What do you do when.......

You smell a strange smell in the cabin, right before take off?....or hear a funny noise that you know in your gut does not belong to the normative set of sounds you usually hear when you fly?

I always wonder what I should do...

As a flight attendant I was used to getting these type of questions. As such, I listened to the worried passenger with empathy and tried my best to get him an answer.

Somehow, as a passenger, I don't want to be THAT person that asks the questions...

SO if it's a strong smell of fuel for example, or some other smell, I first look around at my fellow passengers...Am i the only one noticing this smell?...If I cant contain my fear, I ask the person next to me if he/she notices the smell as well...
I cant tell you how many times I heard "yes", but he/she wouldn't dream asking the crew for what it is...It's as if you ignore it, it's simply not there...

Then I watch, the cabin crew...don't THEY notice it?...

Well, it's either I need to "suck it up" and ignore it too, or stand out in the crowd, call the stewardess and bring the question up.

The answer? Depends on my level of anxiety...But I usually do ask as it is important for me to get one cause of stress out of the way as I have enough things to worry about during the flight as it is.
I encourage you to do the same!

All the best!


Karen