Have you ever wondered where pilots and flight attendants rest on long-haul flights? As we sit enjoying our meals and in-flight entertainment, crew members spend the twelve to thirteen hour flights in various stages of work and ‘crew rest.’
Flights from Australia to Los Angeles for example are classed as ‘ultra-long haul’ in the aviation industry. Pending weather and other impacts, these flights can sometimes stretch up to 15-hours making for a very long work day for the pilots and cabin crew.
For crew, the work day actually begins hours before departure. As we are checking in and making our way through immigration, pilots and flight attendants run through the crew briefing.
This rundown of the upcoming flight covers important flight information like routing, flight time, expected turbulence, the passenger manifest and special needs, as well as aircraft specific information.
Pilots go through a thorough safety check of the plane and navigation systems as well as a walk-around of the aircraft for a visual inspection.
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Naturally, with such a long work-day ahead, crew breaks are also planned ahead.
“It’s important for our flight and cabin crew to rest during the flight to be at their best when operating the aircraft and serving our guests,” a Virgin Australia spokesperson told us. “To achieve this, they will retire to designated crew rest areas in shifts during to rest for around four hours on a flight like Sydney to Los Angeles.
“There are two rest areas on board our Boeing 777-300ER aircraft located above the Business Class and Economy cabins at either end of the aircraft. After main meal service, breaks are allocated to ensure that the right amount of crew always remain on deck to assist guests.”
Pilots
For a Virgin Australia Boeing 777-300ER flight between Australia and Los Angeles, there is always a minimum of four pilots – two cockpit crews.
During designated crew rest times, the pilot and/or First Officer can retire to the pilot rest area which is located above the business class cabin in the very forward section of the aircraft.
Accessed by a narrow stairway, the rest area is perched in the ceiling where two comfortable lounge chairs and two beds provide accommodations to stretch out and sleep. The area also features an entertainment system, and a phone and intercom for communication with the cockpit and cabin.
Cabin Crew
The cabin crew rest area is located at the very back of the plane, perched above the economy class cabin. Also accessed by a narrow stairway, the flight attendant rest area comprises eight single beds.
Pyjamas are provided to the crew with an individual alarm clock found in each quarter to ensure they’re back on deck at the right time.
Before drawing the curtain to their rest compartment closed, crew members hang their uniforms outside their bunks with name badges on display so others know who can be found where.
“By being able to rest during the flight, our crew are always able to provide the best service in the sky, which has seen them regularly be awarded ‘Best Cabin Crew’ by Australian Business Traveller and Airline Ratings to name a few,” added the airline spokesperson.
