cabin crew

Meaning

The group of people who look after passengers on an airplane during a flight. This includes flight attendants and the purser, but excludes the pilots. It is used in professional and travel contexts to refer to the inflight service team.

Examples

• The cabin crew will be passing through the cabin shortly with complimentary drinks.

  The cabin crew will be passing through the cabin shortly with complimentary drinks.

• If you need assistance during the flight, please ask a member of the cabin crew.

  If you need assistance during the flight, please ask a member of the cabin crew.

• The captain thanked the cabin crew for their excellent handling of the medical emergency.

  The captain thanked the cabin crew for their excellent handling of the medical emergency.

• I've always admired how the cabin crew manages to stay so polite during long flights.

  I've always admired how the cabin crew manages to stay so polite during long flights.

• Before takeoff, the cabin crew demonstrated how to use the oxygen masks.

  Before takeoff, the cabin crew demonstrated how to use the oxygen masks.

Common Mistakes

• ✗ The cabin crews were very helpful during my flight.

  ✓ The cabin crew was very helpful during my flight.

  'Cabin crew' is a collective noun and is typically singular. To refer to individuals, say 'members of the cabin crew' or 'flight attendants'.

• ✗ I asked the cabin pilot for some water.

  ✓ I asked a member of the cabin crew for some water.

  Pilots fly the aircraft from the cockpit. The staff who serve passengers are the cabin crew.

Related Expressions

Practice

• Please listen carefully to the safety demonstration by our ___.

  💡 The people who look after your safety and comfort during the flight.

  Show answer

  cabin crew

• One of the ___ members helped me put my heavy bag in the overhead locker.

  💡 The inflight staff.

  Show answer

  cabin crew