A former flight attendant has shared his top tips for surviving economy travel and the one popular item he would never bring on board.
Marcus Daniels, 35, left the aviation industry in 2019 after five years of working on countless domestic and international flights.
Although his cabin crew days are behind him, Mr Daniels still enjoys travelling and has mastered his approach to long-haul flights.
His number one piece of advice: ‘Be very mindful of what you’re bringing onboard’.
‘There’s nothing worse than being the last passenger onboard, opening up all the lockers and realising there’s no space to put your bag,’ he said.
‘Overpacking just adds more stress to you, staff and other passengers.
‘It’s too much drama and chaos. When I travel I have my small roller bag and a little side bag I can put under the seat in front of me. That’s it. No pillow, no big jacket.’
Mr Daniels said travellers should think twice before packing a neck pillow.
Marcus Daniels (pictured) spent more than five years working as a flight attendant
Mr Daniels said travellers should think twice before bringing a neck pillow on board (stock)
‘For me, it’s really uncomfortable. It takes a lot of space, and it’s the same for people who bring pillows onboard,’ he said.
‘I understand they want to be comfortable but if you’re in economy you’re really squashed like this.’
However, there’s one surprising category Mr Daniels refuses to skimp on.
‘Being cabin crew really taught me to take care of myself – including my skin,’ he said.
‘I make sure I really hydrate my skin with an Avene thermal mist, moisturiser and some sunscreen because there’s a lot of radiation when you’re in the air.
‘Then throughout the flight I’ll spritz my face with the mist to keep it hydrated.’
Since swapping his travel career for an IT job during Covid, Mr Daniels has noticed hygiene and personal space have become increasingly important to passengers.
‘People appreciate self-awareness and when you think about the collective consciousness of everyone onboard. When I fly, I’m always wondering if what I’m doing might inconvenience or offend anyone,’ he said.
Mr Daniels (pictured) said neck pillows take up too much space on board
Mr Daniels (pictured in London) also shared his top tips for avoiding a pre-holiday cold
‘For example, I had an Arabic man ask to be moved because the woman next to him had her legs crossed and bare feet pointed at him – which is rude in his culture.
‘You just need to be aware of everyone and considerate.’
Mr Daniels also shared his top tips for avoiding the dreaded pre-holiday cold.
‘A lot of people find they get sick after flights. Ultimately, we’re in an enclosed space with germs circulating and some of the air gets recycled,’ he said.
‘I buy those alcohol sanitising wipes at the airport and before I sit down I’ll sanitise my seat, the seatbelt, table, everything.’
Mr Daniels added it’s important to remember flight attendants are doing their best.
‘Everyone tends to think of being cabin crew as this dream job. Some people try for so long to become flight attendants and it’s not until they’re on a plane that they realise it’s not glamorous,’ he said.
‘It can be really tough work and often isn’t the job people expected. Yes, you get to see some beautiful destinations but you become jaded after a while.
‘Then there will be these times, I called them magic moments, when you get to make a passenger’s day or someone will give you a box of chocolates.
‘It reminds us we are appreciated and helps fix all the negative stuff.’
