Did you know that airline staff aren’t just being friendly when they greet you onto the plane?
Yup ― according to flight attendant Kat Kamalani, “when you’re walking on the aeroplane and you see our happy smiley face[s], we’re actually looking you up and down, and we are trying to find our ABPs”.
ABPs stands for “able-bodied passengers” – or people who can help in an emergency.
And now, travel experts from Wander have told us: “While most flights go smoothly, flight crews use a secret language to discreetly communicate situations ranging from lighthearted quirks to serious, even life-or-death emergencies – often without passengers ever noticing.”
Code 300 or ‘Angel’ spells tragedy, according to experts
“If you hear ‘Code 300’ or ‘Angel’ on a flight, it could mean someone has died onboard,” the experts at Wander said.
“These discreet codes allow the crew to handle the situation without alarming other passengers or drawing attention to the tragic event,” they claimed.
The International Air Transport Association (IATA) has a set of rules airlines are encouraged to follow when a passenger dies.
Staff are advised to move the deceased to a seat, ideally one with few passengers near it. Some companies place them in a zipped body bag.
They have to notify the destination airport ASAP so the appropriate services are present when they land.
“Take extra care when moving the person and be aware of the difficulty of the situation for companions and onlookers,” the IATA continues.
Other passengers are let off the plane first, while the dead passenger and any family accompanying them stay on board “until the proper local authority has arrived to take care of the body”.
Are there any other codes?
According to Wander, yes.
They say that a “code yellow” refers to “a minor medical situation” such as a passenger feeling lightheaded or nauseous.
“While not an emergency, this term lets crew members discreetly monitor the situation and prepare any necessary assistance,” they explained.
And airline staff referring to a person as a “mermaid” is a
“playful yet passive-aggressive nickname for a passenger who deliberately sprawls out across empty seats to deter others from sitting in their row,” they added.
The more you know...