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See the secret airplane bedrooms where flight attendants sleep on long-haul flights

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Flight attendants are humans too, and just like everyone else, they need to sleep on long-haul flights. Most Boeing 777 and 787 airliners have a secret stairway that leads to a tiny set of windowless bedrooms for the cabin crew — and few people know they even exist. (www.businessinsider.com) More...

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rwf1001
you must've thought the same thing I did, at first glance....I initially thought that sign said "8 persons per bunk"talk about getting crowded...but then maybe this is how the "MILE-HIGH" club got it's name? I know...sick mind here :-)
akayemm
As I understand it, there are mandated guidelines for providing rest periods and accordingly suitable rest places and areas , both for cockpit crew and the cabin crew. Yes, guidelines differ for the two, the pilots and thee stews !
God bless those who make our respective lives comfortable during travel. On ground, on sea or in the air !
casavon
I once flew United from Detroit to Osaka Japan. Between the boarding time, the hour delay on the tarmac and a 13 hour flight, we were on the plane for just over 15 hours. I wondered where the attendants rested-all I saw for them was jump seats. This explains a lot, and if they got to rest a few hours while the plane was quiet and "asleep", that's great. No wonder they were all so chipper. After 15 hours on my feet I'd probably be cranky and annoyed with everyone. But they weren't!
gener8tion
Jon Bosetti 2
United has never flown the DTW to Osaka route. Northwest used to here and there at times .
casavon
Perhaps it was a partner. I know that I got United miles for the trip.
JimHeslop
Jim Heslop 2
Previous post is for Steven Palmer...
iEliteXlI
Davon Grant 2
Lol now how weird would it look if there was an emergency and all of a sudden u see like 2 air hostess and 2 air host coming from the secret overhead dorms obviously putting on shoes and belts.
couponjohn
john egeland 1
It won't be long before airlines make more beds up there and sell them to the public to make more money.I would pay extra for a bed as I cannot sleep in a small chair. I fly from Toronto to Shanghai all the time so strap me in and wake me up when l land.
adrianrelward
Adrian Elward 1
I will happily travel up there ..I would even travel on the floor with a blanket,I have even fallen asleep on the back of a motorbike ..BUT NEVER SAT ON A PLANE...
WhiteKnight77
WhiteKnight77 1
This makes sense due to the need for extra crew on the really long flights on the pilot side as well as a place for the stewards and stewardesses needing to be fresher for landings on the far end of a flight.
Chnrent
I am glad to see that the airlines are setting up for the crews be it flight crew or steward or stewardess on long flights over
8 hrs. They need it. The only thing that worries me is it going to be easy for crews to come back to flight department should there be an emergency.
michaelobrien5
Great pictures. Thank you Jeff.
noelkeegan
noel keegan 1
very very interesting, food for thought hmmmm
dlfehmel
Doug Fehmel 1
I remember flying trans Atlantic on Lufthansa's 747's. In the combi's they would rest in modified shipping containers located directly behind the rear bulkhead. On a regular 747, they would curtain off two middle center rows, and use that area for relaxation and a smoke.
pilot62
UH ? could he have connected at ORD ?
Geez
preacher1
preacher1 1
Are there extra cabin crew on the long hauls as they are with the flight crew?
KennyFlys
Ken Lane 1
In order to comply with §121.467, most all long-haul birds now have them.
BOAC747
BOAC747 1
Well I know where they secretly sleep on the Boeing 747-400's upstairs and share the bunkers.
akayemm
Without meaning to be mean, all this is a part of occupational hazard. Don't know about long haul trucks in USA or so , but here in India such trucks have two bunker like berths right behind the driver seat stretched across the width of the cabin and these serve as the sleeping berths for the replacement/shift driver and the the companion cleaner, as we call him here . And similarly on long distance trains there is an 'attendant' in each upper class coach who has a foldable berth to sleep on fitted in the entrance way. They all happily sleep on it without complaining.
From these standards the flying crew is much better placed , IMHO. And let us not forget about the ultra high end hotel stays they enjoy when in transit ! I guess on the overall every thing gets evened out and compensated ! For every one , in every trade.
JimHeslop
Jim Heslop 1
My, you sure seem to be high and mighty and all about yourself!
I think you have already answered the question yourself as to why the flight attendants need rest on long flights.
I would think that the regulations probably require them to rest as they are an intregal part of the flight ...crew... And are not just a pretty face, but are there and ready to perform when an emergency happens.
If, as it seems here, you are so important and valuable, a corporate jet would be better for you. Heck! You could be your own rampee, baggage handler, pilot and the coveted flight attendant and get the rest that your high stress all important job must demand!
Wow! You must be a Legend!
satterwhite777
Why does the public need to know this?
akayemm
Dear friend Jeff satterwhite, why ? Curiosity. To know the unknown. An age old trait for being human !
gener8tion
Jon Bosetti 1
Yes... Mr. Palmer obviously doesn't get it on how the industry works. If he was in their shoes, I know he wouldn't make such a "stupid" comment (as he calls it) like the ones he said in his reply.
himini
himini 1
one per bunk ok. please. :)
sjpalmer
Steven Palmer -5
Oh well, I am just an ignorant guy who is flying all over the world and not just in North America, whats more I have no idea how the industry works. (strange that when father was a pilot for BOAC/BA and brother is an Avionics Eng for a Gulf airline).
Anyway, I would rather describe it more sensibly, as seing how other airlines make it work, (and some cabin crews are subject to 'lipstick police' on their arrival), whereas North American airlines (and some Europeans - LH for example) 'cry wolf' and complain about unfair practices when some serious competition comes along. i.e. EK/EY/QR!
So I still rest my case, there is normally no need for cabin crews to take a rest on most flights up 12 hours or so.(some are longer agreed) By rest, I mean sleeping or lying down, I do not mean the usual practice of sitting and chatting about their personal lives for hours, as that is, already resting and relaxing.
So sorry to upset a few of you chaps out there, stay cool, no offence meant. just my own personal point of view.
gener8tion
Jon Bosetti 2
I fly all over the world because of work and I still don't agree with what you said....I think you need to be an actual "employee" of a mainline carrier to understand why flight attendants get rest periods. Yes ... I DO fly for an airline in the US.

[This comment has been downvoted. Show anyway.]

30west
30west 5
Dehydration, mild hypoxia, back-side of the body clock duty periods and periods of boredom when pax are for the most part sleeping, all contribute to fatigue to a much greater extent than a 7:00AM - 7:00PM high intensity "normal" workday. I want my cabin crew on top of their game during the landing phase of the flight. Seconds can make a huge difference when an evacuation is required. Safety is their primary responsibility, followed by service. With the incredible safety record in the airline industry and the resultant very few major mishaps, the priority of the duties of the cabin crew can easily be reversed in the minds of many of the flying public.

That being said, there are some flight attendants who are not living up to their service responsibilities and need to have a wake up call. If they don't want to perform that portion of their job, they need to reevaluate their career choice and either perform or leave, or be shown the jetway. Termination is needed in certain cases. Some companies are reluctant to confront the issue in order to prevent labor unrest. Proactive leadership is needed to successfully manage the huge workforce and unions.
WhiteKnight77
WhiteKnight77 4
Flights longer than 8 hours take place daily. Crew rest is mandated at least for the flight crew if not necessarily the cabin crew though airlines may have rules for that too.
sjpalmer
Steven Palmer -8
I did clearly say the Cabin Crew - of course I know the necessity of the flightcrew rest and that is why they carry 1 or 2 extra guys to take over for periods in cruise.
joelwiley
joel wiley 2
Perhaps in addition to their responsibilities for the client (passenger) safety in the event of an unfortunate event (think the front-end CF of ASA214 at KSFO)they also need a certain amount of rest to be able to cheerfully provide you with your martini (shaken not stirred) in a cheerful and professional manner. Particularly for the tired and grumpy ones after 12 - 14 hours in the air. Are you as cheerfully customer service oriented at the end of you 12 hours as you were at the beginning? If something goes south on the flight, they are the first responders. Do you begrudge your local firefighters sleeping while they await the emergency call? If not, why not the aircrew?
MultiComm
MultiComm 1
You do know there are flight longer than 11 hours right? That plus the requirement for the cabin crew to be on duty an hour or more prior to departure and they may not be finished for some time after the flight arrives. I don't have personal experience with international flights b the necessity is still apparent to me.
KennyFlys
Ken Lane 1
You've never had a twenty-plus hour day where much of it you're responsible for the safety of others, have you?
KenMaltz
Kenneth Maltz 1
I'd bet that after one day of you doing their job, serving "one dinner here, one breakfast there" to 50 or 60 people at a time; you'd have a pretty good idea of why airlines provide these spaces for their cabin crews. If you are stressed out by your own managerial role, you might consider joining, or even starting, a union so that you can be "overprotected."
And, everyone knows just how workers are so well-treated in Qatar...

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