A Life Lesson from Flight Attendants

November 2, 2025

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I fly a lot. At my current pace, I’ll be one of those who have flown a million miles on United in just another four, maybe five, years. According to the United app, I fly around 170 United flights per year (I also fly a handful of times on American, Delta, and, if necessary, Southwest flights if they have better flight times or non-stop availability).

And with a lot of flights come a lot of safety demonstrations from flight attendants. Safety demonstrations that, if you haven’t noticed, go largely ignored by the vast majority of flyers. I would bet that fewer than 10% of passengers even furtively glance toward the flight attendants while they’re providing potential life-saving information for each of us. The flight attendants (and their message) are largely ignored. They do not do this for their own sake or to keep us on the ground longer or to irritate the passengers. They only do this as a last minute reminder so we can act quickly if needed.

To Pay Attention, or Not to Pay Attention?
That is the Question.

On one of my very first flights as a consultant in 2021, I had an experience that caught me quite off-guard. It was on a flight to Wyoming on one of those dinky little regional jets. You know what I’m talking about–where the lone flight attendant doubles as both the reader and the demonstrator. She was fumbling with her cellphone to read the script, dealing with the plane’s phone intercom to convey the announcement, getting tangled in the cord from that plane phone, and then managing the multiple props involved with the seatbelt, oxygen mask, and life vest demonstration (because, you know, there are so many vast bodies of water between Denver and Laramie!).

As this hard-working young woman of no more than 15 (or so it seemed!) did her darndest to manage all aspects of the demonstration, no one noticed. No one looked up. No one smiled at her. No one acknowledged that she even existed.

And I felt guilty–mostly because I, myself, didn’t even notice her herculean efforts until about halfway through the demonstration. It was at that point, because I was seated in the first row, right in front of her, that I realized how rude I was being. I thought to myself, “Wow! This kind human being is speaking to me (us), and I’m (we) not caring enough to look at her for even 90 seconds.”

I decided, then and there, that I would pay attention to flight attendants when they are doing the safety demonstration on every flight. Out of respect for them and the job they do.

The Golden Rule in Life

And so I wonder what other life lessons we can take from this? You’re no doubt familiar with the “Golden Rule.” It’s the life lesson taught in all of the world’s major scriptures and says, “Do unto others what you would have them do unto you.”

Would I want others to ignore me? No.

Then I will not ignore them.

Even if it’s a simple, repetitive, almost-surely-never-needed safety demonstration from a flight attendant.

Reflective Questions

While we all strive to apply the golden rule to our lives, in what new ways might you apply it?
What do you notice about how you feel when you consciously apply the golden rule in treating others as (or better than!) you want to be treated?

Rib Review

Earlier this fall my wife and I made a quick trip to North Dakota to visit extended family. Out on the farm, one of my cousins made ribs from a goat that they had raised. This was a first for me! The flavor was really good, though the meat was less abundant and less fatty than your typical pork (I’m not sure if goat ribs are just that way, or if it was from the grilling process). In any case, you unfortunately won’t be finding them available for purchase unless you want to buy an entire goat from the farm!

A Life Lesson from Flight Attendants