You don’t have to be a flight attendant yourself to know that these flying professionals don’t have standard nine-to-five jobs. Although they generally work to secure the comfort and safety of passengers when they’re en route to their various destinations, the truth is that many flight attendants love their jobs – and think they come with fantastic perks. After all, these lucky few get to travel the world on a regular basis, stay in exotic places for days, or weeks at a time, and more.
Since travel basically makes up the majority of the average flight attendant’s life, these experts have largely mastered the art of packing – for everything from overnight stays, to longer vacations. That’s why it always makes sense to consider the crucial accessories recommended by flight attendants when you’re deciding which hand-luggage essentials you can’t live without.
1. Clip on Flashlights
Alright, so you might not see yourself needing one of these if you’re going to be staying in a plush hotel. However, if you’re one of the many people who prefer to save money by visiting hostels around the world, then a good clip-on flash light could go a long way. Flight attendants use them for helping to deliver duty-free around the cabin at night, but you can use yours for tracking down the bathroom without waking up your sleeping neighbors.
2. An Action Camera
Just because flight attendants might not be joining you on your trip to the local beach doesn’t mean that they don’t like to document their experiences like the rest of us. For times when the smartphone camera simply won’t do, it might be worth having an action camera on hand. After all, these great little gadgets work well in almost any condition, come rain, shine, or turbulence.
3. A Travel Adapter
When it comes to crucial travel accessories there are few things more essential than a good travel adapter that you can rely upon to keep your gadgets charged wherever you go. For flight attendants, having a travel adapter on hand means that they can quickly charge up their phone and mp3 players between flights so that they can catch up on Facebook and listen to music in those boring moments between serving people around the cabin. For you, a travel adapter could be used for almost anything you like – from ensuring you can use your favorite straighteners at your hotel, to keeping your tablet full of juice.
4. Insect Repellant
Unfortunately, as beautiful as the world can be from an adventurer’s perspective – there’s one consistent problem that you’re likely to find wherever you travel – bugs. Whether you’re visiting the Caribbean or traveling through the U.S. you want to keep mosquitos and other annoying pests away from your skin so you can enjoy soaking up the sun instead. Having a small bottle of insect repellant on hand in your carry-on should ensure that you don’t have to worry about sudden discomfort when you arrive at the airport on the other side of your journey.
5. An E-Reader or Tablet
As we mentioned previously on this list of crucial travel accessories, entertainment is still an important factor for people in the service industry. The chances are that you don’t often see your flight attendants constantly on their feet checking whether you have enough cushions or miniature bottles of vodka – so what do they do when they need time to relax and unwind? The answer is – the same as you. Having an E-reader or tablet is a great way to pass the time on long journeys – no matter whether you’re on duty or not. Just make sure that you have your travel adapter on hand to charge up when you get to your destination.
6. A First-Aid Kit
The hope is that you’re never going to need your first aid kit when you take it with you on vacation – but that doesn’t mean that you should be confident enough to leave it at home. The last thing you want to do in an unfamiliar location is spend hours searching for a pharmacy so that you can track down bandages for a sudden injury, or stock up on essential medications. Most flight attendants always carry a small first aid kit with them as part of their crucial travel accessories collection, and you should follow suit. Remember to bring along allergy medication, any pills that you absolutely have to take, bandages, and extras that you might consider to be important (Such as travel sickness pills).
7. A Charging Phone Case
Can’t wait until you get to your hotel to charge up your smartphone and start checking Twitter? You’re not alone. Even with your travel adapter in your hand-luggage, the chances are that you’re going to run out of battery pretty quickly on a long-haul flight – particularly when your phone is one of your primary sources of entertainment. It’s generally a good idea to pick a charging case that is slim and lightweight enough to carry around in your pocket with you. It shouldn’t get in the way when you’re taking pictures, and it should never draw too much attention to you. If you think that your case is too big or bulky to hide securely, then leave it at home, or keep your phone in a security belt around your waist.
8. Emergency Beauty Supplies
Whether you’re a man or a woman, you’re probably going to feel a little less than your best by the time you get off a long flight. Even if your airplane time is relatively small, exposure to all those other people, and the strange altitude might leave you wanting to run a comb through your hair and wash your face in the nearest sink. Keep a tangle-teaser, comb, and some of your favorite soaps or wipes on hand so that you can turn to them when you need to freshen up. How do you think flight attendants always look so perfect from one flight to the next?
