Breaking Sterile
A storytelling podcast about flight attendants working for a major American international airline. Professionalism is the baseline. Humanity is what actually gets us through the day.
breakingsterile@breakingsterile.com
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P.S. we love our day jobs!
Episodes
16 episodes
Cody's Birthday: Demo Fails, Door Drills & Bid-Day Bedlam
Cody and Matthew reminisce about an all-you-can-eat birthday dinner, gripe about bidding chaos, and unpack what really happens behind the safety announcements — from safety demo auditions (Matt got the gig, Cody got the Super Bowl commercial!) ...
Merge Mania at 35,000 ft: When Airlines Hook Up — Fuel, Feels & Friendly Crews
This episode explores identity — who we think we are versus how others see us — through the lens of life in the sky. Matt and Cody touch on nostalgia for the “golden age” of flying, personal glow-ups, and how changing careers forced Matt to con...
Jet-Lagged, Power Outages, and Loving the Cheesesteak
Matthew and Cody stumble through jet lag and questionable airport infrastructure like it's an extreme sport — spoiler: the trains lose.They trade layover love (Reading Terminal Market) and layover loathing (hotel jail, Houston PTSD) while c...
Denver Chats: Babies, Bassinets, Tunnels, Turbulence & Regional Life vs. Mainline
Matthew and Cody banter from Denver — debating dream homes (Highlands castle vs. Palm Springs pool), LA celebrity tunnels, and the mystery of rain jackets — then tackle babies on planes (bassinet mishaps, ear-popping hacks, and MacGyver bottle-...
Outfit Overload, Wonder Woman, and the Single Flight Attendant’s Guide to Not Dating in Every Port — Plus a Viral Taxiway Evacuation Reaction
Join Matthew and Cody on Breaking Sterile as they trade travel stories, wardrobe obsessions, and the weird realities of life as flight attendants. They dig into commuting rituals, dating while living out of a suitcase, and the loneliness and un...
Human Moments Above the Clouds: Care, Crew, and Courtesy at 35,000 Feet
Matthew and Cody chat about life as flight attendants, airport food and prices, and memories from training, layovers, and passenger rifling through galley items. A medical incident involving sedative medication prompts a conversation about flig...
From Whoppers to Wingtip: Narita, New Year & more Flight Attendant Confessions
Cody recounts his unlikely aviation start at a Burger King in Anchorage and a repeat trip to Narita, touching on Chinese New Year in Japan, unexpected faith moments, and dealing with earthquakes. The episode also tackles flight attendant realit...
BREAKING STERILE THEME SONG!
Here it is, the BREAKING STERILE THEME SONG! Yes, it was made with AI - (yes, we know, but we are also broke, and Matt had fun making it)...
Palm Trees, Onsen Dreams & Friendly Boarding
Matt and Cody return with warm laughs and aviation chatter. Cody shares highlights from the NGPA Industry Expo in Palm Springs and his excited steps toward becoming a pilot (sunglasses and flight bag optional). Matt fondly recalls his first Nar...
Weight, Wellness & Wings
Matt and Cody take off with a light, fast-paced episode covering fuel and passenger weight (including GLP‑1 effects), life on GLP‑1s, hydration and traveling with your own pillow, trash on planes, airline mergers, interesting airline call signs...
Wide Bodies, Old Birds, and Early-Morning Van Chatter
Cody and Matthew open with legacy carrier fleet updates and Matthew’s 737 MAX 10 sighting at Boeing Field, then discuss widebody versus narrow-body life — why Matthew feels “special” on widebodies and why tall Cody struggles on narrow-body airc...
Layovers, Latte Logic and New Beginnings
Matthew and Cody gently unpack the quirks of in‑flight beverage service—how crews juggle hot drinks at altitude and the delightfully weird ways passengers order coffee. Matthew opens up about a tender career pivot from indie film casting direct...
Extended Cut – Headphones On, Awareness Off
In this special extended episode of Breaking Sterile, we dig into passenger safety, earbuds vs. announcements, pets in the cabin, and the curious phenomenon of being invisible in uniform. It’s a longer ride, but worth it, as we talk th...
Safety and Hygine
In this episode, Matthew and Cody talk safety, hygiene, and the things we wish everyone knew before boarding. From car seats and baby changing tables to lav etiquette and why shoes are always a good idea, we cover the basics with humor...
Pilot Episode - Why We Fly and the Interview
Why do we fly? In this pilot episode, flight attendants Matthew and Cody share why they became flight attendants and what it really takes to get hired at a major American international airline. From the flight attendant interview process and tr...