A picture has gone viral on reddit showing a United Airlines flight attendant serving the cabin without a mask on. Because its authenticity has been called into dispute, I’ve chosen to blur her face. But that won’t stop us from addressing the issue, even if only in a hypothetical fashion.
Did United Airlines Flight Attendant Serve Cabin Without Mask?
The mask regime falls if flight attendants don’t comply. It’s that simple. As we are reminded each time we fly, “While service is our passion, safety is our priority.” For months we have been told that masks are key in slowing the spread of virus. Delta Air Lines is touting a new Harvard study purporting to prove exactly that.
Essential in the concept of wearing a mask is the idea of reciprocity, since masks are more about protecting others from yourself (versus protecting yourself from others). Unlike passengers, who at most are exposed to the few passengers around them, flight attendants remain in a customer-facing role. If anyone should be wearing a mask onboard, it is flight attendants.
Which leads us to this picture, purportedly taken on UA2425 from Orlando (MCO) to Houston (IAH) on Sunday, September 20:
In typical reddit fashion, the original poster is attacked and called a fake and the picture is called into question. Several things I’d note. One, there are no in-flight magazines in the seatback pockets. That tells me the picture is recent, since pre-pandemic we would expect to see them in every seat and this aircraft does not have a lower literature pocket. Two, the safety card (737-800/900) reflects what operated the flight on Sunday. Furthermore, the seat map also reflects a full flight on Sunday (the flight departed with only three open seats). In that sense, the picture is very plausible, even though we cannot see anyone on the aircraft wearing masks.
Now it could well be this is an older picture, but I find it highly unlikely. And yet even if a flight attendant was an anti-masker, United policy is so clear that I’ve never (in what is now 10 flights since the pandemic) seen a flight attendant wear a mask below her nose, let alone leave it off.
Something doesn’t make sense. You really think no one onboard said anything to her if this was really just from two days ago? So I don’t think we can conclude either way if this picture was recent. But that doesn’t matter for purposes of our discussion.
Confront Or Not?
But let’s discuss how to deal with a flight attendant who takes a mask for thee, but not for me approach. Say something and risk being thrown off, like the man on Allegiant? Take the passive aggressive approach and photo shame her on the internet instead of saying something? Just report it to the airline.
Feel free to condemn me, but I’m not opening my mouth. Last time I put a flight attendant on the defensive I got thrown off the flight. No more of that. Would I document it with my camera phone? Oh yes. Would I write about it? Likely.
Shaming is extremely helpful in eliciting compliance (for virtually any power structure). Hypocrisy is the best way to delegitimize a person or idea.
> Read More: Elderly Man Kicked Off Allegiant Flight For Asking Flight Attendant To Wear Mask
CONCLUSION
It matters whether this picture is real or not, but the idea of confronting a flight attendant over mask compliance is not something I am comfortable doing. That’s the issue I am struggling with today. But in the combative culture we find ourselves in, it seems almost inventible the problem would be self-correcting.
@ Matthew — I would 100% say something. If the FA would not comply, I would ask for a pilot. They are welcome to throw me off. If the picture is real, then this FA should be fired. Period.
They might throw you off mid-flight.
Why do you right away jump to the conclusion that this person intentionally is defying the mask policy? Did the thought ever cross your mind that there is a reason they don’t have on their mask? Like perhaps this person had been back in the galley, removed their mask to eat something, then suddenly a passenger pressed the call button & this person sprang to action to go assist, forgetting their mask was off? Fire the person…Seriously? Stop being a Karen! There are always two sides of a story & you are condemning this person without even knowing what really happened. Smh!
If the flight attendant was called by a passenger she could have put her mask on as she was walking to the passenger. In my opinion there is no excuse.
I’m tired of flight attendants that say, don’t do as I do, do as I say ! If this is resent, then she should be fired. To many people are putting other peoples lives at risk…
The f***ing mask don’t work people…. quit whining about someone using her brain and start backing her up…. you f***ing sheep and your reaction to fear and propaganda are the reason for 2020.. you f***s are some kind of stupid…
So how about your dumba-s? Aren’t you a fu—ng sheep believing what Trump is saying? You fu–ing idiot. I’m gonna listen to the best Doctors,Scientists, health organizations, before I listen to your dumb–s.
Amen, Mike….. Don’t worry…. Robert Johnson is a special kind of stupid….bless his heart, you Southerners know what I mean by that 😉 he may meet his maker sooner than he realizes, at which point, the world is free of one more dumb [redacted by admin]. Score one for humanity!
Exactly. When can we stop wearing masks, when survivability goes up from the current 99.97 % to 99.98%? This is so incredibly dumb.
She was clearly talking to a passenger.
Some passengers don’t understand or can not hear flight attendants thru the mask.
I’m 99.9% sure she briefly removed her mask
to explane safety or security instructions.
This is for everyone’s safety.
My last flight was February 2020. Unlike the author who obviously isn’t used to coach, I have not consistently found the magazine in coach.
Teamwork makes the dream work, right? If we all don’t comply it won’t work. This is obvious. However before we vilify her for her appearant noncompliance; maybe her mask broke, kept slipping down (which is pointless anyway) who knows. But if not…..
I am a FA and I agree that FA should be fired for not complying the UA rule.
I suspect the picture is not current. Nobody appears to be wearing a mask (according to the writer), and that never happens.
Next, pilots are not available for conversation during flights. They do NOT go to the cabin to settle disputes. If you were interested in forcing the point, ask for another flight attendant and tell him/her about your concerns. If that is unsuccessful, file a complaint with the airline. All airlines have very strict policies regarding mask use.
Maybe is just a old picture i didn’t see anybody wearing a mask .
You are 100% correct. It was a mistake…I assure you. I know her personally and she would never do this on purpose. If someone would’ve just politely said something to her then I know she would’ve realized it and gone and put it on. I personally have gone in the aisle without mine on and realized it. It was a mistake and she should not be blasted all over the Internet.
She looks like she’s on the beverage cart serving drinks with another flight attendant. That should prove alot of comments are wrong.
On a Red-eye of ANC last week.
If only the gesticulating this gif shows, wasn’t accompanied by the boisterous yapping and laughing. I doubt I would have noticed this FA’s personal mask-antipathy.
http://makeagif.com/i/eY7y4l
You may have to slide mp4 to gif to play
Hmmm…Not a Reddit guy so I’m assuming that this is the same picture that’s posted. You can’t tell if anyone is wearing a mask. I’m calling BS.
As others have said, she might very well have had a mask on the entire flight, been in the galley(that is a service apron) grabbing a quick bite of a meal she bought 2 hrs earlier in MCO, and a passenger rang a call button and she went to answer, as she probably has been doing the last 10 years.Oblivious to not having her mask on. New habits and norms do take time to become ingrained. I wear my face mask every minute I am at work at the airport, except when eating, and still there have been times I am halfway into a cargo hold before I realize that hot breath feeling is missing, and I fumble around and put my mask on. I just hope all the screamers wanting her head never get older,and forget to zip up after using the restroom,or go to the kitchen and get there and do not know what they were after …
I’m calling BS. Hence why her face is blurred and let’s face it, very little details are given. No flight info, date, etc. BS. Pic was taken before the mandate. Hahaha
I linked to original photo. Perhaps you know her?
You should have verified this before posting. Looks kind of like click bait, IMO.
Flight date/info was included and I blurred her photo out of respect. I have the unblurred version.
This person doesn’t have a United flight attendants uniform……shes wearing a flower dress with a sweater upon which is an unidentifiable brooch…
Actually she is wearing the united airlines dress with a serving apron over the top. Look at her sleeve.
Respect you say? Respect would be to publish your s*** editorial with actual facts. You love to stir the pot and slander airlines and people. How dare you?
*sigh*
Don’t shoot the messenger. Instead, try reading beyond the headline.
Don’t shoot the messenger? Seriously dude? So get this, everyone thinks you’re a damn turd of a person; but don’t shoot the messenger… grow a pair.
The only hard evidence you say are no magazines in 3 setback pockets and the safety pacard? As someone who has serviced the cabins in is possible there weren’t enough to restock all seats or perhaps the 3 in question are being read. Furthermore, this particular aircraft has been in service for quite sometime.
She is wearing the “Hawaii” apron. Not to say it’s not worn on mainland flts, but it’s not common. Just a thought.
It is a mandate to wear masks on the aircraft. If caught without wearing one, your job is in jeopardy. This has to be prior to the mandate. Who would purposely do this and put their job in question? I call bologna on the photo.
Kp, I am a flight attendant and there’s no excuse NOT to wear a mask no matter what. She could easily grab her mask and put a mask before attending a passenger call.
There is a very good possibility that she has on a mask that matches her skin and the person blurred it out to make it hard to tell. This is the 1st time someone blurred a face to protect the offender. And there would have to have been at least 1 person that would have asked her to put on a mask. This just doesn’t seem plausible. If she was defying mask policy, why blur the face? ..on another note, I just flew UA from Arizona. No magazines were in any of our seats either.
My goodness: here is the original…
[image deleted]
He blurred the original because this may be an old photo and if so, our discussion is merely theoretical, not based upon an actual event.
I’ve removed the picture from the comment.
Probably would have given more credibility if you would have caught the picture with AT LEAST someone else wearing a mask. This image could have been taken at anytime so
Linda, have you ever made a mistake, or forgot something that was required of you? While we do not know the whole story, and believe me there are two sides to every story. Possible she did say “I’m not wearing the mask”. At that time during the flight no one can force her to put the mask on. They can just let the captain know, and it will be handled on the ground. It’s possible the other Flight Attendant’s were flying with her for the first time, and unaware that she may not what to wear the mask. The crews do not always fly with the same people, and same flights. It’s possible this was dealt with after the passengers were at their destination. Unless she came out and said I’m not wearing that mask, we all should wait for the whole story. Then we can place blame where it is needed to be placed.
Maybe she took it off in galley and just forgot to put it back on, or maybe this pic is a fake from pre-covid. I doubt a fervant anti-masker would still be working as a FA now. However, let’s have some perspective. A mask is not an immunity cloak. You could still infect others if you wear a mask, you just reduce the odds slightly. Some people want people punished more for not wearing a mask than for an actual physical assault, and that’s just insane. Protect yourself: don’t fly if you don’t need to, and take proper precautions. You control your own exposure risk.
I believe most airlines have an out for their employees who have medical reasons they cannot wear a mask while performing their duties. There was an AA FA I followed who said she could not wear one due to her asthma which begs the question- how does one with severe enough asthma to forgo a mask pass the safety training that includes swimming and carrying things etc? But I am not a doctor so perhaps it is legitimate. The AA FA was lambasted by many for saying she wouldn’t wear a mask and told people to “mind their own bodies”. To which I replied, ‘I will note that wearing a mask protects others from you, not you from others, so I am in fact minding my own body, thanks’. I stopped following her. People are so selfish.
I’d also note that when trying to get people in the beginning of the AIDS epidemic to wear condoms, psychologists discovered that, in fact, shaming did NOT work to get people to wear condoms to protect themselves and others. So, we might need a different approach.
If one has asthma, they should be wearing a N95 mask. One particle of coronavirus could kill them. They have less breathing reserve that they should be the first to wear masks and wear them until 2023.
As far as “To which I replied, ‘I will note that wearing a mask protects others from you, not you from others, so I am in fact minding my own body, thanks’.”
this is not true. Masks do protect. The CDC knows that there is not quite enough N95 masks for doctors and hospitals until January so they don’t want a run on them by the general public. But the surgical mask shortage has been resolved so using them is fine. Surgical masks are approximately N78. Some bandannas are about N5 to 10 or so.
I think the picture is fake. I can’t see any fa risking their job by not wearing a mask. And if the picture was real, they should’ve shown others wearing the mask. Also if you are big enough to take a photo and internet shame someone then u should have enough guts to call them out to their face.
I can attest to other FAs not wearing their masks.
Considering your line of work, where are the photos and the article? You probably would attest to writing a useful article, but just because you “attest” doesn’t make it true.
This is a pre covid picture. Sure you can wear the Hawaii apron on a non Hawaii flight but she wouldn’t for fear of being written up for being out of uniform. You do a disservice to real news when you post fake news. Shame on you.
Question I would ask to check the legitimacy: The apron she is wearing looks like it would be for a hawaii flight and not necessarily MCO – IAH. I am not familiar with UA Uniforms but I know some carriers would only wear that style of apron on Hawaii flights and not within the continental US.
The apron can be worn in any flight. It’s very common
@Kyle here’s a Few/A confessing to going maskless in the gallery.
Amy the F/A admits not wearing mask in the gallery, even forgetting it.
https://liveandletsfly.com/flight-attendant-without-mask/#comment-232876
Sending a DM to the Twitter team could be a good move as well. It seems like a way to provide live feedback even if the feedback doesn’t make it back to the FA until after the flight is complete.
Perhaps the airline passenger was deaf? They removed their masks when talking to me, so….
disappointing if true.
I am wary of Communist propaganda and fear that even Matthew is a victim.
“Essential in the concept of wearing a mask is the idea of reciprocity, since masks are more about protecting others from yourself (versus protecting yourself from others). ”
I believe this is false. A mask CAN protect you. If not, doctors wouldn’t be wearing masks. I believe the reason for this false propaganda is that the government doesn’t want a run on N95 masks, which are the best protection. However, the shortage of surgical masks (approximately N78) has been resolved. EVERYONE should be wearing these, not flimsy bandanas. Bandanas stop some spit from talking but are just barely “so-so”. The N95 shortage is thought to be resolved in January.
Everyone should wear a surgical mask and pinch the nose so it’s tight on the top, not full of gaps. Until then, I am not flying. I miss it so much but avoiding flights is the reasonable thing to do now, sorry FA’s and pilots.
How f dad o we know this pic is not Pre-covid? I can’t see anyone else in the pic wearing a mask. Prove this pic isn’t 3 years old!!
How do we know… Typo
Randy, that’s why I blurred her face. Because I don’t know and wanted to make it a general discussion.
So why write the article at all? Especially in an age when most people just read and believe headlines. Writing an article without proper context is incredibly irresponsible. Even if you just want to start a “discussion”. Family dinners at home must be a hoot.
But I believe I put it in context and deliberately used a question mark in my headline.
Way to go. Another article has been printed taking your hypothetical article as real news. And now this poor flight attendants picture is not blurred and out there for the public. You should be ashamed of yourself.
I removed the image from the commenter who posted the image.
Where you fed with bourbon as a child? Seriously? A question
mark? You are so entitled you feel it’s okay to bash a person, a corporation, based on hypotheticals. If I had you act like this in front of me, I would bitch slap you. Find something to write with substance. Quit acting like the gossipy snitch from high school.
3 years ago, the Hemisphere Magazines would be in the seatback holder.
There are always two sides to a story. Why do you right away want to point a finger & accuse this person of intentionally doing something wrong? Did the thought ever cross your mind that perhaps this person had been back in the galley, removed their mask to eat something, then suddenly a passenger pressed the call button & this person sprang to action to go assist, forgetting their mask was off? You state this person served the cabin. Are you sure about that? Where are other pictures supporting that statement? Go back to LA & stay there! We don’t want you here in Orlando if all you’re going to do is be a pot stirrer & try to get innocent people in trouble. Troll!
She should be fried, in an instant. The whole policy depends on universal compliance. It can’t work if those responsible for its oversight are non-compliant themselves.
The apron this F/A is wearing is only worn on Hawaii flights.
The apron this F/A is wearing is only worn on Hawaii flights.
No, it’s not.
Yes, that apron is for Hawaii flights only.
Actually that is exactly correct. Just Google United FA uniforms and you’ll find the wearing requirements from their Union. “Island prints only allowed on direct flights to hawaii”. The photo is fake. End of conversation. Respect this ladies privacy and remove the post.
Foxey, I’m talking about actual practice, not the rules. I’ve flown 1,000+ segments on United. Trust me, I’ve seen this on non-Hawaiian flights. Not saying this picture is real…just commenting on the apron.
This apron can be worn at any flight. Even if the FA is not based in Hawaii or doesn’t do that route.
I fly for UAL. I’m not saying you can’t wear it on other flights ,but I don’t believe that’s a flight from MCO or recent.
I was on a UA flight, Wednesday Sept. 16 from Houston to New Orleans, the FA was not wearing a mask as we boarded and we’re getting ready for take off. Note, in general she had a not so nice attitude. Fyi honestly the blonde FA from this pic could be the same one from my flight.
Side note, I have Asma, and the Asma excuse is absurd. Any one with controlled Asma will be fine and if it is uncontrolled you definitely should not be a FA.
There is a period of several weeks when the pandemic started in March (United immediately removed the inflight magazines) and mask is not completely required to worn by everyone, including the flight attendants. The No Mask, No Fliy policy adopted by United for all employee and customers only began a couple of months ago. This picture could have been taken during this said period.
Funny how you don’t see if anyone else is wearing a mask and also the magazines were taken off all flights prior to mask being mandated on flights. Pretty sure you swore you would never fly United again based on some other article u posted. If you had such a issue you should have said something. I’m calling bs on this. Not one fa in their right mind would go on the isle without a mask in this day. We are all about to lose our jobs we wouldn’t make it this easy for you to hell us lose it quicker
This flight is probably when Covid started and masks were not mandatory, the magazines were removed in the very beginning of Covid. Masks started being mandatory by May I believe.
She would never be so crazy to walk down the aisle without a mask.
This is why people have issues with anything that the media says. Instead of reporting actual facts, reporting speculation. One if a Flight attendant is unable to wear a mask for medical reasons common sense should tell you that they would not be able to fly. The company would make other arrangements for them. Second very convenient that it is not showing any other people where you can see their face. Third as for the article saying that they are not any flight magazines in the back of the seats, what in the heck is in the back of the seat. This article is all about trying to divide people and spread rumors.
No it isn’t. The point of this post is a theoretical discussion about what to do if a FA doesn’t wear one.
Matt, do you know the whole story? Do you know if anything was said or done once the flight landed? You have part of the information and not the whole story. Are we so much involved into blaming and pointing the finger that we just assume immediately without knowing? Of course reporting the whole story would have been just to easy. Let’s run with what we think we know and just fill in the blanks.. I’m a huge fan of the media, and I support you all. But if your going to do your job, doing it correctly please.
You very well know your headline doesn’t scream theoretical discussion. This entire article is ridiculous. I’ve supported an article of yours in the past, but this is purposefully trying to shame United for no reason.
Come on…for what possible reason would I purposely want to shame United? It just isn’t true.
..actually most of your articles are written with a vengeful attitude toward airline employees, especially flight attendants. Very noticeable. Hope no one follows you around on your job and takes pics. Very rude and childish to attack someone behind their back. Anyone can ask anyone to wear a mask. This photo seems fake. You do stir the pot. Bored? or boring.
See links below, Deedee…
wait. this is why people have issues with the media? does travel blogging really count? it’s not about division, it’s about clicks and eyeballs. whatever. by the way, what’s with people writing “isle” instead of “aisle”? and what about the guy with athsma that can’t spell it. anyhoo….
The “photographer” [entropyorganizer] definitely has some explaining to do.
–claims flight departed at 515pm EST
–claims photo time stamp is 645pm EST
–claims photo is taken “near the time the doors are closed and people are seated”
The implausibles:
-f/a wearing serving garment in aisle “near the time doors are closed”
-time stamp of 645pm would not be “near the time doors are closed”
-2 f/a’s in aisle serving something “near the time doors are closed”
I have no idea why someone who claims to be an expert on “all things airline” would not research the validity of this “story” prior to posting when there are so many glaring inconsistencies provided by the “photographer” him/herself.
Oh wait, yes I do, you are part of “The Social Dilemma”
Regardless of whether or not this story ends up being true, we should not find joy in shaming a fellow human on the internet or, worse yet, trying them in the court of social media.
I encourage you to find and report on “the good” in the sky. It is out there, I promise you. All you have to do is look for it.
But that wouldn’t fit your narrative, now would it ?
Or maybe you are not looking hard enough?
https://liveandletsfly.com/united-airlines-annie-walton/
https://liveandletsfly.com/thank-you-flight-attendants/
https://liveandletsfly.com/superb-united-flight-attendant/
LMAO! Seriously? You ask why you would want to shame United?
Exactly how much $$$ do you make doing this blog project anyways?
You are definitely not unbiased.
Who is unbiased?
Dude, get over yourself and your exaggerated drama. He blurred her face, she’s not losing her job unless she was in the wrong. The writer did everything right here. But when we do know someone is in wrong, then yes, shaming them can help compliance. Putting others health at risk is 200x worse than shaming. stop being overly sensitive, people’s lives are at stake when passengers don’t wear a mask and occasionally potentially a flight attendant. The original reddit poster should have taken a pic showing people wearing masks without them easily identified.
Did the person taking the photo, ask any other flight attendants if she was aware of not having her mask on? Flight Attendants are not going to become evil and bite your off of you ask them a simple question. It’s how you deliver the question. They may choose to not answer the question, but did this person ask? We want to hold everyone accountable for their actions, but we don’t take action to ask!
And I’ll leave this here because no where did I see you put it or say that the person taking the picture is not allowed to photo working crews!
The use of small cameras or mobile devices for photography and video is permitted on board, provided you limit the purpose of your photography and video to capturing personal events. Any photographing or recording that creates a safety or security risk or that interferes with crew members’ duties is prohibited.
I’m sure you will talk around all this as well, and give reasons why the person should have taken the photo. But once again, you did not print the whole story!
A crew member not wearing a mask – so is this not a safety risk?
Considering that Airline’s are going so far as to ban passengers and even booting little kids off planes. Even deplaning passengers complaining about unmasked crew.
If an F/A needs a mask break they should pop in to a lav or goto flight deck out of sight.
In this case after capturing evidence, I would have carefully, and politely, in a non-obtrusive way said ,”please wear a mask”. A simple reminder often jogs people’s memory. This is often the way it would be done in Japan or Asia. Polite, but simple.
If no compliance, I would have informed the captain once on the ground.
Dude, your articles are trash.
@JT – Here at Live and Let’s Fly, we are pleased to provide a 100% money-back guarantee. If you’re not satisfied with the content, feel free to submit a receipt for a full refund.
I flew American Airlines last week and the 2vflight attendants were e as ting the whole time and weren’t wearing a mask!!! As ldo~ I was in first class and they didnt even offer water but they stood eating the whole time!!! Terrible!!!
Click bait-unauthenticated photo with a dishonest pot stirring headline and you’re just the messenger? You’re just a dishonest and deceitful as your cash cow United.
Irresponsible “journalism” (because your blog isn’t really journalism)
You have jeopardized the livelihood of another human being because UAL has a very strict policy regarding masks.
Think about that. You may have cost someone their JOB.
Mika (aka anti masker) or whatever your real name is, stop with your exaggerated theatrics and chill out. No ones losing their job over a blurred photo. But if it turns out to be true, then her face needs unblurring.
Tell me when she is on I Fly with here. When does we understand this mask terror had nothing to do with heath. Is anybody really that brainwashed or retarded to believe that crime ? BRAVO FOR THIS FLIGHT ATTENDEND
If I were confronted with an unmasked flight attendant I would take any actions possible to avoid breathing her breath. I would turn away, place any extra fabric in reach over my face, or maybe bend forward in the seat so that my face would be toward the floor and my back toward her. Then I would wait for her to pass by until she were at least 6 feet away from me. I would call the airline to complain after safely reaching my destination.
but why is there no comment on the sin of that hair.
So rabid maskers, show me one documented case of a healthy person catching covid on a airplane.. Can’t do it can you?