Breaking Sterile | The Flight Attendant Podcast

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Hot temps, noisy crowds, bird strikes, and people who think planes revolve around them: Same Tuesday. New episode: Matt & Cody survive travel chaos so you don’t have to. 🚨✈️ #BreakingSterilePodcast (with apologies to #ZachNoeTowers)

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(Also, if your airline has EAP or EAP through your Union - AFA has a really strong EAP - they are a great resource as well)

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Matt and Cody catch up after a heavy meal and dive into Cody’s recent bike accident and emergency surgery in Anchorage. They riff on airline news: Max 7 certification, Southwest’s long-haul ambitions, and what it means for crew life. Cody shares surprising stories from his time at Union Pacific, including tunnel protocols, quirky coworkers, and why he left the railroad. A conversational episode about risk, boredom, and the small, human moments behind transport jobs.

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Need someone to talk to?

@th.air.apy is a great resource for Flight Attendant mental health.
Award-winning nonprofit | Peer support text line
Text CREW → 833-532-1096 (SMS/WhatsApp)https://www.instagram.com/th.air.apy/

(Also, if your airline has EAP or EAP through your Union - AFA has a really strong EAP - they are a great resource as well)

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A supplement to episode #18, Matthew and Cody share a relaxed behind-the-scenes trip to Alaska, trading formal announcements for candid banter about the perpetual daylight, hotel trains, and local food (including a crab grilled cheese and beer-cheese pretzels). They laugh about uniform quirks, especially a drapey “Ruana” scarf, and brainstorm turning it into a muumuu-style pullover while poking fun at body image and clothing choices. Travel frustrations come up too: long delays, weight-and-balance training, and circling approaches in Denver that almost cause missed connections. The conversation is warm, informal, and goofy, giving listeners an intimate snapshot of the messy, human side of flight attendant life.

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Need someone to talk to?

@th.air.apy is a great resource for Flight Attendant mental health.
Award-winning nonprofit | Peer support text line
Text CREW → 833-532-1096 (SMS/WhatsApp)https://www.instagram.com/th.air.apy/

(Also, if your airline has EAP or EAP through your Union - AFA has a really strong EAP - they are a great resource as well)

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Anchorage, catering, and why a bandana is basically a security blanket, Matt and Cody trade bumpy-landing stories, roasted spicy chicken that betrays you later, and debate social media in uniform. Between training tips and airline gossip, they land on the real point: small kindnesses (and great catering) make this job more human than sterile.

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Need someone to talk to?

@th.air.apy is a great resource for Flight Attendant mental health.
Award-winning nonprofit | Peer support text line
Text CREW → 833-532-1096 (SMS/WhatsApp)https://www.instagram.com/th.air.apy/

(Also, if your airline has EAP or EAP through your Union - AFA has a really strong EAP - they are a great resource as well)

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In this episode of Breaking Sterile, flight attendants Matthew and Cody recount the chaos of trips that implode faster than a middle seat recline and the joy of wrestling with new text-based scheduling tech. They trade wild anecdotes: Cody’s apartment turned indoor pool and Matthew’s brave admission that he camouflages his bald spot with a hair-thickening elixir while serving drinks. The hosts tackle real industry headaches, from treacherous Aspen approaches that make you pray to the wing gods and to whether flight attendants should face yearly physicals like pilots. They get sincere too, reading a moving letter from a passenger with severe flight anxiety and debating the correct protocol for consoling a child on their first airborne adventure. The episode lands as a hilarious, honest peek behind the curtain where safety demos end, and genuine exhaustion, compassion, and absurdity begin.

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Need someone to talk to?

@th.air.apy is a great resource for Flight Attendant mental health.
Award-winning nonprofit | Peer support text line
Text CREW → 833-532-1096 (SMS/WhatsApp)https://www.instagram.com/th.air.apy/

(Also, if your airline has EAP or EAP through your Union - AFA has a really strong EAP - they are a great resource as well)

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Note: A slightly different episode this week as we tried something new…After returning from a two-week vacation, Cody kicks off his workday with a McDonald's breakfast and a mildly infuriating tech meltdown over the dreaded "spinning wheel of death". Once the duo escapes their pre-flight computer woes and actually makes it to Maui, they celebrate scoring adjoining hotel suites before heading down to raid the beach gear closet. Matthew enthusiastically treats this hotel supply room like the high-fashion vault in The Devil Wears Prada, snagging a sand-free tote bag before venturing out to the beach. Despite his intense hatred for the ocean, Matthew braves the water for an hour strictly because he is counting on Cody to act as his personal lifeguard. The layover eventually wraps up back at the Denver airport at 6:00 a.m.

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Need someone to talk to?

@th.air.apy is a great resource for Flight Attendant mental health.
Award-winning nonprofit | Peer support text line
Text CREW → 833-532-1096 (SMS/WhatsApp)https://www.instagram.com/th.air.apy/

(Also, if your airline has EAP or EAP through your Union - AFA has a really strong EAP - they are a great resource as well)

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Cody and Matthew reminisce about an all-you-can-eat birthday dinner, gripe about bidding chaos, and unpack what really happens behind the safety announcements — from safety demo auditions (Matt got the gig, Cody got the Super Bowl commercial!) to the realities of ditching. Listen to a candid, funny look at the human side of flight attendants keeping calm while everything else unravels.

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Need someone to talk to?

@th.air.apy is a great resource for Flight Attendant mental health.
Award-winning nonprofit | Peer support text line
Text CREW → 833-532-1096 (SMS/WhatsApp)https://www.instagram.com/th.air.apy/

(Also, if your airline has EAP or EAP through your Union - AFA has a really strong EAP - they are a great resource as well)

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This episode explores identity — who we think we are versus how others see us — through the lens of life in the sky. Matt and Cody touch on nostalgia for the “golden age” of flying, personal glow-ups, and how changing careers forced Matt to confront external judgment. They offer honest advice about breathing through stress, earning the crew’s trust, and choosing a job because it makes you happy. Warm, funny, and reflective — a reminder that behind every uniform is a person doing their best at 35,000 feet.

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Need someone to talk to?

@th.air.apy is a great resource for Flight Attendant mental health.
Award-winning nonprofit | Peer support text line
Text CREW → 833-532-1096 (SMS/WhatsApp)https://www.instagram.com/th.air.apy/

(Also, if your airline has EAP or EAP through your Union - AFA has a really strong EAP - they are a great resource as well)

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Matthew and Cody stumble through jet lag and questionable airport infrastructure like it's an extreme sport — spoiler: the trains lose.
They trade layover love (Reading Terminal Market) and layover loathing (hotel jail, Houston PTSD) while confessing terrible passenger pet peeves. The episode
ends with a shoutout to a potential Emmy-winning pool buddy, and an open call for listeners' chaotic airline stories.

Support the show

Need someone to talk to?

@th.air.apy is a great resource for Flight Attendant mental health.
Award-winning nonprofit | Peer support text line
Text CREW → 833-532-1096 (SMS/WhatsApp)https://www.instagram.com/th.air.apy/

(Also, if your airline has EAP or EAP through your Union - AFA has a really strong EAP - they are a great resource as well)

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Matthew and Cody banter from Denver — debating dream homes (Highlands castle vs. Palm Springs pool), LA celebrity tunnels, and the mystery of rain jackets — then tackle babies on planes (bassinet mishaps, ear-popping hacks, and MacGyver bottle-warming), and cheerfully compare regional vs. mainline life (smaller planes, busy schedules, etc...). They wrap by requesting for listener crew stories to fuel Season Two — because life at 35,000 feet is equal parts chaos and charm.

Support the show

Need someone to talk to?

@th.air.apy is a great resource for Flight Attendant mental health.
Award-winning nonprofit | Peer support text line
Text CREW → 833-532-1096 (SMS/WhatsApp)https://www.instagram.com/th.air.apy/

(Also, if your airline has EAP or EAP through your Union - AFA has a really strong EAP - they are a great resource as well)

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Join Matthew and Cody on Breaking Sterile as they trade travel stories, wardrobe obsessions, and the weird realities of life as flight attendants. They dig into commuting rituals, dating while living out of a suitcase, and the loneliness and unexpected joys of overnights. The hosts also react to a viral LA taxiway evacuation video—calling out passengers who grab luggage during emergencies and praising the calm professionalism of crews who keep everyone safe. Honest, funny, and human, this episode reminds you that beneath every uniform is a real person doing their best at 35,000 feet.

Support the show

Need someone to talk to?

@th.air.apy is a great resource for Flight Attendant mental health.
Award-winning nonprofit | Peer support text line
Text CREW → 833-532-1096 (SMS/WhatsApp)https://www.instagram.com/th.air.apy/

(Also, if your airline has EAP or EAP through your Union - AFA has a really strong EAP - they are a great resource as well)

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Matthew and Cody chat about life as flight attendants, airport food and prices, and memories from training, layovers, and passenger rifling through galley items. A medical incident involving sedative medication prompts a conversation about flight attendants as first responders and the emotional toll of handling onboard emergencies. Amid practical crew insights, the hosts share lighthearted travel anecdotes.

Support the show

Need someone to talk to?

@th.air.apy is a great resource for Flight Attendant mental health.
Award-winning nonprofit | Peer support text line
Text CREW → 833-532-1096 (SMS/WhatsApp)https://www.instagram.com/th.air.apy/

(Also, if your airline has EAP or EAP through your Union - AFA has a really strong EAP - they are a great resource as well)

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Cody recounts his unlikely aviation start at a Burger King in Anchorage and a repeat trip to Narita, touching on Chinese New Year in Japan, unexpected faith moments, and dealing with earthquakes. The episode also tackles flight attendant realities — radiation exposure, uniform complaints (I want sneakers), and airplane restroom etiquette.

Support the show

Need someone to talk to?

@th.air.apy is a great resource for Flight Attendant mental health.
Award-winning nonprofit | Peer support text line
Text CREW → 833-532-1096 (SMS/WhatsApp)https://www.instagram.com/th.air.apy/

(Also, if your airline has EAP or EAP through your Union - AFA has a really strong EAP - they are a great resource as well)

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Here it is, the BREAKING STERILE THEME SONG! Yes, it was made with AI - (yes, we know, but we are also broke, and Matt had fun making it)...

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Need someone to talk to?

@th.air.apy is a great resource for Flight Attendant mental health.
Award-winning nonprofit | Peer support text line
Text CREW → 833-532-1096 (SMS/WhatsApp)https://www.instagram.com/th.air.apy/

(Also, if your airline has EAP or EAP through your Union - AFA has a really strong EAP - they are a great resource as well)

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Matt and Cody return with warm laughs and aviation chatter. Cody shares highlights from the NGPA Industry Expo in Palm Springs and his excited steps toward becoming a pilot (sunglasses and flight bag optional). Matt fondly recalls his first Narita trip — wandering a beloved supermarket, soaking in an onsen, and surviving the joyful sensory overload of Don Quixote — plus the camaraderie of working a 12-hour international flight. They wrap up with a clear look at Southwest Airlines’ new seating policy and what it means for passengers. Tune in for travel dreams, good stories, and lighthearted airline talk.

Support the show

Need someone to talk to?

@th.air.apy is a great resource for Flight Attendant mental health.
Award-winning nonprofit | Peer support text line
Text CREW → 833-532-1096 (SMS/WhatsApp)https://www.instagram.com/th.air.apy/

(Also, if your airline has EAP or EAP through your Union - AFA has a really strong EAP - they are a great resource as well)

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Matt and Cody take off with a light, fast-paced episode covering fuel and passenger weight (including GLP‑1 effects), life on GLP‑1s, hydration and traveling with your own pillow, trash on planes, airline mergers, interesting airline call signs, passport stats, and what to wear when non‑revving. Expect crew anecdotes, and turbulence-free advice for passengers.

Support the show

Need someone to talk to?

@th.air.apy is a great resource for Flight Attendant mental health.
Award-winning nonprofit | Peer support text line
Text CREW → 833-532-1096 (SMS/WhatsApp)https://www.instagram.com/th.air.apy/

(Also, if your airline has EAP or EAP through your Union - AFA has a really strong EAP - they are a great resource as well)

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Cody and Matthew open with legacy carrier fleet updates and Matthew’s 737 MAX 10 sighting at Boeing Field, then discuss widebody versus narrow-body life — why Matthew feels “special” on widebodies and why tall Cody struggles on narrow-body aircraft. They share stories about the Boeing Museum and defunct airlines, laugh about Albuquerque→Phoenix distance surprises, praise the Flighty app for tracking oldest/newest planes, celebrate the joys of bidding, confess to becoming “slam-clickers,” and complain about relentless hotel‑to‑airport van chatter.

Support the show

Need someone to talk to?

@th.air.apy is a great resource for Flight Attendant mental health.
Award-winning nonprofit | Peer support text line
Text CREW → 833-532-1096 (SMS/WhatsApp)https://www.instagram.com/th.air.apy/

(Also, if your airline has EAP or EAP through your Union - AFA has a really strong EAP - they are a great resource as well)

Send us Fan Mail

Matthew and Cody gently unpack the quirks of in‑flight beverage service—how crews juggle hot drinks at altitude and the delightfully weird ways passengers order coffee. Matthew opens up about a tender career pivot from indie film casting director to flight attendant, while Cody shares a face‑palm interview outtake that might’ve cost him an airline invite and the tale of a baffling adults‑only party invite. Expect warm, candid stories, plenty of laughs, and thoughtful reflections on careers in the skies.

Support the show

Need someone to talk to?

@th.air.apy is a great resource for Flight Attendant mental health.
Award-winning nonprofit | Peer support text line
Text CREW → 833-532-1096 (SMS/WhatsApp)https://www.instagram.com/th.air.apy/

(Also, if your airline has EAP or EAP through your Union - AFA has a really strong EAP - they are a great resource as well)

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In this special extended episode of Breaking Sterile, we dig into passenger safety, earbuds vs. announcements, pets in the cabin, and the curious phenomenon of being invisible in uniform. It’s a longer ride, but worth it, as we talk through what it takes to keep flights safe, calm, and (mostly) sane while the world scrolls by.

Support the show

Need someone to talk to?

@th.air.apy is a great resource for Flight Attendant mental health.
Award-winning nonprofit | Peer support text line
Text CREW → 833-532-1096 (SMS/WhatsApp)https://www.instagram.com/th.air.apy/

(Also, if your airline has EAP or EAP through your Union - AFA has a really strong EAP - they are a great resource as well)

Send us Fan Mail

In this episode, Matthew and Cody talk safety, hygiene, and the things we wish everyone knew before boarding. From car seats and baby changing tables to lav etiquette and why shoes are always a good idea, we cover the basics with humor, honesty, and a little cabin-crew wisdom.

Support the show

Need someone to talk to?

@th.air.apy is a great resource for Flight Attendant mental health.
Award-winning nonprofit | Peer support text line
Text CREW → 833-532-1096 (SMS/WhatsApp)https://www.instagram.com/th.air.apy/

(Also, if your airline has EAP or EAP through your Union - AFA has a really strong EAP - they are a great resource as well)