The Air Traveler's Survival Guide: The Plane Truth From 35,000 Feet [Paperback]

A. Frank Steward (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: August 23, 2001

In 61 short two- and three-page stories of what really goes on in the air, this book covers everything from observations on the intriguing in-flight behavior of different nationalities to handling passengers with special requests. One of the most entertaining books ever written on air travel -- guaranteed to keep readers laughing and crying for hours!

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

A Frank Steward

Product Details

• Paperback: 238 pages
• Publisher: Impact Publications (August 23, 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1570231710
• ISBN-13: 978-1570231711
• Product Dimensions: 8 x 5.5 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 11.4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (15 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,526,929 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Reasonably diverting, July 2, 2002

By 

klavierspiel "klavierspiel" (TX, USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: The Air Traveler's Survival Guide: The Plane Truth From 35,000 Feet (Paperback)

Written by A. Frank Steward (ha, ha), this volume is a little bit of memoir, a little bit of advice by a seasoned veteran of the skies, but mostly a collection of stories about the life of a flight attendant. Tales of hijacking are conspicuous by their absence and security procedures are dealt with in bland admonishments to remember that it's for the traveler's good, thus instantly dating this book as pre-9/11. Talking about coach-class meal service is another dead giveaway.

It was probably funnier before last fall to read about people on planes who get sick, drunk, loopy enough to take off all their clothes in the john, or who get stuck there. Still, amid the tiresome dross (there is WAY too much vomit flying around) there are scattered gems. I was moved, for example, by the tale of a double amputee determined to see the world, and the flight attendant who quit the business but could never find his place in life. Since the book has no plot or organization it's easy to skip over the lesser parts, at least. I'd say this one is a reasonably good way to pass the time on an economy class flight.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The View From Up There, September 13, 2001

By A Customer

This review is from: The Air Traveler's Survival Guide: The Plane Truth From 35,000 Feet (Paperback)

This book made me laugh, cry and intrigued me to no end. I always wondered what it would be like to be a flight attendant and now I know, and have gained a greater appreciation of their job. I read the book on a ten hour flight and it made what would have been a boring trip, thoroughly enjoyable. A Frank Steward is a pen name for an open honest(frank)flight attendant(steward) who tells it like it is. I finished it unfortunately the day of the Twin Towers tragedy and feel for the people that risk their lives everyday. It was kind of spooky that there is a chapter in the book called "Insecurity" that outlines the lack of security in US Airports and the need for dramatically heightened regulations in America. He goes on to say that it is going to take some major terrorist event to wake up the world and change security measures. Unfortunately he was right and things will now have to change. This book is a glance into the various cultures, bizarre travel experiences, and a closer look into the people who get us from one point to another. Great read and I hope there is more.
LF

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Fun Travel Companion, April 30, 2002

By 

Paul Bartlett (Chicago, Illinois) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Air Traveler's Survival Guide: The Plane Truth From 35,000 Feet (Paperback)

I got this book as a going away present and enjoyed it tremendously. It's a travel book with a twist, an insider's view of the people and crew inflight. Some of the strong points are the humor and feelings that are in some of the chapters. One flaw is that unless you are a frequent traveler, some of the humor is missed. A Frank Steward is at times quite frank, so if you can't laugh at yourself, than this isn't for you. Overall rating 8 out of 10. I look forward to the next flight.