.askthepilot.com