A flight attendant has unveiled a few unexpected reasons behind the warm welcome passengers receive as they board an aircraft.

Most frequent flyers are well-acquainted with the boarding process, which typically involves attendants stationed at the entrance and along the aisles to assist people in finding their seats. As passengers board, they are met with a smile and asked about their seating arrangements.

The general assumption is that these attendants, as representatives of the airline, aim to set the tone for a pleasant journey. However, one active flight attendant has suggested this isn’t the primary objective.

They revealed that the real purpose of the friendly greeting is to give passengers a quick assessment before take-off.

In a now-viral TikTok video, user MrsMiva, who purports to be a TUI employee based at Stuttgart airport, explained that airline staff utilise the boarding process to determine whether passengers are fit to fly. In the video, which has amassed 18.7 million views, she stated that they need to check if passengers are “too drunk or sick”, reports the Mirror.

She declared: “Did you know that your flight attendant greets you not only out of kindness but also to check whether you are too drunk or sick to fly? ” This revelation sparked comments from individuals confirming this as standard procedure. Some added that the crew might also be assessing someone’s potential effectiveness in an emergency situation.

One attendant remarked: “To see if you’re 1) safe to fly (not intoxicated) and to see if you could help in an emergency.”

A second concurred, saying: “FA (flight attendant) of eight years – or to check if they could be an ABA (able-bodied assistant).”

Yet another stated: “We are also picking out good candidates for the event of an emergency.”

A few passengers managed to find humour in the situation, stating their flight attendants were surprisingly laid-back. One traveller quipped: “Lol my flight attendant back from Vegas must have been really chill cause I was NOT in any condition to be on a plane.”

Another chimed in: “I was once severely hungover and I threw up twice mid-flight. The flight attendants were so helpful. I felt so bad.”