Air hostess reveals secret code language used by attendants.

Technical codes:

All clear – When you hear this it means the crew can visit the lav. No one is getting the random drug and alcohol test.

Bidding - This is the monthly process of telling the airline what crew members would like for their next work schedule — a competition based on seniority.

Factoid - When some foreign airlines just randomly assign trips. 

Deadhead – When a crew member flies as a passenger — as a company assignment. Basically, the airline needs them to be somewhere other than where they are, and they cannot or are not needed to work the flight. 

Layover – This means to overnight/sleep somewhere. Time at the airport between flights is “sit time.”

Hours – When flight attendants talk about “hours,” they mean time they're actually getting paid for. They only get paid when the airplane is moving. A London trip from NYC, for example, is 3 days long but worth under 15 hours.

Furlough – When airlines need to shrink, most don’t “lay off,” they “furlough.” If the business bounces back within a certain amount of time, the airline has to offer them their job back before they can hire new stews or pilots off the street. 

Pax – Passengers.

Airplane Mode – The option on your electronic devices that will stop them from transmitting data or calls. (Hint: If you’re still texting or talking, you’re doing it wrong.)

Off – As in, turning your devices all the way “off,” vs. the word “stand-by”. (Term becoming antiquated.)

Apron – Similar to “ramp.” It means an area of the tarmac, but one not used for take off and landing (i.e. where planes park or get serviced).


Other codes:

Slam-Click(er) – When a crew member goes to the hotel and does not emerge again until it’s time to leave. As in: slamming the door and clicking the lock. End of story. Can be used as a noun or a verb. (“I’m so tired I’m just gonna slam-click.” or “You won’t see her for dinner. She’s a slam-clicker.”)

Baby Jesus – A baby on board with (probably first-time) parents who are very, shall we say…particular. They will likely expect the entire flight to revolve around their child. It’s a handy heads up: “We got Baby Jesus in row 27 tonight.”

Coach Roach – Used wryly, usually for flight attendants who prefer working in the Main/Coach Cabin. “Business? No thanks. I’m a Coach Roach all the way, baby!”

Trip Trader – This is someone hired to help rearrange the crew members' work schedule. Usually they are current or retired flight crew. It is a “real” business — you need a license to do this. How in the world they can manage 100 different people’s schedule requests is beyond me!

Blue Juice – The blue water in the toilets. Not to be confused with the term 'Crew Juice'.

Crew Juice - A special cocktail to be enjoyed on the van ride to a long layover hotel, usually as a sort of sleep-aid after an all night flight. Recipes vary and may be subject to competitive secrecy.

Crotch Watch – Nickname for walking through the cabin to do a seat belt check. Also called a “Groin Scan.”

Landing Lips – To put on “landing lips” is to refresh one’s make-up at the end of a flight.

Slip time – Another term for an overnight layover.

Working the village – Working in Coach.

Bin Gagging –When passengers leave their bags hanging halfway out of a bin for some mysterious reason. They hoist it up, then just walk away like “mission accomplished!” and wait for crew members to find it.