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One of my favorite things about TikTok is how many professionals create accounts and reveal little-known facts about their trade. These folks range from beekeepers to forensics artists. You get to see snippets of “a day in the life.” But they also often let you in to the secrets of their profession.

One such TikToker is Miva, a flight attendant with 27,500 followers. She has created some incredible travel videos, one in particular blew TikTok’s doors off and amassed 11.2 million views. That’s a lot, even for TikTok.

The video is a short shot of Miva standing by the planes main door, her hands behind her back and a big smile on her face as passengers pass her by. But the caption lets the viewer in on a secret: “Did you know that your flight attendant greets you not only out of politeness, but also to check whether you are too drunk or sick to fly?” The soundtrack a remix of Jay-Z/Kaney/Rhianna’s “Run This Town” is a subtle way of reminding us who is in charge on the flight: the attendants.

@mrsmiva

Also to see who you could help us in an emergency. #flightattendant #cabincrew #stewardess #fyp #flightcrew #explore #cabincrewlife #airplanes #airplane #flightattendants #aircraft #aviation #fly #flying #stewardesslife

♬ RUN THIS TOWN X GANGSTAS PARADISE – ALTÉGO

It makes perfect sense that flight attendants are trained to spot passengers who might cause problems later. I certainly don’t want to be trapped on an airplane with someone who is deathly ill or belligerently drunk. So I’m all for nipping these problems in the bud–before the plane even takes off. But there may be a legal reason for such caution.

Think about it, flight attendants serve alcohol to passengers. Besides being responsible for the wellbeing of everyone packed into a tin can hurtling through the air at 500 mph, they are operating a huge flying bar. Even bars firmly planted on the ground won’t let in patrons who are already fall-down drunk.

Flight crew standing at attention.
Flight crew | YakobchukOlena via iStockPhoto

There’s a legal precedent for this. Jamokes who were turned away for service at a bar and then hurt themselves have actually sued the establishment for letting them in in the first place. Yup. We live in that sad a world. So even if the attendants wouldn’t serve you, letting you in could be a liability.

So there you have it, your flight attendant has your back, even before takeoff. I know I’ll feel much safer before I fly next time.

Check out Business Insider’s deep dive into flight attendant training in the video below:

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Henry Cesari

Henry Cesari joined MotorBiscuit in 2021 and brings his deep interest in vintage cars, trucks, and motorcycles to the site. Having restored his first classic car at just 16 years old, Henry has wrenched on everything from overland campers to Japanese motorcycles and even pre-war Bugattis. Henry is also an avid attendee at local car shows and genuinely enjoys connecting with fellow auto enthusiasts.

Henry earned a Bachelor’s in Anthropology and English from the University of Vermont. He has since incorporated his love of the written word with his admiration of classic cars. While Henry is interested in vintage cars, he believes the golden age of cars is yet to come. He is confident journalists will play an important role in this revolution by exposing the industry as it is now and envisioning its possible future.