A Chicago-based flight attendant has gone viral after sharing an “unpopular opinion” that actively encourages passengers to order the most complicated and creative drink requests they can dream up. This is a pretty wild take, since most travelers try to minimize their requests to avoid annoying the crew, but flight attendant Dani (@danimogo3) says this is exactly the opposite of what she wants.
Dani shared her thoughts in a video that’s racked up more than 41,000 views. “Flight attendants are gonna put me on their no-fly list for this, but I have to speak my truth,” she said. She explained that if you are flying in her section on a flight that is three hours or longer, she wants you to use your imagination and put her to work. “If you are on a three-plus-hour flight and you’re sitting in my section and I am serving you, please order whatever you want,” Dani explained.
She isn’t just talking about standard ginger ale orders either. She wants you to think outside the box and try fun combinations. She suggested ordering a sparkling water with a splash of cranberry or maybe even a hot chocolate with rum. “In fact, get creative. Order the sparkling water with a splash of cranberry or a hot chocolate with rum. Like, come up,” she suggested.
The reason behind her unorthodox plea is incredibly simple: boredom
Long flights can really drag on for the crew, and Dani says keeping busy with interesting drink requests helps her pass the time. She just wants people to “keep me entertained so I don’t lose my mind over boredom in the galley, please.” Naturally, this stance won’t win her any popularity contests in the crew lounge. She fully acknowledged that “Flight attendants are gonna be mad at me for saying that, but unpopular opinion. Please, keep me busy so I don’t lose my mind,” she added.
This controversial request got some strong reactions from passengers and other crew members online. While one person agreed with her attitude, saying, “Honestly same like why do so many FA’s hate their job and make everything negative/miserable. This is why I like working in first class!!,” others were quick to point out that her request could backfire. One commenter warned her that she should “Be careful what you ask for!!” because even on a 30-minute flight, passengers will bombard you with special requests.
While Dani encourages you to order whatever you want, experienced flight attendants are united in warning you about a few things you should definitely skip. Tap water tops the list of beverages to avoid. This means you should probably skip the coffee and tea too, since they are made using that same water. The water comes from the aircraft’s tanks, which are notoriously difficult to keep clean.
This is seriously gross, but a 2004 EPA sample found that 13% of tested planes contained coliform bacteria. One former flight attendant even claims the water tanks “are never cleaned and they are disgusting.” Though airline mechanics have pushed back on this claim, saying the tanks are regularly flushed with cleaning products and the water is heated to bacteria-killing temperatures, I wouldn’t risk it.
Beyond the water quality, crew members also recommend avoiding gas-inducing foods like broccoli, beans, and carbonated drinks because the changes in cabin pressure can lead to major discomfort. And while a Bloody Mary might taste great at altitude, its high sodium content can cause bloating and dehydration during the flight.
And for the rest, don’t be a man-child and throw papers at your flight attendant.
Published: Dec 26, 2025 05:30 pm