How to pass the time on our LONG deportee flights to El Salvador...

OK- Nick would KILL me if he knew I'm posting this picture of him, but it's too funny to not share. :-) Normally, a Ryan flight attendant would get fired for even 'appearing as if sleeping' on a live flight- but of course, for the hundreds of illegal aliens we are transporting back to their countries, we aren't allowed to have any interaction with them whatsoever and have NOTHING else to do. We are on the planes before them and are instructed to stay up in 'A ZONE' for the entire flight, and the only 2 people that are allowed towards the back of the planes VERY quickly are the flight attendants that are responsible for the 2 aft doors. Even so, those 2 'chosen people' (ha!) MUST be escorted down the aisle by at least 3 prison guards just so no 'alien' leans over too far, says something derogatory, or tries to get away with anything unimaginable.
Which leaves us to do.... much of nothing. We are there to arm and disarm the doors only, and everything in between is completely up to us. There is no such thing as a 'boarding position', no greeting, we don't do the safety demo, there are NO beverage or meal services... We basically just nap, eat, read magazines, and watch movies while the prison guards watch over the passengers. Let me just tell you- this job is getting harder and harder with EVERY trip. It is just BRUTAL at times. Hahahahaha. :-)
CHARLIE- is my favorite mechanic that stays with the plane from the minute it leaves Rockford until the day it comes back- which can sometimes be up to 10 days! We saw him every day last week, and he got such a kick out of my job as a flight attendant on these deportee flights. He would lean over and see me kicking my feet up, reading magazines, watching movies on my laptop with Nick, and taking pictures- and he would get up and go out of his way to serve ME beverages and meals just so he could make me the MOST comfortable. Ha! "Can I get you anything, darling?" It's COOKIE TIME! We really put these aircraft ovens to use and baked about 4 dozen cookies one afternoon on our way back from El Salvador. They made the entire airplane smell delicious and REALLY put the meaning of "Service with a Smile" back into the airline industry! (The plane was empty of passengers by this time- can you imagine anything more torturous for these illegal aliens than smelling fresh baked cookies and not being able to have one? Ha! Maybe we SHOULD do it next time while they're on the flight just for punishment...)
All different varieties too- chocolate chip, double chocolate, peanut butter, and sugar!

We even had time to hop off the plane and venture off to DUTY FREE... Nick found the best deals of us all for a bar he is constructing back home! $12 ABSOLUT 100 proof, and Crown Royal for about $15. NOT BAD!

Posing on the ground in El Salvador... Can't WAIT to get back home!
Gorgeous ocean line! On our way back to San Antonio, TX and we just KNOW we're going back to the states... Feels GREAT! Be home in 4 hours...
WOW, what a TOUGH day on the job. We are REALLY in need of some relaxation after movies, magazines, COOKIES, and naps. I tell you- I just don't know how I put up with this labor sometimes... Ha!

CHEERS!

-Lisa :-)