Cabin crew greetings: More than just a friendly gesture

"Did you know that your flight attendant greets you not only out of politeness, but also to check whether you are too drunk or sick to fly?" – this is how a video posted on TikTok by a flight attendant with the username MrsMiva begins.

The woman explains that the well-known boarding procedure, during which flight attendants smile politely, say good morning to boarding passengers, and indicate seats, is meant to improve passengers' well-being, but it stems primarily from safety concerns.

As she explains, the flight crew uses the boarding process to check whether passengers are in a state that allows them to fly – they are not too drunk or sick. Under the video, which over 18 million people have already viewed, there were comments, among which many people working in the same profession as MrsMiva confirmed this practice.

Commenters added that by observing those boarding, they assess who looks well-organized and capable of helping the cabin crew in an emergency or unexpected situation.

One user wrote: "When I fly, I wear a volunteer firefighter's shirt. Not that I have many qualifications, but so the flight attendants know I'm willing to help in an emergency."

Of course, there were also humorous remarks in the comments: "That's not true. They say hi to me because I'm the best passenger!" "I guess if I'm walking forward crying, I'm instantly marked as useless." "My flight attendant when I was returning from Vegas must have been really relaxed because the state I was in was not one that allowed for flying."

There were also more dramatic recollections: "I was once denied an international flight from England to America because I was so sick they thought I would die before we landed."