"Can I Get your Number?" at 30 000 feet ...

Many people think that being in the aviation world makes it very complicated, nearly impossible to be in a relationship. Trust me it's not true. Being in a relationship is just complicated. Period. 

However it is true that picking up a flight attendant on the plane is complicated. You are in a pretty small enclosed metal tube with a lot of other people for a limited amount of time and the uniform can be a bit intimidating. 

Yes we all look like that, even after our 16 hour duty days 

So here are a few pointers of what do and especially what not do to get yourself a girlfriend at 30, 000 feet in the air.

Never ask a flight attendant in front of 25 other passengers if you can take her home. Perhaps 1C did not mean "take me home" like that. Perhaps he might have just meant giving me a lift with his driver from Kennedy to the city, but it didn't matter what he meant. All of first class became super quiet, eyes on me, waiting to see what I would say. Of course I said no. Trust me. Doesn't matter how hot you are - or think you are. We don't want people to think we are that kind of girl. 

Now I am not saying you cannot offer a lift to a flight attendant or ask her out to dinner, but be discreet about it. All eyes are on us.

Also never ever ask us which hotel we are staying at. You might just be trying to make conversation, but it really creeps us out, and we will lie for sure. Not just about the hotel we are staying at, but also our name, age, and everything else. You will never find us.

Lastly, don't be the one breaking every rule on the plane, not fastening your seat belt, getting up while we are still on active taxi, or trying to smoke in the lavatory. You might still be a nice guy off the plane, but at this point we hate you.

Now when it comes us to exchanging information, please don't give us a generic business card. This is not Linkden and remember we sometimes deal with over 1000 passengers in one day alone, so you better stand out if you want us to remember you.

One guy gave me a deck card, a joker to be exact, with his phone number and name. He said he suspected at least two other guys were planning to give me their business card in first class and he wanted to make sure I remembered him and called him back instead of one of them. "Maybe the joker will bring me luck," he said when deplaning. No I didn't marry that guy, but I did call him. Being funny and cute usually works.

Now if you are shy and not much of a talker, you could write a little note. I personally like notes because it gives everyone some breathing room to think about how to react instead of feeling cornered in an already confined space. A guy gave me a cookie with a note written on the wrapper: "please let me take you out to dinner." Major points for originality, but it was still not enough to make up for the 40 year gap between my age and his. So no dinner for him. But if he were 30, it would have been another story -:) 

Cute begginging, don't you think? 

Also bringing chocolates for the crew always helps. Obviously you don't know in advance if you are going to meet a hot flight attendant on that specific day, but chocolates will probably get you special treatment regardless.

And if it's your lucky day and one of the flight attendants is your dream girl, you have already gained a few points with her and the entire crew a.ka the panel in the back of the plane judging what you are wearing, your body odor, your smile, your mental state and consequently whether she should give you her number or not.

So conclusion: be a gentleman and ALWAYS bring chocolate. 

Live, Love, Laugh & Travel 

& Bring Chocolate for the Flight Attendants