This Flight Attendant Code Word Is Not A Compliment – Here's How To Avoid It

If you take to the skies often enough, you may notice that flight attendants use certain words and phrases that don't make sense to the average person. These are often codes for things happening on the flight. You may hear something like "Code Adam," which means a child is missing, or "Code 300" or "Angel," meaning someone has died on the flight. You might even hear cabin crew refer to a passenger as "Bob," which stands for "babe on board." While that term can be considered a compliment, there is another, less-flattering code that definitely isn't. If you hear a flight attendant call someone a "mermaid," they likely aren't praising their long, brightly hued hair or iridescent travel pillow that looks like it's covered in fish scales. According to Forbes, this code refers to someone who has spread themselves or their things across an otherwise empty row so no one else sits there. 

You may see someone doing this when a flight seems unlikely to be full. They might feign sleep while spreading their body across seats so other passengers are less likely to try to sit down. Bags or coats might be positioned on other seats so it appears that the occupant is in the restroom. While you can certainly get lucky and get an entire row to yourself, trying to keep other passengers out when the seats may be needed is simply rude. However, there is another meaning to the code to also be aware of.

The code "mermaid" can also signal someone who is taking up more than the space in their own seating area. That might involve letting your arms fall across the armrest into your neighbor's seat, shoving your feet into their floorspace, or "manspreading," as talk show host Kelly Ripa explains in a clip shared on TikTok by @deciderdotcom.

It's pretty easy to avoid being called a mermaid by flight attendants. Simply stay in your assigned seat during boarding, and don't spread into someone else's space. If, once the plane is in the air, you realize that the seats next to you are empty, ask the flight attendant if spreading out is okay. If there is an empty middle seat between you and another person, don't ignore the unspoken rules for the situation and take over the space. Ask your row mate if they need half of it, and share. If you hear a flight attendant say "mermaid," even if you think it isn't referring to you, it's still worth checking your body position, just in case.

If you're really desperate to stretch out, there is something on the horizon to keep an eye out for. United Airlines will offer a three-seat couch called a Relax Row for some long-haul flights starting in 2027. Finally, since flight attendants know planes better than the average flier, check out their advice on the worst seats to book on a plane.