How Flight Attendants Balance Mom Life: Pregnancy, Parenting, & Flying with Kids

How do flight attendants balance raising a family with an unpredictable flying schedule? And what is it really like to work at 35,000 feet while pregnant? Our guest this week, Brittney, shares her firsthand experience as someone who’s living both lives — flight attendant and mom — and she’s not holding anything back!

From working flights while pregnant (yes, it’s as intense as it sounds) to the reality of airline policies, she breaks down what actually happens behind-the-scenes and what most people don’t realize.

We also get into the hot topic everyone has opinions on: kids on planes. After years of seeing it all as crew, her perspective has completely changed now that she’s a parent, and it might change yours too. Brittney shares some of her best travel tips for traveling with kids on planes.

Plus, we talk about the emotional side of balancing this career with motherhood, the schedule chaos, the guilt, the support systems, and what it actually takes to make this lifestyle work with a kid at home.

Episode Highlights:

[0:00] Welcome to Episode #31!
[0:35] Happy Mother’s Day, amazing moms!
[2:20] Brittney’s wild inflight story
[7:51] How does an aviation super-mom do it?
[11:32] Juggling pregnancy & flight attendant duties
[17:00] Post-partum and pumping at work
[22:54] How did your viewpoint towards your career change?
[25:23] Brittney values her ‘alone time’
[26:24] Enjoying flight benefits
[28:41] You need the StaffTraveler app!
[29:59] Creating an effective system that works
[33:19] You cannot make promises 
[34:06] Transitions can be hard
[37:09] Advice for flight attendant moms
[39:55] Carry-On or Check It? 🤔
[46:59] Advice for traveling with kids
[47:37] Brittney’s chaotic family stories inflight
[51:26] Travel essentials parents should bring
[56:59] Oh crap! moment
[58:54] Brittney’s take on the trend
[1:02:19] Let’s play Cross-Checked!

And of course, we lighten things up with “Carry-On or Check It?” (A new segment!) and “Crosschecked!”, our always popular lightning round to close it out.

If you’ve ever flown with a kid, traveled while pregnant, or wondered how flight attendants manage a life outside the plane, this is one you don’t want to miss!

Transcript

Welcome to Episode #31!

SPEAKER_00 0:00

I did snap at a passenger once and had to go back and apologize. I was like, I'm sorry, I'm just really pregnant.

SPEAKER_01 0:05

And there's a child sitting next to me, uh-huh. And there's a child speaking to me.

SPEAKER_00 0:09

Now it's just sort of what what which schedule works best for my sleep and for my sanity? There is a time and place for the tablet, and please bring it. But if you bring it for the love of God, bring headphones. And then I come home and he's my son's like, Mommy, were you stuck in Florida?

Happy Mother’s Day, amazing moms!

SPEAKER_01 0:35

Mother's Day is just around the corner, and today we're celebrating all of the amazing moms out there, especially the moms in aviation who truly juggle it all. Explaining our flight attendant schedules to people outside of aviation is already tough because they're so unpredictable. And adding kids into the mix takes the challenge to a whole new level. Since we don't have kids of our own, we brought in an expert, one of our very best friends, and a flight attendant with over 13 years of experience to talk about balancing parenthood and aviation life, plus share tips and travel hacks for anyone flying with kids. Welcome, Brittany. We are so excited to have you here. Thank you for joining us today. We're so excited to have you.

SPEAKER_00 1:13

I am so ecstatic to be here. And also, before I say anything else, I'm so proud of you guys. Like I have seen this develop into something that it is now, and your Instagram and your brand that you have built, and I've been in the front row seat for it. So you deserve all the good things that have happened and will happen because you're cheap.

SPEAKER_01 1:34

You're not just here, but in life, absolutely rah-rah, go team.

SPEAKER_00 1:38

Absolutely.

SPEAKER_01 1:38

And now you're literally in the front seat. Here I am. Well, and that's one of the greatest things that we find about this podcast is that we really, we really wanted to figure out how to incorporate our friends and our actual life into this because of the community that we're building, we want people to see the community that we have and that we have built personally on top of all of this. So it really means a lot to us that you would rearrange your schedule so you could be here with us today. Thank you.

SPEAKER_00 2:05

Couldn't be happier to do it.

SPEAKER_01 2:06

Okay, now we normally start our episodes by ranting. I'm sure you know you do? What?

SPEAKER_00 2:13

No. Could never.

SPEAKER_01 2:16

Uh we like to tell people what's going on in our world personally. Um,

Brittney’s wild inflight story

SPEAKER_01 2:20

so anything crazy happened to you recently, or do you have a wild story?

SPEAKER_00 2:25

Um you want a wild one? Sure.

SPEAKER_01 2:28

We sure do.

SPEAKER_00 2:29

Um, I mean, we all have our share of wild stories. I definitely have one that sticks out in my mind as the wildest. So set the scene. Um, I'm working back galley, coach galley, on a 737. Ooh. Um, but for those people who don't know, 737, it's a standard front-to-back airplane. You've got lavatory in the front, you've got rows and rows and rows, and then you got more lavatories in the back. So when there are three of us working in the back, two flight attendants usually go out into the aisle with a cart, and then the person working in the back is stuck to either pull out a cart and block people from going to the lavatory and piss some people off, or you just sort of run back and forth and hand run beverages. And so that's typically what I do because I know that otherwise I'll be triggered by the anger. So that's what I was doing this so real. Exactly. So that's what I was doing this particular day, middle of the day. Couldn't have been brighter outside, and the cabin is way lit up. And I serve the last row. The last row happens to be a couple on one side, probably late 50s or late 40s, early 50s, and an empty seat. And then on the other side are their two kids, probably eight to 12, uh, and another empty seat. So it's just that whole family in the last row. They order beverages, we go about our business. Another time I'm walking through, I notice that the couple has sort of set their beverages to the side and then gone to sleep. And they're just sort of like cuddled up with each other. And we as flight attendants, a weird thing. Well, the weird the weird thing about our job is we see a lot of people sleeping. Like, I you never think about that before you do it. But like we see a lot of people asleep in all manner of contortion or whatever it takes, mouths a gape. But um, you know, so true. Yeah, but this couple just sort of went to sleep, and it was just sort of this awkward angle. It couldn't have been comfortable. And she had this shawl scarf that she was wearing, and she sort of awkwardly draped it over them. And I just thought, that cannot be comfortable. What are they doing? Well, well, I'm just doing my job, so I keep going back and forth, but again, they're sleeping, so their eyes are closed, so I can stop and take a good look at them. Yeah, and I think I mean, which if you're standing in the back gallery, you do exactly very close quarters, and again, it's the middle of the day, so it's very bright.

SPEAKER_01 4:56

And every time you're walking by, you're judging and looking a little bit more to figure it out.

SPEAKER_00 5:00

I have plenty of chances to get good looks, right? So at some point it hits me.

SPEAKER_01 5:07

Figure out what's going on.

SPEAKER_00 5:10

So at some point it hits me. Oh, that is awkwardly draped because she's covering her hand to be over his crotch area.

SPEAKER_01 5:20

Oh no.

SPEAKER_00 5:21

And I thought, please tell me that's not true. Can I? Oh, what do you do? Like, I can't accuse someone of something that's not actually happening. That would be the worst. But also, it's broad daylight and their kids are right there. Like, gross. But okay, what do I do? So I just thought, just keep doing your job, keep an eye on them. And then the next time I came back through, indeed, oh no, the area over his crotch was bobbing up and down. So I knew she was giving him a hand job in broad daylight on an airplane across from her kids. And I I just sort of froze.

SPEAKER_01 6:02

Wow.

SPEAKER_00 6:02

Yeah. So I got out my best. By the way, I was a teacher before I was a flight attendant.

SPEAKER_01 6:09

Important part of the story. For the voice that's coming next.

SPEAKER_00 6:12

For the voice, we know. We know the voice is coming. So I just said, also I'm from the south, if you can't already tell. So I just said, ma'am. And their eyeballs just shot at me. And I just said, we can all see what you're doing. Stop it. And I just walked to the back alley and shook. I couldn't believe it. I couldn't believe that I had to say something. I couldn't believe this was happening. We all hear about the mile high club and going to the lavatory. The lavatories on that airplane are teeny tiny. So they just said, we'll just do it right here.

SPEAKER_01 6:47

I had this happen to me on a flight once. Thankfully, they used a blanket and like half of it was hanging out in the aisle. So I caught it with my foot. When we had blankets on the plane. Way back in way back. Way back. But the blanket was hanging in the aisle. So I caught it with my foot and pulled it off. And I was like, oh God. I said, so I was gonna ask you to stop, but now I just need you to put that away.

SPEAKER_00 7:12

Oh no.

unknown 7:14

Thank you.

SPEAKER_01 7:19

You really do. You're like, I just I had to respond. I had to do something about the city. Oh my god.

SPEAKER_00 7:29

Because what a mess that I don't want to clean up, you know? I'm sorry.

SPEAKER_01 7:33

That is a story. No, no, you're 100% correct.

SPEAKER_00 7:36

Yeah, that's the one that sticks out in my mind. If you I can imagine. We're the same person.

SPEAKER_01 7:41

Gee, we've met before.

SPEAKER_00 7:43

Maybe.

SPEAKER_01 7:44

Oh, well, shifting gears a little bit, because that is an epic story, and we thank you for sharing. You're very welcome.

How does an aviation super-mom do it?

SPEAKER_01 7:51

Um, we so Mother's Day's coming up. We figured what better way to kind of celebrate and to, you know, show appreciation for moms by having one of our favorite moms on the show. And we wanted to get into um just being a mom as a flight attendant. You know, so often you hear people say things like, Oh, I could never do that, or how do you do that? How do you juggle this crazy schedule and being a mom and all that sort of stuff? So, you know, we want to get into it. Like, how do you respond to that when someone says to you, you know, oh my gosh, you're a mom and a flight attendant? Like, do you ever even see your kids? Or, you know, what what do you say to people when they say that?

SPEAKER_00 8:29

It can be impossible if you let it, um, but it can also be very possible, depending on your situation, your circumstances, your seniority, unfortunately. Um but I I definitely see my kid. I honestly feel sometimes like I see him more than I would if I had a nine to five. And that's amazing.

SPEAKER_02 8:51

Right.

SPEAKER_00 8:52

Um, I actually, there are a lot of times he's in pre-K at the moment, he's four. So they have these parent involvement times where you can go and sort of observe your kid in their natural habitat with their friends or whatever. And I go to every one of them. I wouldn't miss it for the world. I'm a behind-the-scenes girly. I want to see all the things. And so because of the flexibility of our schedule, I can definitely make that happen. Whereas I see that a lot of parents just have to miss because why do I want to rearrange my whole day for a 20-minute or whatever?

SPEAKER_01 9:23

Whereas you could just be off that Tuesday or whatever the case may be. Exactly. And so pick up an evening shift instead of a morning shift.

SPEAKER_00 9:29

Absolutely. So it it can be difficult though. It can be definitely challenging with childcare. It all depends on, like I when I think about it, I think, oh gosh, moms that commute, or um, dad, single parents, oh my God, how do you do that? Um, for us, a lot of people think, well, how do you do that without a village? We don't have any family in our area. So it's literally us, a babysitter, and sometimes you guys, I mean, you guys are literally emergency contact, you know, like we have to make it work.

SPEAKER_02 10:01

Right.

SPEAKER_00 10:02

Um, but I I think if you want children, if you want a family, if you want a child like we're doing, you can make it work if that's what you really want. Is it gonna be hard for a while? Absolutely. Some of us are in the trenches. Um, and the job changes and morphs around that, but it's not impossible. And if you want to make it happen, I'd say you absolutely can. You just gotta kind of get your ducks in a row and and rethink some things and get creative. But you can make it happen if that's what you want.

SPEAKER_01 10:34

Right. We and we get you know, questions about like our relationship and like, oh, do you ever even see each other because you're both flying? It's a similar thing where it's like, yeah, there are challenges, but at the same time, you get more dedicated time together to do things than you would if you had a regular nine to five, because you can be there for those moments where you might not have been there.

SPEAKER_00 10:53

Well, and my son has a relationship with his dad that a lot of dads don't have. I mean, it's becoming more of a thing, but you know, historically, your relationship with your mom is always closer than the relationship with your dad, and he's still a mama's boy, but his relationship with his dad is just as strong because they get a lot of time alone and they have to figure it out.

SPEAKER_01 11:17

That's beautiful, darn being helpful at the same time. Yeah, I was gonna say honestly, it's one thing I love watching from afar, like when we come over and hang out, the relationship they do have is so special. It really is. Yeah, and we love it. We do. It's true. So

Juggling pregnancy & flight attendant duties

SPEAKER_01 11:32

take us back to before even the motherhood part of it, you know, you're pregnant as a flight attendant. That's a whole nother realm of challenges that people face. And I think people don't really well, especially people who don't get pregnant, but especially people who do get pregnant, I think they don't realize as a flight attendant, like all the different challenges that they're gonna face throughout that. Like, what was that experience like with you juggling, flying while, say, you know, um wanting to hurl or whatever your side effects?

SPEAKER_00 12:02

Yeah, I'm gonna be able to get into pregnant while flying. What a time to be alive. Um, Jolly Ranchers and Gum were my best friend. I would always have a trash bag at the back jump seat. Luckily, you know, for me, the nausea and stuff lasted the first trimester, and then I made it out alive. And then it was time for the comments on my body because I started becoming, you know, visibly pregnant. Um, I didn't have a terrible experience. I had, I would say, probably an average experience. Um, it was interesting being nauseous on the back of an airplane. You almost felt like, you know, even when you weren't visibly pregnant, you kind of had to let your crew know because people were, it was, I was pregnant. Were we still wearing masks?

SPEAKER_01 12:47

I'm not sick, I'm fine. It's all fine. I'm not sick.

SPEAKER_00 12:50

We were still wearing masks at the time. So I sort of had to make sure everybody knew like this isn't an illness, I'm just sick, or I'm just pregnant. It's fine. Cool. Um, but uh no, I had some lovely coworkers who were like, don't touch that bag, I'm gonna get it, or um that sort of thing. Um, there was a point in pregnancy where you know how when you've got two people that are kind of taking up the aisle in the same row and you have to kind of turn a little bit to get past them, there was a point where like that didn't help because I just hit them even more than I would have with my hips. So that became a time where it was like, okay, I think it's about time to stop flying. Um, but it's different for every person. Some people have an easy go of it, some people have a terrible go of it. Um, I did snap at a passenger once and had to go back and apologize. I was like, I'm sorry, I'm just really pregnant. She's like, it's okay, it's okay. And I was like, I didn't mean to take it out of you. But no, it it my experience was fairly normal. It was fine.

SPEAKER_01 13:49

Well, fortunately, most people, I feel like, are understanding, especially when they know you're pregnant. You know, we talk a lot about people and their odd behaviors and whatever, but fortunately, most people are compassionate. But you brought up a whole different point that I didn't even think about in like comments on your body because it's already so insane for people like for women that are pregnant, but then you factor in, okay, I've got 200 new people every every flight. Yes, with their a whole new slew of comments and things that they feel like it's okay to say or do or whatever. So yeah, I can imagine that just coming at you all day long. And we already get touched unexpectedly so many times. How did you keep people's hands off of you?

SPEAKER_00 14:30

Because I feel like it's that wasn't as much of a thing, the touching. That's good to know. But I did, I didn't know.

SPEAKER_01 14:35

I feel like in real life, you like people are like, let me feel exactly.

SPEAKER_00 14:40

No, people didn't touch my belly as much as I expect I sort of was ready for. Like I was sort of the pit bull, like ready to go. Um, but I was I was on one one day when a lady, she just came, made a beeline for me in the back of the airplane, and she she must have seen me in the airport or something. And she just said, Oh, when are you due? And I was like, Oh, here it is. I'm gonna do it. And I just said, I just we were bubbling. I said, I'm sorry, and she said, When are you due? And I said, do for what? And she just goes, Yeah, you're you're pregnant. For training, right? About three weeks. She said, Yeah, you're pregnant, right? And I just said, No. And I just I I waited until the blood fully fell out of her face. And I was like, I'm just kidding with you. I'm doing January. And she just, I mean, she really froze for a minute, and I was like, Well, I didn't mean to kill her, but you know, she sh I I it sort of made the point that like you shouldn't be commenting on someone's bodies, it could be any sort of medical anything, or that could just be my body.

SPEAKER_01 15:38

Yeah. Um, but she I think you needed that to do it. It was, I mean to get that out of your system without fully snapping on somebody.

SPEAKER_00 15:46

Exactly. I like I said, I was on one that day and I just thought, well, she's the one. Here it is, here it is, served to me on a silver platter.

SPEAKER_01 15:54

Oh my gosh, that's crazy. Often joke because you're right, you do have to tell all your crew members they have to know what's going on. But I joke with one of my core workers because she was she flew until the very end, like eight and a half months pregnant.

SPEAKER_02 16:07

Like contracting.

SPEAKER_01 16:09

Yeah, we were sitting on the jump seat and she was like, Oh, I keep getting the sharp pain. And I was like, girl, get off the plane. Yes, it was already mid-flight. And I was like, Okay, how often would you say these sharp pains are happening? And she was like, about every five minutes. Oh god, that doesn't seem great. Should you sit down and let me do all the work today? And she was like, No, no, no, I can do it. And I was like, No, you should really sit down and let me do all the work today. We get home and she was like, Oh, thank god, it's just food poisoning. And I was like, I thought I she like threw up on her way home. It was this whole thing. But she was texting me and she was like, No, baby, I just had food poisoning. And I was like, I would have thrown up on my way home too, just literally from the I thought I was delivering a baby that day. I was like, You were eight and a half months pregnant, talking about stomach pain. Right, don't scare me. I was like, what are you doing? Jesus.

Post-partum and pumping at work

SPEAKER_01 17:00

So flying while pregnant, terrible, and then you move into postpartum. Postpartum and pumping at work and all that sort of stuff, which you know, the pump act came out in what 2022? I think so. But doesn't most things don't apply to flight attendants because we have such crazy schedules and work environment. Always some loophole for the aviation industry, unfortunately. What was what was that like?

SPEAKER_00 17:24

Well, I I've said ever since I did it and ever since I stopped, pumping at work, whether it's in aviation or otherwise, is a full-time job on top of your full-time job. It it goes for any sector, any business. If you have a pumping coworker, you give them every ounce of grace, every benefit of the doubt. They are working twice as hard as you are, both mentally and physically.

SPEAKER_01 17:50

No, I'm sure. Um, so on a pretty regimented schedule about when it needs to be. Exactly.

SPEAKER_00 17:55

And the airline industry is not. I mean, delays happen. Correct. And things are not always as predictable as you want them to be. I mean, you're always going, okay, check-ins at nine, then I need to leave by eight. Well, baby gets up at seven. So I'm gonna feed baby at seven, and then that means I need to pump again at 10. Like that's when we're supposed to leave. Maybe I can do it on the jump seat. Like it's all these mental things that are going on in your head. So pumping at work, I will always and forever say, is a full-time job while you're at your full-time job. Uh, as regards to the pump act, for those people who don't know, uh, the pump act was a way to require employers to provide both time and space that were adequate for pumping. You both need the breaks at the right times and the right lengths, et cetera, to be able to make sure it gets done and make sure you keep up your supply. And also space, you need a place that's quiet, private, not a bathroom that needs to happen. Now, I'm not naive to the fact exactly. It's and um, I'm not naive to the fact that airlines can't just make pumping rooms on airplanes. Like, I I understand that. But the vigor with which airlines were fighting against this act to make sure that they were excluded for those of us who have been through it, are like, could you use half of that energy to help us make reasonable, creative solutions and accommodations for when we need to pump? Because literally we're just trying to feed our human that we just made. We're going through all of these different life and hormonal changes, and you're like, oh, thank God we're excluded from that. Let's forget about them. Let's just let her talk to her maternity coordinator.

SPEAKER_01 19:38

Because we're already treated like just a number as flight attendants, as airline employees in this industry. And then to watch them go a step further to make you feel even less seen and less appreciated to the point where they're fighting against this act that is supposed to help millions of people. And to witness that, I can't even imagine how disheartening that was. Give me a curtain so I don't have to sit in a lavatory.

SPEAKER_00 20:00

Thank you. Well, and a curtain away from maybe my other coworkers. Like, I mean, I just had to be like, hey, I'm pumping, don't worry about it. But even, you know, thinking back to things that airlines could do, like some of the solutions are so easy. Um, I specifically remember the year after I finished pumping, of course. I, you know, it just happens that you're one of the pioneers, whether you want to be it or not. But the year after I finished pumping, they came out with our new health insurance perks for the next year, whatever. And they're like, now covering wearable pumps. And I was like, well, good, it's about time. Right. But then you look into it and they're not fully covered. It's like $150 off of a pump. And I'm like, these are $500 pumps. Like you can't.

SPEAKER_01 20:45

This is a coupon code. This does not help.

SPEAKER_00 20:48

Exactly. And so it was frustrating and infuriating. And anybody who pumps knows a wearable pump is phenomenal, but it doesn't do the work that a plug-in pump does. So now you need two. And so you end up having to pay for two. And they're like, here's your coupon code, oh, you can only use it for one. So it's just little things like that are actually big things to people who are going through it. And so it's incredibly frustrating when airlines just yet again treat you like a number.

SPEAKER_01 21:16

And these are the things that, as someone who's having a child, it's probably maybe your first one. You don't know you need or can need or have access to or have even thought about where like the people that are making the policies have seen the problems over and over and over again and should set you up for success. Exactly.

SPEAKER_00 21:32

And then when we're in the thick of it, and when we're most passionate about this, we're the most exhausted people on the planet, and we don't have the energy to fight for these things. And so it's just sort of a cyclical hellscape.

SPEAKER_01 21:46

Yeah. But that's exhausting. I can't even imagine through it. I'm glad you survived.

SPEAKER_00 21:51

I'm here to survive us.

SPEAKER_01 21:53

And and millions of people do. Like, I mean, there are tons of mothers out there doing this exact thing right now, facing.

SPEAKER_00 22:00

Similar struggles like I will say that if it weren't for the stress and the job that was pumping, I probably would have nursed my son for longer. But it the toll that pumping, I I'm sort of a high time flyer, it's less so than I was before. But um just the toll that pumping took on my mental health, on my physical health. I just by the time I made it to a year, my her stubbornness, herself, by the time I made it to a year, I was like, let it go. Yeah, like it's fine. You made it to the goal, you can be your stubborn self and just let it go.

SPEAKER_01 22:39

And so yourself up over this. You need to worry about you too.

SPEAKER_00 22:43

Exactly. And then my next trip, I was like, I have so much time for all these activities. What am I gonna do? I can go back to reading again. And it yeah, it was it was an experience.

How did your viewpoint towards your career change?

SPEAKER_01 22:54

So from there, moving into adjusting to motherhood now and your schedule changes and all of that sort of crazy stuff. How did your like viewpoint of the job change moving into you know, scheduling for me and my husband versus scheduling for me and now my newborn?

SPEAKER_00 23:12

Just my son is who the schedule is for.

SPEAKER_01 23:14

Exactly.

SPEAKER_00 23:15

No, it it definitely I used to I used to bid for the layovers or the high time trips, or I would bid for what worked for us with little trips that we wanted to take. And now it's I'm scheduling for preschool drop-off, and I'm scheduling for how we have to manage to go visit family and those sorts of things to make sure that they all get to see their grandson. And so it's it's more of a job now than a fun career. Um, but I also understand that I'm still in the thick of it and I and that those places and things and experiences will still be there when I'm ready to come back to them. Now it's just sort of what what which schedule works best for my sleep and for my sanity? Okay, let's make this work. But um, yeah, the job, the job is still wonderful to me. I still really love it. It's still for me. Right. But the scheduling part, it's all for my son. There's there's very little that gets done for myself. Every once in a while, I can manage to squeeze in like, oh, is that a two-day that works in an all-inclusive cancun? Oh, honey, that's what they gave me. I can't help it. And nobody wanted it. So I just I I guess I have to do it.

SPEAKER_01 24:32

Paris over the weekend, where you leave late Friday, back midday, Sunday, so you can be like, I don't know. Oh, darn.

SPEAKER_00 24:41

We do have some summer camp things coming up where it actually might make more sense for me to do maybe some international, maybe some longer trips. That's to me because we share the vehicle. So we'll see what summer brings. Maybe, maybe mama let loose of the tail.

SPEAKER_01 24:55

I love that like you can still see the beauty of this job though, even with all that, because I think in those moments you get so overwhelmed and so swamped by like the scheduling of it and the you know, I'm doing all of this not for me now. And like obviously you would do anything for your kiddo, but at the same time, like it's hard to kind of lose yourself in that, right?

SPEAKER_00 25:19

For sure. Yeah, you do feel like you've lost yourself in it sometimes. And

Brittney values her ‘alone time’

SPEAKER_00 25:23

that that's also another beauty of the job, though, is especially now that I'm done pumping, I can actually sleep through the night on a layover hotel and not have to worry about setting an alarm to wake up and pump, which was miserable. But you know, uh having my alone time, I've always been a lone wolf, I've always been very introverted. And having my alone time in a hotel is fuel for me. Oh, absolutely like there have definitely been times where this job and my ability to have one night in a hotel alone away this week or this month or whatever have you, has made me a better mom. Because you can step away and go, Oh, I miss him though. And that's healthy for you to get away and miss him and miss that situation so that when you are in the trenches and having a tantrum or having a night terror or whatever it is, you can go, oh, but I missed this two nights ago. So, like, this is great.

SPEAKER_01 26:17

Because you're rejuvenated just enough. Just enough to be present in that moment and not be like, oh my god, when will it end?

SPEAKER_00 26:23

Exactly.

Enjoying flight benefits

SPEAKER_01 26:24

And I'm sure he's still little, so this part is a lot of work, but it also must be nice to have flight benefits to look forward to where trips to grandma's are coming soon. You can a week in the summer is really not that big of a deal when you can fly him down and fly him back and have a week to and speaking of that, we just took him to Cancun in January when we were having the snowstorm.

SPEAKER_00 26:46

Oh my gosh, we had the best time when you guys were having a hard time getting to Thailand. We were trying to get to Cancun.

SPEAKER_01 26:51

I was worried about getting everybody everywhere.

SPEAKER_00 26:54

And we made it down there and we were having a great time. And I explained to him, I said, Well, you know how we live in our house with our cats in New Jersey, but we took an airplane down here and we're having fun at the beach. He's like, Yeah. And I said, So this, what we're doing is called vacation. He goes, I love vacation. I was like, Me too, buddy, me too. We all do. Yeah, so that definitely we're he's getting to that perfect age where the flying and using the flight benefits is absolutely a perk. So we're going with it.

SPEAKER_01 27:23

I think remind me again. Did you non-rev or you bought tickets?

SPEAKER_00 27:26

We did non-rev. We ended up having to go at a different airline on the way town because of the snowstorm.

SPEAKER_01 27:31

Because you were trying to figure out which route to take and all that. I'm not saying somebody called for buddy passes, but somebody called for buddy passes.

SPEAKER_00 27:37

May have.

SPEAKER_01 27:38

This is the beauty of this industry and this community. Can you should mind fight filled up because of the snowstorm?

SPEAKER_00 27:45

Can you and then I was on staff traveler every three hours. Like, how many seats are left? How many seats are left? How many seats are left?

SPEAKER_01 27:51

How magical of the city is. Oh my god.

SPEAKER_00 27:53

And it gave me such peace of mind because honestly, with the snowstorm, everybody was sort of leaving a day or two in advance. And so you could just see the seats just disappearing. That's why we didn't go on our airline because they were zeroed out. Yeah. It it had been like a hundred seats and they all zeroed out. So um I was looking on your airline on Staff Traveler, and it just it was also falling, but like not at the clip that it was.

SPEAKER_02 28:16

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 28:17

And I think it went from like 140 seats down to 60. And I was like, 60 is comfortable. Like 60 is amazing.

SPEAKER_01 28:23

Yeah. I can still do this and not stress exactly having to do it.

SPEAKER_00 28:26

But literally, I'm telling you, every three hours I was like, refresh. Oh, thank you. Okay, okay.

SPEAKER_01 28:31

She was like, Can you look up this load for me? And I was like, I absolutely can't. She's like, I already checked taxi.

SPEAKER_00 28:35

I already checked it. Yep.

SPEAKER_01 28:36

I was like, I'm not booking until like morning up. Yes. But we'll do it. Now it's lovely. Those of you

You need the StaffTraveler app!

SPEAKER_01 28:41

listening that don't have Staff Traveler, get it. Staff Traveler is the number one non-rev app. It makes your travels easy and stress-free. You can look up loads of different airlines when you're in those moments, say going to Cancun and maybe panicking. You can look at other airlines, you can figure out reroutes, and like it just makes life so much easier. Go to stafftraveler.com/slash two guys, download the app. You will not be disappointed. I'm so glad it saved you. Also, fun fact, I don't know if you remember this. You're the reason to say you're the reason. You're the reason I know about staff traveler.

SPEAKER_02 29:10

Oh, you're welcome.

SPEAKER_01 29:12

We were origin story. We were sitting on a sit somewhere, and you were like, Oh, we're going on this trip, whatever. I need to check staff traveling, and I was like, Staff who and you showed me the app, and I was like, You can do what?

SPEAKER_00 29:24

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 29:24

In an app. Like, I was blown away, so excited.

SPEAKER_00 29:27

Literally, it's a form of entertainment when I am like watching some show and I'm like, ooh, let me get on staff travel and earn like 50 credits tonight. And I just go through and I fill out all the requests, and then I've got a whole bank that I just use for when I need to update every three of us.

SPEAKER_01 29:40

It's amazing. We do it on delays. Well, I do it on delays. I'll sit on a delay and I'll be like, what can I do today? And I'll just go start earning credits.

SPEAKER_00 29:46

Well, you are welcome.

SPEAKER_01 29:48

Well, I'm glad that you guys are getting to travel and use the benefits too, because that keeps things kind of refreshed. You're like, okay, let me stick with this job, let me keep going places. Um, but what

Creating an effective system that works

SPEAKER_01 29:59

are some systems you have in place to kind of keep everything going? I mean, I know you love scheduling apps and things like that. Like, what how do you make it all work? Because you've got your schedule, you've got your husband's schedule, you've got your kiddo's schedule. Like, there's just so many moving parts.

SPEAKER_00 30:14

I also used to introduce you to um physical paper planners that were perfectly personalized, and those were agendio shout out for my agendia. Yes. But I can't do that anymore because I have to share with a man. Um, so we have we hate that. We hate that. So we have a Google Calendar that we use, and I use Flighty, and uh Flighty puts all my flights on my Google Calendar, so that works for us. Um, but no, every month my husband and I will sit down, we'll sit down like when bidding is open and go, okay, what do we have this month? What are we trying to avoid? What are we trying to go around? And it's just sort of what we do every month. And then once bids come out, we'll sit and go, okay, I'm doing drop-off, you're doing pickup. I'm doing pickup, you're doing drop-off. And and okay, nobody's working this day because we're gonna get these things done. So it's just sort of a routine of working with each other. Um, but flighty is very helpful for they could totally.

SPEAKER_01 31:11

Well, I was gonna say that has to be helpful for you because we can see each other's schedules, right? And but with him having a static job.

SPEAKER_00 31:18

A static job, a normy job on the ground. It's a static job.

SPEAKER_01 31:25

Very um very rigid hours and things that he has to well.

SPEAKER_00 31:29

Luckily, his job is super flexible. He he probably could get some amazing, better job somewhere else, but the flexibility is just so I mean, I've gotten stuck before, and he's able to just drop everything and stay at home. Um, and then I come home and he's my son's like, Mommy, were you stuck in Florida?

SPEAKER_01 31:49

They love that even though Florida is usually the problem.

SPEAKER_00 31:52

Exactly. Mommy was stuck in Florida. Um, so no, he's able to sort of drop and do whatever he has to do, which is super. So it really is everything.

SPEAKER_01 32:01

That's why we all stay in this job too, as flight attendants, like his schedule, it works for him with flexibility, but for us too, it's like the flexibility is everything.

SPEAKER_00 32:09

It really is. And so every month we just sort of have a family meeting and get all that out of the way, and then everything is electronic, and my flighty sends all my flights over to um Google Calendar. In fact, if I have any changes, my husband's like, Could you update the calendar, please? Calm down.

SPEAKER_01 32:25

Flighty is so good for that, like syncing everything.

SPEAKER_00 32:28

It really, like literally, it's it's in the moment. Like I can delete a flight and I can add a new one, and it's already on my Google Calendar, and so it's really lovely.

SPEAKER_01 32:35

Flighty, if you're listening to this conversation.

SPEAKER_00 32:36

I mean, seriously, let's chat. They're they're really great, and they're really great. So it works to me. Um, and then we also like I have a I have my airplane closet at home that I use to keep like my suitcase, my uniforms, all of my things, so that I come straight in, stick it all in there, and it's good to go for my next trip. I don't have to think about it, I don't have to worry about it. And so those types of organizational systems at least help me going since I can't have my paper planner anymore.

SPEAKER_01 33:07

Well, you talked about E like being used to you, like, okay, you got stuck in Florida. Like, how was that adjustment? Or I guess it wasn't really an adjustment because you've been flying since day one. But like, you know, how

You cannot make promises

SPEAKER_01 33:19

do you explain those moments to him? Like, okay, I was gonna be home for dinner. Just kidding, not anymore. Like, wow, is is that has that been challenging for either you or him?

SPEAKER_00 33:27

I've learned to never make any promises. You cannot promise that oh my goodness, you cannot promise that you'll be home for bedtime. You cannot promise that you'll be there when he wakes up. You he now know, now that he's he's four, so he's getting to where he understands. Like, I'll say, okay, I'm dropping you off. Daddy's gonna pick you up, I'll see you tomorrow. Okay, cool. Um, but I don't ever promise times, bed times, morning times, because I've learned a time or two. But I do think there was a time in his life, I want to say it was like probably a year to two and a half, maybe. All

Transitions can be hard

SPEAKER_00 34:06

parents will know we had trouble with transitions. Anything transitional. If we're going to the store, if we're going to bed, if we're changing from one toy to another, like transitions were difficult. And so if I was leaving, it was a total sob fest meltdown. And you know, something else you know as a parent is the more you try to console them, the worse it gets. So you really just have to go, I love you so much. I will see you later. And then just leave. And then you sob on your way out the door. Of course. Because you feel terrible. Because you're broken. Exactly. So that was challenging. We worked around it by I would do early trips where I was gone before he ever woke up. I would leave at nap time, if you know, because so you didn't have to have that. So I didn't have to have that. And and once he woke up, he was just like, oh, it's daddy. Like, and it was fine. Yeah, right. But me walking out the door was the problem. Exactly. So we learned ways around it. If I had to leave a little early for work or leave a little late, like we just had to figure all of that out. Um, now he's just like, oh, mom's going to work. She's got her uniform on. It's fine. Um, and he knows that I'll be back. I think that's what helps. I think school has helped with that, and that has helped with school both. He knows that I'm gonna drop him off, and then somebody who loves him is gonna pick him up, and then we'll see you tomorrow, you know.

SPEAKER_01 35:22

That's such a good nugget of advice, though. Like, at least for me, I would have never thought about that. But like just make promises. Well, that part I I know because even without kids, don't make promises. Second you make plans, it all goes goes awry. But um, just that like transition thing, because it really is so hard for kids. Like, I worked in a preschool eons ago now, and the getting the kids to adjust in the morning to leaving their parents versus getting them to leave school at the end of the day, those moments were the hardest parts of the day because some kids adjusted fine, but some kids just had a really hard time with that moment of like my mom is leaving or my dad is leaving, and then also even at the end of school, I don't want to leave my friends, I don't I don't want to see my mom right now. Right, exactly. She's gonna be a good thing. They get so into it, yeah, yeah, exactly. So uh just kind of navigating that and using this job to your advantage with planning the times right is is genius.

SPEAKER_00 36:15

I specifically remember um the trip. I I never really took trips for leisure without him or them. And I specifically remember when I was going to Vegas to go to Kelly Clarkson with you. That was like my one and only like leisure trip. Did I ruin everything? Yes. No, they had to take me to the airport because of the time of day, and it was just a bad transition. And I like went over to his side of the car and leaned in and gave him a hug in the car seat and then gave him a kiss, and he was just like, Mommy, don't go. And I was like, I hate myself. And I just had to leave, and I remember crying in the airport and just being like, okay, Kelly Clarkson, like it's good, it's good. And we had a great time, and I'm so glad that I went. But that brief moment was just heartbreaking. But we find ways around it, and now he's just like, have fun, mommy, love you. Bye. Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 37:08

So,

Advice for flight attendant moms

SPEAKER_01 37:09

any other pieces of advice for any flight attendants that are either prospective parents or maybe just kind of in the thick of it right now with a newborn or whatever the case may be. Anything that you learned along the way that you think would be helpful to I would just say you do what you have to do to make things work.

SPEAKER_02 37:29

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 37:29

Uh, I think a lot of maybe employees in general, or maybe airline employees think that they have to please their employer or they have to, well, what if I get in trouble? Or and and of course you don't want to get fired for doing all those things in a row, but like you have to do for you and your family what you have to do for you and your family. I mean, like period. Period. Full stop. It just doesn't, you can't make your life decisions and life for your kids based on this evil billionaire corporation, if we're being honest.

SPEAKER_01 38:03

Um be honest, yeah.

SPEAKER_00 38:04

I mean, that's just how I feel about it because you, you know, previously mentioned situations. So um, yeah, if you want to have kids, have kids. Get your ducks in a row, do everything you can to set yourself up for success. Learn from your coworkers. I mean, I talked to flight attendants for years about their experiences with parenting because I kind of I remember I hit like 31 and I thought, what do I do? I want kids. I don't know. I'm I feel like there's probably a clock in there ticking somewhere. Like I should think about it.

SPEAKER_02 38:37

Right.

SPEAKER_00 38:38

And I didn't know, but I knew that if I did have kids, I should be prepared because seniority matters, and you're, you know, I love this job, and so I don't want to lose it. But I would talk, I talk to parents for years. Oh, you have kids. Oh, how did you manage this? What did you do? And I heard some of their creative solutions, and I just realized it's different for every person, it's different for every family, it's different for every kid, even. And you just have to find the things that work for you and put all the systems in place that help you everyone else be damned if that's what it comes to. Um, and and whatever judgments people have of you, just um let those fall by the wayside because it doesn't matter if you're doing what's best for you and your family.

SPEAKER_01 39:24

I love that advice. I mean, honestly, it's life advice for everything. Um and talking to flight attendants is great. I'll tell you what's in my food bag. I'm sure I'll be happy to tell you what I do with my kids. Right. Yeah, and that's the you know, we have such a community of support as flight attendants anyway. Like we all love to take care of each other. So I'm sure out there on the line, people are checking in with each other and giving little tips here and there to to make life.

SPEAKER_00 39:48

I get a lot of who's watching your baby while you're at work, like his daddy.

SPEAKER_01 39:54

Okay, talking of

Carry-On or Check It? 🤔

SPEAKER_01 39:55

tips and tricks. We have more show, but before we get into it, we have some rapid fire questions for you.

SPEAKER_00 40:00

I love a lightning round.

SPEAKER_01 40:03

So do we. Um, we have a couple of them, right? Um, so we have a game for you called Hacker Whack. We've all seen all the things on TikToks that people are saying. So we want to run through some kid ones. Um, we want you to tell us uh carry on if you think it's a good idea, or check it if it's a bad idea. Okay. So carry on or check it. Let's check it. Let's play hacker whack. Uh letting kids run around at the gate um before boarding to burn energy.

SPEAKER_00 40:31

Um, carry on. That's a good one, right? Carry, carry on, but with an eye around. Like they could get run over in the airport. So, like, pick a good spot, but absolutely let them run around. Get all that energy out.

SPEAKER_01 40:44

Using tackle boxes as snack containers during the flight.

SPEAKER_00 40:47

Carry on. We love to see it. Snacks can be a whole entertainment of in and of itself. Like, do the snackle box and also like give them snacks they normally don't get. Like, give them things they've never seen before. Ooh, mommy, let's try this new thing. That can be its own entertainment and take up more time than even all the little entertainment things. So carry on.

SPEAKER_01 41:09

But lollipops or gum to help their ears pop during landing or take off.

SPEAKER_00 41:13

Um, we're gonna check that. Lollipops, I feel like those don't do any good if you're for the the if it's they're experiencing real pressure. Like that's not the sucking is not enough, especially at a small age. And I'm chewing. And not right. It's the chewing, and my I'm not giving my four-year-old gum. Sorry for that.

SPEAKER_01 41:32

If you want chewy, like gummy bears, gummy bears, something like that.

SPEAKER_00 41:35

Gummy bears might make more sense.

SPEAKER_01 41:36

I don't want to find gum everywhere on the plane.

SPEAKER_00 41:39

I'm not giving him gum until he forces it out of my cold damp hands. That's not happening.

SPEAKER_01 41:43

As flight attendants, we know that's gonna end up stuck on something. Exactly.

SPEAKER_00 41:47

Or he's gonna swallow it immediately because he doesn't know how to do gum. So, no, no, that we're checking that.

SPEAKER_01 41:52

Gummy bears, carry on. Sure. Gum.

SPEAKER_00 41:54

Yes, uh fully approved.

SPEAKER_01 41:56

Boarding last instead of first, so kids spend less time on the plane.

SPEAKER_00 41:59

Carry on. If you can make that happen, make it happen. We've done that before. My husband will go on with the car seat, they'll carry on. Anything that he can physically carry on his person, he will go on first. I'll wait around until literally the very last person on. We snap him in a seat, we're good to go.

SPEAKER_01 42:15

That's genius. That's the best way to do it. That is a great idea. Uh, buying an extra seat um or using a car seat instead of having a lap child.

SPEAKER_00 42:24

So using the car seat, I think is a great, especially kiddos who are mobile but don't quite understand what's happening because they know when they sit in their car seat and they're strapped in, they're they're strapped in, they're staying. So that's a great idea. But also, I don't buy airline tickets. So I don't have to spend $600 or whatever it is.

SPEAKER_01 42:45

If you had someone under two buy the extra seat for the space, um, I would say if you had the space, would you have enjoyed it?

SPEAKER_00 42:51

Of course. And we usually did like we would list him and get his own seat if we could. I would say under one, like when he was still nursing, it the extra space was like fine, but it wasn't imperative. Once he got to be mobile and was all squirmy, imperative. Uh if we can get it, get it.

SPEAKER_01 43:09

Love it. Using inflatable bed extensions on the seat.

SPEAKER_00 43:13

Personally, I'm gonna say, check it. We tried like an inflatable footrest, and my kid is tall, like he didn't fit in this tiny space that we had. Yeah, and he was just like, Mommy, this is not comfortable.

SPEAKER_01 43:26

And so we pulled out your pen and you were like, Fine, I'll take care of it.

SPEAKER_00 43:30

Yes, it just didn't work for us. So if it works for you, great, it didn't work for us.

SPEAKER_01 43:35

Uh wrapping toys like presents so kids can unwrap them during the flight.

SPEAKER_00 43:39

Here, kid, you can have anything you want. I'm gonna get you presents every time we go on vacation. Check that. No thing.

SPEAKER_01 43:45

I don't love that.

SPEAKER_00 43:46

No, plus making the flight attendants deal with the wrapping paper. No, check it.

SPEAKER_01 43:50

So bad for bad for Molly. I don't say wrap them, I say dole them out individually. Of course, and it's a slow release, it's a special thing, you're done with that. We put that away. Then we do another one.

SPEAKER_00 44:02

New things that they've never seen before, but framing it as gifts because you get you are who you are. You get a gift every time you no. We're not here for that entitlement.

SPEAKER_01 44:13

Scheduling flights during nap times or nighttime so kids sleep.

SPEAKER_00 44:18

I mean, the idea behind that, carry that on, but we know delays happen. If you're gonna get upset, more upset because of a delay, because it's ruined your nap plans. Like, come on, man. You can't you can't expect it all to go perfectly according to plan. We always took the first flight out because we were non-reving, and that's just what you have to do. We would get him up super early, so he's tired already. He almost always napped on the plane. It was perfect.

SPEAKER_01 44:43

Well, that works out. Uh nursing or bottle feeding during takeoff and landing.

SPEAKER_00 44:47

I say you can keep that. That's carry on. Um, I don't think it's as important as people may oh, you must do this during takeoff and landing. Um I remember my kiddo waking up from a sleep one time on that first initial descent because of ear pain, and it was because he was stopped up, like he had just gotten over a cold or something. Otherwise, it never affected him one way or the other. And so I feel like people put so much pressure on that. If you can do it, great. If you can't, oh well.

SPEAKER_01 45:21

Now I have a science question. So doctors' nurses weigh in. I mean, he was flying from the beginning. So is it different for kids that don't fly often where Oh, I don't know. I think from the very beginning, yeah, doctors' nurses weigh in.

SPEAKER_00 45:35

I really think the illness didn't help. I think that's part of it. Yeah, but yeah, I don't know.

SPEAKER_01 45:39

But being accustomed to acclimated to acclimate early, I need solids.

SPEAKER_00 45:45

He lives in an airplane now to acclimate.

SPEAKER_01 45:47

Two guys on a plane needs a research team to uncover some of these scientific mysteries for us. Um, last and certainly least, yeah, I said it. Asking the flight attendants if they have milk for your baby.

SPEAKER_00 46:01

Um, if you have zero expectation of them actually having it, then sure, carry that on. Um, but also just bring your own. TSA lets you if you have a small child. So just well, and they have the um, we always used to bring the shelf stable horizon like tetra pack ones. Yeah. There, you don't have to chill them or heat them, like just go. So if you need some, ask. If we have it, great. If we don't, don't be mad at me.

SPEAKER_01 46:30

Thank you for your answers. We love a life. You're always gonna get my opinion. And that that right there is like such sage advice for any parent or anybody on board, anyway. Like, don't expect there to be things on an airplane. Because even if they're supposed to be, a thousand things can go wrong in our industry, and we may not get what we thought we were supposed to get.

SPEAKER_00 46:51

So or the 25 people before you all asked for that, and now we're out.

SPEAKER_01 46:55

Right, right.

SPEAKER_00 46:55

We can't just go around the corner and get more.

SPEAKER_01 46:57

Exactly. Yeah. Well, this was

Advice for traveling with kids

SPEAKER_01 46:59

a great way to kick off the next phase of our show. We really want to talk about advice for traveling with kids. People are always asking us. And obviously, as flight attendants, we have some good tips and tricks that we tell people, but we figured you will have the best advice here because you've seen it from both sides. You've seen it as a flight attendant, what parents are doing right and what parents are doing wrong, and you've experienced it as a mom with what works and what doesn't work. So, you know, starting off, like what first of all, tell us what is one of the most chaotic moments you've seen as a flight attendant of a family who came on board where you were like, Oh, there's a thousand things you're doing wrong. Like, what's

Brittney’s chaotic family stories inflight

SPEAKER_01 47:37

going on here? Any chaotic, like, family on board stories.

SPEAKER_00 47:40

I specifically remember a flight where it wasn't just one family, it was multiple families. It was Philly Orlando, if you can imagine. Oh, we can imagine. It was during the pandemic, so everyone was supposed to be wearing masks.

SPEAKER_01 47:57

Just adding like all the wrong things into this story.

SPEAKER_00 48:00

This was also, this was like deep pandemic, where not only were we supposed to be wearing masks, but we weren't doing a beverage service in the aisle. We were giving out like bags with a snack and a water in it or something like that. We had if you were doing anything at all. Exactly. And sometimes we would hand them out at the door. Apparently, we weren't supposed to do that in the end. So we were doing it on the cart, whatever. But they didn't, at the time, the idea was we don't want everybody taking their masks off at the same time and drinking these beverages and whatever. So we're not gonna come through the aisle with a cart, but we still had carts on board in case we needed something. And I'm telling you, out of 190 seats on this aircraft, at least 60 of them had to have been kids. And I'm talking kids seven and under. I mean, it was lots of kids, and it seemed like many of the families knew each other, but whatever. But it started with one kid coming to the back. Do you have anything to drink? We're like, yeah, sure. What do you need? And he's like, ginger ale. So we give him a ginger ale and some and he goes. Well, then two kids come in his place, and then three more kids come in there, and before we know it, we literally can't get through the aisle because there are just kids running rampant on the airplane.

SPEAKER_01 49:13

This is my worst nightmare.

SPEAKER_00 49:14

We wrote, I personally wrote six reports after that flight on families because they wouldn't, they wouldn't make their kids sit down, they wouldn't make anyone wear masks. It was just chaos.

SPEAKER_01 49:26

And we just, as flight attendants, I I'll admit you just have to throw your hands up and try to write about it later, but I'm gonna sit here. I've lost control.

SPEAKER_00 49:34

I've lost control. That's exactly what it is. I've lost control. I just that was one of those days where I just went home and was like, I don't know if I have any energy left. Like that it was just a lot. And then I will also say, I have a friend, she's not a flight attendant anymore, but I specifically remember a story she told. She was a brand new hire, and she had a passenger who was had a potty training toddler with her. The or the passenger had a potty training toddler with them. And I guess didn't want to put a diaper on the toddler because you don't want to make the connection like, oh, we're we can pee in the diaper still. And so in the middle of the cabin, put a diaper on the floor and said, Here you go, just pee right there.

SPEAKER_01 50:18

Oh god.

SPEAKER_00 50:19

In the middle of the cabin. And she came up and was like, What's happening here? And they're like, Well, he's potty training, so we just won't wanted to make sure that like he didn't have a diaper on. I mean, he's buck naked from the waist down. Well, this is unconventional and just right there in the middle of the cabin. And she was like, This is not acceptable. You need to go to a lavatory. Can you imagine? So the chaos that I can only imagine she experienced in that moment was nuts. Yes. Yes, the biohazard. I know you're speechless.

SPEAKER_01 50:49

Oh, this reminds me of a time, you know, the little like fake toilets for kids who are potty trading that you take to the bathroom. Yes. Unless in there. They it was one of those collapsible buds. It was rubber, it was collapsible.

SPEAKER_00 51:01

They popped it out and set it Yes, either on the toilet or on the floor.

SPEAKER_01 51:05

No, they set it in the galley or in the aisle. I don't remember, but they just let their kid they just let their kid like pee in the fake toilet, and we're like, I mean, not anywhere on the plane for that particular thing, but especially down there.

SPEAKER_00 51:17

We literally have a small room for this. Please use it. That's correct.

SPEAKER_01 51:20

Anyways, yeah, so the a few chaotic moments that I can think of, but

Travel essentials parents should bring

SPEAKER_01 51:26

well, speaking of things that you should or should not bring on an airplane, like maybe mini toilets. What are some like travel essentials that you think people should bring that are really helpful as a parent? You know, whether they're toddlers or babies or full-grown kids. Like what are what are some must-have travel items?

SPEAKER_00 51:44

Full-grown wannabe adults.

SPEAKER_01 51:45

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 51:46

Um, snacks are key. Bring all the snacks, bring more snacks than you think that you're going to need to bring. Because if you have too many, then you can take the leftovers for the return flight. Um, it's sort of controversial, but screens. I mean, bring the kid a screen. I'm I'm a full proponent of less is more when it comes to screen time. Um, but my son knows when we're on an airplane, he is carte blanche with that tablet. He loves his number blocks and his bluey and his cute little shows. And that's just how it is. And he loves it and we love it.

SPEAKER_01 52:19

And that seems like one of those moments where like it's okay to let that one go. Like, let's allow that in this moment.

SPEAKER_00 52:26

And there was, I mean, there was some time early on when he's just so young that you don't want to give them too much of that. And so we would bring activities and those sorts of things, but there is a time and place for the tablet, and please bring it. But if you bring it for the love of God, bring headphones. Yeah, um, bring headphones. Yeah, that's like I I can't say that enough. Nobody wants to listen to the top of the list. Yes, Peppa Pig at full volume, no thing.

SPEAKER_01 52:51

You know what I've noticed about kids, and you can correct me if I'm wrong. Sometimes it's just the flashing colors and screens. They don't even need sound. That's true. They just like watching the images in front of them.

SPEAKER_00 53:00

Yes, exactly. Especially the younger ones.

SPEAKER_01 53:02

You, the adult, need the sound, not the kid. Like they just like watching the flash.

SPEAKER_00 53:06

We've we've all had to go and say that to people before, adults and children. It is harder to say to kids because you know it's the adult's fault for not having the headphones.

SPEAKER_01 53:14

I don't ever address the kid.

SPEAKER_00 53:16

Oh no.

SPEAKER_01 53:16

Oh no.

SPEAKER_00 53:17

No. Well, I have, but like like the 10-year-old kid, where it's like they're just a little shit, you know.

SPEAKER_01 53:24

I don't know if I can say that, but no, you can absolutely say that because we've all seen that kid. And they are. But what kills me though is when those parents too, like they're like, well, you know, like they lean on us to like be the disciplinarian. Yes. And it's like, I'm here to enforce rules from like an industry standpoint, not to parent your child. There's a difference here. Yeah. I usually, when the parent tries to make me the bad guy, I usually kneel down and like start playing with the kid because you're not gonna make me an authoritarian, like a bad guy. You're not gonna put me the flight attendant as like a bad view of the child to grow up and be like, there was this one time where the flight attendant yelled at me. Right. And now they have an awful view of flight attendants for the rest of the day. Adults already hate us. Let's keep the kids on our side. Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 54:08

Yes. No, so definitely a tablet, headphones, if that works for you. Um, new things, new snacks, new toys, new coloring books, new, you know, all those sticker books, all those sorts of things. Um, if you have a baby, anyone who's in diapers, I'll say, especially one that is prone to blowouts or the things that you can picture that go along with that, that I won't mention. My son was. I have cleaned no fewer than four diarrhea blowouts on airplanes exclusively.

SPEAKER_01 54:41

Um, so if you do five, do you get a prize?

SPEAKER_00 54:44

I should have, right? No, so I learned early on you get a gallon-sized Ziploc bag. Inside you put a puppy pad, a diaper, pants, and a shirt or a onesie or whatever they're in at the time, seal that up nice and tight. Bring like two or three of those. When they need to go to the when they have a full diaper, you grab one of those bags and your thing of wipes because you never know how many wipes you're gonna need. So don't try to put them in the bag. Like just bring your whole pack, go to the lab, pull down the the not tray table, what's it called? The changing table, put down your puppy pad. That way you don't have to wipe anything down, you don't have to clean anything up afterward, especially if there's poop everywhere. You just fold it up in the puppy pad and into the you're good to go. That's my tip to you. I love that.

SPEAKER_01 55:29

Oh, I love that. And then everything being like pre-like placed in that little bag makes it easy for that. Because then you're not panicking and you're in the lab and you forgot something and you're trying to figure that out. Like everything is ready to go. The wipes of the bag into the bathroom, we go.

SPEAKER_00 55:43

Our first blowout on an airplane was on a tiny airplane where literally there's no back doors of the airplane, like it's just the last row of seats, the lavatory, and that's it. And we were in the last row, and I go in and I open up the diaper, and then I open up the door to the lab and say to my husband, I need it all. Because I just realized. And so after that, I was like, Okay, we gotta change something. It's gotta be a system. Yes, because that can happen again. So puppy pads, genius.

SPEAKER_01 56:11

Genius large Ziploc bag, puppy pad, change of clothes, and a diaper, diaper, and just bring your face.

SPEAKER_02 56:20

Yep, you're good to go.

SPEAKER_01 56:21

That's like great advice for off-airplanes, too, in case you're like out running errands or whatever. Anywhere, amuse the parks, airplanes. We have parents come on the podcast because this is not something I would have ever thought to give advice on. But siblings, if you call me, this is what I'm gonna tell you about.

SPEAKER_00 56:35

I'm full of information.

SPEAKER_01 56:37

And if anyone is good at having systems in place, it's flight attendant Britney.

SPEAKER_00 56:40

Here she is.

SPEAKER_01 56:41

Um, if you ever get the pre privilege of flying with her, you will be in great hands because she's so organized.

SPEAKER_00 56:46

Whether you like it or not.

SPEAKER_01 56:49

She's so organized and so good at her job. I love it. That is an amazing tip to be prepared. You always have the best systems in place, and I love it.

Oh crap! moment

SPEAKER_01 56:59

Was there ever a time that you have been flying with E and you've been like, well, crap? Literally or figuratively. Like, have you had an oh crap moment of like I wasn't prepared for this? I didn't think it was gonna go this way while traveling or whatever the case may be.

SPEAKER_00 57:14

You're asking me if I was ever unprepared. I know.

SPEAKER_01 57:17

So the answer is No.

SPEAKER_00 57:20

I I have been a little bit of an overpacker with him because I have so many systems in place that, like, I'm like, well, I can't possibly put these two bags together. Like, I have to have them set, you know, it's just sort of a mental thing. So I have been an overpacker before. I'm I'm working through that. The problem is at each stage of babyhood and childhood, things are different. You need different things every trip. So, like, you can't just have a universal pack list that you just use every trip, it just doesn't work. So I have done that, but um A, he's a good kid, and I'm very lucky in that because I didn't do that. He's that's just who he is. And then, you know, I I'm very familiar with traveling in general. I see people make the mistakes that I don't want to make. And so, um, no, I've I've been an overpacker, but I just let my husband carry those bags and we move right along.

SPEAKER_01 58:13

This is like those um interview questions that people prepare for where they're like, um, like say something, yeah, say something like your biggest weakness, and you're like, I just I'm like too organized. Perfect. So I love this because it's so on brand for you, and it really is so true.

SPEAKER_00 58:29

You're like, of course you said that.

SPEAKER_01 58:30

Yeah, and you really do have the best kid. Like he's he's so he's really great. Just he's great.

SPEAKER_00 58:35

And you guys, uh you haven't seen him in a while. He's in like the best like era of his life right now. He's so like just cute and considerate and sweet, and like it's the tantrums are kind of subsiding. He's just really great.

SPEAKER_01 58:48

Yeah, well, the moment we get a day together in Philly. Please do training out to you.

SPEAKER_00 58:53

Yeah, please do.

Brittney’s take on the trend

SPEAKER_01 58:54

So there's a lot of parents out there who maybe don't have the perfect child, and they there's been this trend of like people are bringing little goodie bags if they think their kid is gonna be like crazy or their baby is gonna be crying or whatever. Like, what are what is your take on that trend? Do you like the trend or do you think it's like overrated?

SPEAKER_00 59:12

The very first time that it ever happened, and somebody put it on social media adorable, right? Cute, love that for them. But now in our age of social media, people feel like they have to do that. They feel like it's something on the checklist that they have to do because what if my baby makes a singular noise on an airplane? And I hate that. It's just more pressure on parents. Right. It's uh traveling is already stressful enough. Parents are already doing more work than anybody else on the airplane to just be there, much less deal with it once they're there. So that's so just overdone and overrated. Don't feel like you have to have this admission slip of a cute little baggie to be like, I'm sorry if my baby cries. I'm sorry. They're just communicating their feelings that we all wish we could say. We're in this hellscape together. So I it's crazy.

SPEAKER_01 1:00:02

I personally don't think babies need to be apologized for.

SPEAKER_00 1:00:05

Exactly. Exactly.

SPEAKER_01 1:00:07

To me, I'm gonna call your childish behavior out over asking anyone to do anything else about their baby because we know babies cry, they exist in the world with us. You can be a grown-up, you can put your noise canceling headphones on, and you can choose to do something other than be upset about this baby right now.

SPEAKER_00 1:00:24

Exactly.

SPEAKER_01 1:00:25

All of those things, all of those things, and it's almost always some just grown man who's like, are you gonna do anything about that baby? Yes. And there's a child sitting next to me, uh-huh, and there's a child speaking to me.

SPEAKER_02 1:00:39

Yes.

SPEAKER_01 1:00:40

Yeah, I don't know. I don't know what to do about that. Yes, exactly. Like, especially if a mom is traveling alone with this baby. Oh my god. And you just see her like breaking down, feeling overwhelmed. Yes. Exactly, and just completely disheartened by the whole situation. I'm like, you have nothing to be sorry for. Relax, take care of your baby, put yourself first, put your kid first in this moment. Do not worry about the adult baby sitting behind you who is acting a fool over this. This is ridiculous.

SPEAKER_00 1:01:10

Anytime anybody's ever like, oh, what's your advice for keeping baby quiet? I'm like, first of all, if baby needs to talk, let baby talk. Like, let baby say whatever they need to say. This is how they communicate. Um, and after that, just take care of you, whatever you need to do. If baby's screaming and you're doing all that you can do to take care of them, then that's all you can do. We'll get through it together.

SPEAKER_01 1:01:29

And also, don't be afraid. I say this all the time. Don't be afraid to tell the flight attendants you need help. Yes. Um, particularly if you have a toddler. Like, we've got, I had a mom come up the other day and she was like, I can't walk this plane anymore. And I was like, Well, you know what I have? I have a cart full of soda cans that need to be rearranged.

SPEAKER_00 1:01:45

So how about you come up here?

SPEAKER_01 1:01:48

How about you put that soda can there? And we played a puzzle with the soda cans because that's why he's allowed to baby. But don't be afraid to tell us what you need. Like, I get more frustrated with parents who are like slinging their baby around my galley. I just can't sit down than you saying, I I'm literally lost. I don't know why they're crying. Well, let's explore this together. I probably I don't have a lot of systems, but there are things I can do if you communicate that with me. Um, okay, so I think we've reached an end. Yeah. We

Let’s play Cross-Checked!

SPEAKER_01 1:02:19

have one more rapid fire. We could chat with you first of all. Yeah. You get two. We could chat with you all day about all the things because you are just a wealth of knowledge and you're so helpful and truly such a great flight attendant and mom. And thank you. And we've talked about your child a lot, but now we have a lightning round about you. Oh, wow. About grown-up things for you. Let's play cross-checked. This is our lightning round game that we ask every guest that we have on the show some of their favorite travel things. And where am I going with this? Nobody knows. Let's play. Okay, Brittany, window or aisle.

SPEAKER_00 1:02:59

Aisle, absolutely. Don't trap me at a window ever.

SPEAKER_01 1:03:02

Same. Airbus or Boeing?

SPEAKER_00 1:03:04

Ugh. Airbus for sure. Boeing is just not user-friendly. Boeing, ask any flight attendant before you make another airplane. One. I'm just asking you to ask one flight attendant.

SPEAKER_01 1:03:17

And not with underpayroll. Ask a real one.

SPEAKER_00 1:03:20

A real one.

SPEAKER_01 1:03:22

Um, hotel or Airbnb.

SPEAKER_00 1:03:24

Um, my husband works for a hotel chain. So if we can get a discount, that. But if it's like a big group or something, Airbnb.

SPEAKER_01 1:03:32

Favorite place that you've been to.

SPEAKER_00 1:03:34

Oh god. Um, I love Seattle. I love Paris. I love London. I love Austin, Texas. I can't name one.

SPEAKER_01 1:03:44

All good choices. Favorite airport.

SPEAKER_00 1:03:48

Um, Philadelphia. That's I know that's no one's answer.

SPEAKER_01 1:03:52

It's our answer to a million times.

SPEAKER_00 1:03:54

Right? She's real messed up, but we love her.

SPEAKER_01 1:03:57

She doesn't look pretty. Philly doesn't. Philly doesn't.

SPEAKER_00 1:03:59

We keep putting lipstick on her, too.

SPEAKER_01 1:04:01

She's a simple girl, but she gets the job done.

SPEAKER_00 1:04:04

She does. Well, most of the time. No, um, she's she's ours, so we love her. Um, if they could do some more renovations than just the bathrooms, that would be great. Um, Portland, Oregon. If you've not seen their new atrium, it's just there, it's beautiful.

SPEAKER_01 1:04:18

So good.

SPEAKER_00 1:04:19

Beautiful. It's so good. And like if that's the future of airports in our country, chef's kiss.

SPEAKER_01 1:04:24

That was an airport glow up well done.

SPEAKER_00 1:04:26

Absolutely.

SPEAKER_01 1:04:27

Least favorite airport.

SPEAKER_00 1:04:29

Um, I get lost every time I'm in Miami.

SPEAKER_01 1:04:32

Oh, yeah.

SPEAKER_00 1:04:32

I just maybe it's our terminal, but I just can't. I just, it's forever walk. It's like six miles.

SPEAKER_01 1:04:38

And you think, oh, this thing I know is here? Yes. I you know it's the other thing.

SPEAKER_00 1:04:44

Exactly. So I just can't deal with it. You know exactly what you do. I love the people. I speak Spanish, so I fit in well, but like I just I the airport needs some work.

SPEAKER_01 1:04:52

Go to snack while flying.

SPEAKER_00 1:04:55

Um, whatever's in the snack basket up front.

SPEAKER_01 1:04:59

Good choice.

SPEAKER_00 1:04:59

I love a biscoff cookie. I mean, I'm I'm less addicted to them now than I used to be. Yeah. Thank goodness. But that's funny.

SPEAKER_01 1:05:05

Favorite song in your travel playlist right now?

SPEAKER_00 1:05:07

Y'all, you know I'm a swifty. I can't. I'm just what is it? It's not one. It's just all of it. It's all of it. Just pick an album, whatever you're feeling like. You sad, go to TTPD. If you're happy, go to Showgirl. We got it for everything.

SPEAKER_01 1:05:21

Opalite is permanently in my she's great.

SPEAKER_00 1:05:24

I love her. She's our modern-day William Shakespeare, and I will die on that hill.

SPEAKER_01 1:05:29

Uh, one item that's always in your carry-on.

SPEAKER_00 1:05:33

Um, a library book.

SPEAKER_01 1:05:34

Oh, I love that answer. I do too. A place that you've always wanted to visit that you haven't been to yet.

SPEAKER_00 1:05:41

Oh, I haven't made it to any of the Far East yet. It just takes so long to get there that like I we just haven't had enough time off yet. And now that I have a child in the mix, it's like, what are time zones? Um, I would love Japan, Australia, New Zealand, China, all the places. Also, we're big national park people. We've done Obviously, I'm from Tennessee, so the Smokies. I've done the Grand Canyon, I've done Acadia, but like Yellowstone, Zion.

SPEAKER_01 1:06:06

So many good ones.

SPEAKER_00 1:06:07

So many. And we got engaged at the St. Louis Arch, which is a national park, whether you knew it or not. And National Parks.

SPEAKER_01 1:06:13

Absolutely. Yeah, yeah, exactly. That's like our second or third date that we went through. Yeah. Shocker.

SPEAKER_00 1:06:20

No, national parks. Take me to all of them.

SPEAKER_01 1:06:22

I love that. That's amazing. Well, thank you so much for coming on the show.

SPEAKER_00 1:06:25

You're more than welcome.

SPEAKER_01 1:06:26

It's been so fun having you here today, and thank you for all of your wonderful wisdom.

SPEAKER_00 1:06:30

I just love you guys. We love it.

SPEAKER_01 1:06:33

Um, and just like uh your child, we love vacations and we love that he loves them. So we're ready to go on. Let's do it. Absolutely. Yes.

SPEAKER_00 1:06:43

We I'm pretty sure I got vacation next January. So if you're not on one of your group trips.

SPEAKER_01 1:06:47

Um, I'm ready to introduce him to a uh uh virgin uh pina colada on any of these vacations.

SPEAKER_00 1:06:53

Have you seen that TikTok? A pina yada.

SPEAKER_01 1:06:56

Oh my god.

SPEAKER_00 1:06:57

I love it so much.

SPEAKER_01 1:06:58

Not the Funkles.

SPEAKER_00 1:07:00

Yeah, the Funkles is Pina Yada. I would love that.

SPEAKER_01 1:07:03

Obsessed. Uh well, thank you so much for coming. And friends, join us next time for more humor, heart, and stories from our beverage cart.

SPEAKER_00 1:07:10

I was like, I want to say that.

SPEAKER_01 1:07:12

If you want to, you do. You take us out. I'm mounting. You take us out.

SPEAKER_00 1:07:16

Join us for more humor, heart, and stories from our beverage cart.

SPEAKER_01 1:07:18

She says it better than I do.