Flight: London

Many a time, travelling as a passenger before the profession chose me; I have asked for something and received something completely different from the airhostess, or not received it at all.

One day when I requested for an extra pillow, the stewardess promptly brought down a can of cold drink (I am sure the person who was waiting for the drink was annoyed). The pair of eye shades asked long before takeoff never came till landing.

Although trivial, there were times when this was irritating. “How on earth could she forget? I just asked her!” However I've still not found an answer. Even being in her shoes today, I've realised there is no substantial reason for this 'goldfish memory'. Sometimes I find myself making mental notes of the requests from passengers while passing down the aisle, sometimes I take notes on a notepad, and there are still many times I forget. Going back to the same irritated passenger twice is not pleasant.

I have met many understanding passengers who don’t mind waiting a couple of minutes extra for their glass of ice or orange juice, if I forget to bring it down the first time around. There have even been people who are completely nice to me throughout the flight, even though I only remembered that I forgot what they asked for, long after coming home.

Well on today’s flight my luck ran out, or rather one good lady ran out of patience; having asked for salt and pepper during breakfast, and not receiving it on time. When I finally passed by her with a pot of tea in hand, I remembered “Oh I am so sorry, I will bring down the salt and pepper for you right away!”, and the exasperated lady screamed back at me at the top of her lungs, “I HAVE ALREADY FINISHED EATING!”

Her irritation was understandable, as her meal wouldn’t have been enjoyable as much as it would have been with more pepper. However, her lenient husband was desperately trying to keep her calm, as she went on snarling at him as well.

“Darling please...look” he started, and she snapped back, “Look at what? The empty plate, I already finished? The one she’s going to bring to put salt and pepper in?” 

As my honest apologies weren’t working, and the tea was getting cold, I finally moved away leaving an angry wife to be pacified by a very worried husband.
I was quite upset for the rest of the flight, not for getting snarled at (as it was part of the routine), but for being the trigger.

Even while disembarking, she looked very annoyed and she huffed and puffed in anger, snapping at her husband. As they walked past, the husband sympathetically looked at me and said very softly “I am sorry!”, and in return to this utter politeness I apologized back.

Later on trying to figure out why he would apologise on behalf of the wife, I realised there was salt and pepper already on the meal tray. She probably wouldn’t have noticed it, and even after serving the same thing to many people for years, I couldn’t believe I’d FORGOTTEN! So I irksomely thought to myself, Dear Mrs. Pepper pot I am so sorry...I forgot!