You’re stuck in your middle seat and thirsty on board a six hour flight. What do you do? Should you have just bought an overpriced bottle of water inside the terminal, since you can’t bring one from home through security? Or maybe brought an empty one and filled it at a filling station that never gets filtered or cleaned once past the checkpoint?
Assume you didn’t do that and are relying on the airline to meet your basic needs inflight – or maybe you’re a first class passenger and just want a cocktail? – when is it actually acceptable to press the flight attendant call button?
- Which airline you fly matters. It’s fine with an Asian or Middle Eastern carrier, while U.S.-based flight attendants often hate it.
- It matters which phase of flight you’re in. During taxi, takeoff and landing cabin crew can’t fulfill drink requests. They’re busy during boarding, or might miss you while performing meal service.
- It matters what class of service you’re in. Though business class passengers are sometimes treated shabbily, they’re more likely to have a request honored than someone in coach.
This describes how to predict the response a flight attendant will give you. It doesn’t really answer whether pressing the call button is the right thing to do or not. In other words, if you’re met with disdain is it because you were in the wrong for pressing it, or was the flight attendant wrong to treat you that way?
The Washington Post purported to offer “The 52 Definitive Rules of Flying” as an air travel etiquette guide. While mostly on the nose, they offer that “the flight attendant button is not a vodka tonic button.”
Consider it the 911 call of the sky — something to use in case of emergency, not in case of thirst to quench.
I once wrote about a Delta Air Lines flight attendant who warned a passenger “DON’T TOUCH THAT BUTTON AGAIN” after they’d used it to request a drink.
The head of the largest flight attendants union, Sara Nelson, says you should never press the flight attendant call button for a drink, and even tried to get the government to ban alcohol on planes which would reduce the amount of service her members would have to provide. (She also tried to get the federal government to make leisure travel illegal during the pandemic.)
This is 100% wrong.
- The alternative to pressing the call button, to let a flight attendant know you want a drink, is to go to the galley. But flight attendants don’t want a steady stream of passengers heading to the galley and blocking the aisles, and airlines often announce not to congregate in the galley.
- In Ms. Nelson’s world, passengers simply wouldn’t hydrate. Cabin crew wouldn’t provide service. And you’d sit down and shut up about it.
- The call button exists, what does she think it is for? She says it is so individual passengers can press it to identify themselves when called upon to do so by a crewmember. And if you do use it for something like a glass of water, you’d darned well better have a compelling moral justification (“It may be that you’re a mother, and you have an infant in your arms, and you need some help”).
- However airlines themselves say otherwise. For instance Emirates flight attendants have been reminded not to ignore the passenger call button. According to that airline it’s expressly not the ‘911 of the sky’. In fact, they monitor response times to customer requests.
- It is not called an ’emergency button’ it is a call button, and if you need a drink the best way to ask for one is to let a crewmember know you need one.
Flight attendants don’t ‘just’ provide drinks. Airlines for the most part have them on board because they are required to by the FAA, since they’re assigned safety duties. (Although especially for international flights, airlines often staff cabin crew beyond the required minimums, in order to provide better service.) However flight attendants aren’t performing safety duties for most of the flight on most flights, and can ignore the call button when there are more pressing matters.
So ultimately the flight attendant call button is for… calling the attention of a flight attendant. That means, if you need a drink, ask. But understand that they may make you wait, and if you’re on Spirit they may make you pay. Your crewmember may also make you wait out of spite, because you pressed the call button.
Service just plain sucks these days
This is one of the reasons why I most likely won’t be using any USA airlines on international flights. JetBlue has been good at providing snacks and drinks without having to ask. If the flight attendants don’t want to do service, just have a half liter bottle of water on each seat. It will cut down on the number of people needing more water.
So…the airlines tell us we are purchasing a “premium” experience. They market that my flight includes complimentary food and beverage based on the level of service purchased and flight duration. Then, the flight attendants turn around and argue they are really just here for our safety and the rest is fluff.
So, they basically want to see their salaries doubled and even tripled to park their a@@es in the galleys for the entire duration of the flight, waiting for an in-flight emergency to respond to? Entitled little brats.
And the yellow call button in one of the photos literally shows a person bringing a drink.
@jns that’s the way to go. Except I wasn’t paying attention and my Qatar flight included a Doha to Philly segment on AA metal. I’ve learned my lesson.
Usually they are helpful, but even on Delta, when I to the back to request a drink I often find the crew talking to each other and often annoyed I have a request.
Sara Nelson is the reason service at US Airlines has nosedived. Her belief and one she pushes on her minions in the sky is that they’re only there for your safety. No, you’re a sky waitress plain and simple. Until US airlines and their crew members start treating passengers like the people who pay their salaries, they’ll never come close to the level of ME and Asian carriers let alone be a ‘premium experience.’
When you tip your flight attendants $5 to $10 for delivering beverage or snack service to your seat on the airplane, you will receive excellent service.
Here’s the thing… We walk through the cabin already very frequently. Even more in first class. We complete a service and offer refills. You will often say that you don’t want anything when asked. I’ll walk through to collect trash and ask if you want anything. “No!!!” Okay, fine! I’m done.
In main cabin, I will walk through to collect trash every 30 minutes [I go out every :15 and :45] THAT IS YOUR OPPORTUNITY TO ASK FOR A DRINK IF YOU WANT ONE!!!
So… It is annoying AF when after all of that you ring a call light. Especially in first class where I will walk through every 10 minutes while meal trays are out… and then I average every 15 minutes for a walkthrough if meal trays are not out.
It often seems as if you are intentionally trying to be “funny” by waiting until we feel we are “done” to ask for a drink. It’s not fkg funny. It’s annoying. So… We find covert ways to let you know that you’re being annoying.
AGAIN… AFTER WE COMPLETE SERVICE, WHERE YOU WERE OFFERED A DRINK AND REFILLS, YOUR NEXT OPPORTUNITY TO ASK FOR A DRINK IS WHEN WE ARE WALKING THROUGH TO COLLECT TRASH!!!
Got it, Karen?
Yeah, Ms. Nelson is the one who needs to get some perspective. I agree that it probably gets overused by some folks, but for a window passenger who has two sleeping (or uncooperative) passengers between them and the aisle, asking for a drink with it is not unreasonable (especially if the crew is making no clear effort to serve the cabin on a long flight).
Of course, the mirror image of this was BA’s BS with cutting water bottles in an attempt to save money…
Flew PVD to ATL recently on Delta. Except for cramped seats, we had pretty good service. They even hung up my garment bag onboard – headed to a wedding; my tux and wife’s dress. Snacks and drinks no problem. Extra round of coffee (brown water, but rare to get good coffee on any flight anywhere…) Overall, I was quite pleased. They even scheduled smooth air and no turbulance! 🙂
They all have screens and apps. I don’t know why they can’t just let you order from there on every airline (only a few have this option).
This guy is considered an “ expert “???? He’s never done the job if a flight attendant dnd hasn’t got a clue.
I got a nice gift certificate from an Asian airline last week because one of my two call buttons wasn’t working on a long haul business class flight. The difference in attitude from the US airlines to Asian carriers is incredible. I tried to refuse it as the issue was not a major inconvenience but it was automatically emailed to me.
Great article, thanks, Gary, I’m 100 % agreed with everything that you’ve indicated. I’ll chime in on the Southwest Airlines “Woohoo for the Bamboo” cup: Pure virtual signaling, many paper/natural cups consume more electricity to produce than plastic ones, and the coating on the paper/natural cups often make them non-recyclable. Worst of all, they make any beverage (excepting coffee) taste terrible. Hilton does this too, and I positively hate it.
So the hopefully soon unemployed Not Ur Servant thinks that I should anticipate at :15 when the walk through happens that I might want a drink at :30, but I should wait until :45, cause that is your schedule? F u from a guy who never pushed the call button ever in a million miles.
I think Sara Nelson is most likely an Evangelical Republican. Always unhappy about everything.
Which, in 2025, is entirely correct.
These days, the only thing I expect from an airline is to arrive safely at my destination reasonably on-time with my stuff generally intact. Anything else is a bonus at best.
Want something to drink? Bring your own. Hungry? Should have ate before boarding. Besides, the occasional fast would do most Americans a world of good…
I wouldn’t trust Sara Nelson to perform her emergency duties either. Keep her offline forever.
I flew for forty years and never felt put upon by a passenger using the CALL lite for a drink or any other reason.
Lazy aisle donkeys. They’re not even good looking anymore.
Don’t press that f button I just wanna sleep.
I am very much a book aisle seats guy and also a go. to the galley if I want a other beverage guy. I have never had an FA be anything other than gracious when I have come to the galley to get a drink.
If I have the misfortune to not be in an aisle seat, I will use the call button if it has been about 30 minutes since the last time someone has been through the cabin to avoid distrubing my seatmates. This rarely seems to occur for me outside of Y international flights, and I have again never had an FA respond anything less than graciously.
In F/J, amost always the service is frequent enough that it isn’t an issue.
If you’re in coach and ringing that button 5 mins after the FA last came through, I can mildly understand the frustration.
But also, if you’re paying for the drink, delivery should be included.
What a sad post and even sadder comments. Typical unnecessary hate, bashing unions and workers.
Unless you are cowards, please do tell crews exactly how you feel about them, ideally before meal service. Then, drink and eat up. Yum. ‘Enjoy’ your flight.
@ Not UR Servant…. I wish all were as dedicated as you. Sadly, what you described is not what I experience. Sitting in first mostly on AA, I have never seen an FA walk the cabin every 10 mins
I have been flying for the last 45 years domentically and internationally. Economy, business and first class and never have ai ever been told off for using the call button to order a drink!
A funny recent incident aboard a domestic Delta flight comes to light. I was flying main cabin. During drink service, the FA with the cart didn’t have my drink of choice so promised to come back. They turned on the call button, I guess as a reminder for them. But then forgot to come back. I didn’t say anything but didn’t turn the light off either.
Another FA was passing through the aisle, noticed the light and asked me what my emergency was in an aggressive voice. When I started to explain, she rudely interrupted me in a loud voice and said that I should only use it for emergencies etc. I felt like such a child being lectured to.
When I finally had the opportunity to explain that I didn’t press the button, her face fell. She was still rude and didn’t apologize but I did get my drink after all. 🙂
There is a big disconnect between what the airlines (all of them) are charging for ‘premium’ cabin service and the service that is actually delivered. Most of my international trips are 6k+ round trip. Service SHOULD be more attentive and frequent throughout the flight (and not just meal service). I primarily blame management. Unions should be badgering management and not mistreating their best customers who keep the planes flying.
“In Ms. Nelson’s world, passengers simply wouldn’t hydrate. Cabin crew wouldn’t provide service. And you’d sit down and shut up about it.”
Exactly this.
Not Ur Servant, I have not experienced twice per hour service on any flight in the last 5 years, no matter whether I was seated in the front or the back. IMHO it is awkward enough to press the call button most of us would wait 45-60 minutes to press it. And I personally would only press it if I were stuck in the middle/window. Thinking about that… Is it then correct for a window passenger to wake up 2 random stranger passengers for a drink rather than allow a flight attendant on duty to bring one?
I personally always avoided requesting food and beverage service while an FA is collecting trash. I figured it would be an interruption and specifically: I assume they would have have nothing to write with, a poor memory for a long list, and no ability to grab a drink (their hands gloved and stacked with empty drink cups and a trash bag). I have had transcon flights with only 1 drink service and absolutely no service after collecting the trash once. It was hours in between flight attendant walks down the aisle. I know because I was stuck with the empty cup!
Come to think of it… I have specifically been on flights both too short for a full drink service and transcon flights where the flight attendants specified that we were to ring the call button to request a drink when desired because they were not going to have a specified formal drink service!
Clearly whatever airline you are working for is no airline I have ever flown!
@Not Ur Servant – I would have liked you on my flights… I would flag a FA down as they passed by and ask for a little water. I often would get sass for such a narcissistic request for water on demand. I would have to say. “My apologies but it’s so I can take the medicine to keep me alive” and show them the prescription bottle.
FA would turn pale and about an hour later after her nerves return to her would come by with a small cup and a large bottle of water.
Nelson is the worst. Flight attendants have a stressful job, and people fail to understand they are PRIMARILY there for passenger safety. But in her ideal world there would be virtually no service at all and passengers would have to genuflect or bow to flight attendants.
Can someone pls explain something to me. Most people kvetch about the lousy service on AA. Most people have nothing good to say about AA flights late arrivals and departures. Most have nothing good to Say about Sara Nelson and her minions.
Yet AA is your airline of choice. What the F is wrong with you?!