Dubai, United Arab Emirates (CNN) — Wide-body aircraft have hidden spaces on board, which pilots and cabin crew resort to for comfort during long flights. Passengers are also prohibited from entering it under any circumstances, and it is designed to be hidden from view.
These cabins are called “crew rest” and their location varies from aircraft to aircraft.
It is located above the main cabin, at the top of the fuselage on newer Boeing 787 or Airbus A350 aircraft. But they are stationed in the cargo hold or simply in the main cabin on older planes.
The “crew lounge” is usually divided between two cabins, one of which is for the pilots, located above the cockpit, and includes two beds and a reclining seat, and the second is for the crew, and usually contains six or more beds, and is located above the kitchen in the back of the plane where food and drinks are prepared .
More like a capsule hotel
The conception of the location of the cabin crew rest area depends on the opinion of the airlines when purchasing the aircraft, but the main criteria set by regulators such as the Federal Aviation Administration. For example, suppose that this space is located in a location where the impact of noise and vibrations is reduced, in addition to that it must be controlled in terms of temperature and lighting.
Beds must have a size of 198 x 76 centimeters, surrounded by a cubic meter, plus a common room for changing in and out, with a minimum of 1,840 cubic metres.
This cabin is somewhat similar to the Japanese capsule hotel, which features a narrow, but comfortable, windowless sleeping space, as well as various required safety equipment, such as oxygen masks, seat belt lights, intercom, among others.
Susanna Carr, a flight attendant at United Airlines who works on Boeing 787, 777 and 767 planes, said, “There are padded mattresses, vents to keep the air changing, and the ability to control the temperature to keep the cabin cooler or warmer,” explaining: We are provided with linen, which is usually the same as that used in business class on our international flights.”
But is this space better than a business class seat or even first class?
“In some ways, yes, in others, no,” Carr said. In the business class cabin, of course we won’t have the same privacy either.”
stash
Wherever it is located, the crew rest area is designed so as not to catch the eye of passengers, and Carr explained that “a passenger who passes by may think it is a locker.”
There is usually a small step behind the door, then a staircase that leads to the upper deck, at least on modern planes.
On slightly older aircraft, such as the Airbus A330, the crew rest compartment may be located in the cargo hold, so the stairs lead down. But even on older aircraft such as the Boeing 767, there is a comfort room in the main cabin, which are chaise longues surrounded by very heavy curtains that block the light and reduce outside noise.
It’s no surprise that the majority of flight attendants prefer lofts over curtains, but this also comes down to airlines, who may not want to give up precious cabin space that could be used for passenger seats instead.
seniority principle
On long flights, cabin crew members spend approximately 10% of their planned flight time in their comfort zones.
Carolina Uhmann, a flight attendant for Finnair, which operates the Airbus A330 and A350, said she spends an average resting rate of about an hour and a half per long-haul flight.However, this time may vary depending on the airline and time The flight, rest time may extend to a few hours.
“Because there is no private area on the plane where we eat lunch or take coffee breaks, this rest period is very important and beneficial for us,” Uman added.
And she continued, “This is the time, during the flight, when we don’t answer passengers’ calls or do anything else but rest, so we rest our feet and clear our minds. The goal is to maintain a state of alertness and mental alertness throughout the flight so that we are ready in case anything unexpected occurs. “.
“Everything in our industry depends on seniority, from the flight schedule, to the routes we want, to the days off,” she said, noting that “the longer you stay in the company, the better privileges you will have, including setting your break time in order of seniority.” “.
Driving Perks
The pilots’ rest area, usually separate from that of the cabin crew, is located close to the cockpit. The pilots’ rest area includes only two beds, as well as a seat sometimes equipped with in-flight entertainment, something the cabin crew usually does not have access to.
“I usually sleep well there,” said Alexei Kuzmanin, vice president of fleet pilot for Fun Air.
Kosmanen usually flies A330s and A350s, and says he prefers the latter’s lounge area, which is above the front galley rather than the main cabin, saying it “has really good curtains, great ventilation and is more soundproofed”.