Fascinating pictures show the secret bedrooms where plane crews sleep

Fascinating pictures show the secret bedrooms where plane crews sleep: Flight attendants rest on flat beds hidden in the ceiling and pilots relax in business class suites

  • These images reveal the secret windowless Crew Rest Compartments (CRCs) for cabin crew
  • The size and position of these spaces vary on each aircraft – one crew member likened the 777 one to a coffin 
  • Flight attendant Dan Air said: ‘In terms of what staff do there, well that would be telling’ 

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Have you ever wondered where cabin crew go for some rest and recuperation during long-haul flights?

These fascinating images reveal the secret windowless Crew Rest Compartments (CRCs) that flight attendants sleep in, which are usually accessed via a secret staircase behind a door that requires a code or key to open.

The size and position of these spaces vary from one aircraft to another – one flight attendant likened the 777 version to a coffin – and they are typically nestled away behind the cockpit area, located above the first/business class cabin.

Have you ever wondered where cabin crew go for some rest and recuperation during long-haul flights? This image shows the Crew Rest Compartment in a Boeing 787 Dreamliner

Flight attendants stretch out as they relax in one of the more comfortable Boeing rest areas

And there isn’t generally much room for manoeuvre.

They can feature up to ten beds, plus storage space for belongings. Some are laid out in bunk-bed formation, while others are little more than mattresses separated by foam cushions and curtains. 

Pilots have swankier rest areas with beds and business-class-style seats.

A British Airways flight attendant revealed to MailOnline Travel: ‘On the Boeing 747s it is all bunk beds and on the 777 it feels like you are in a coffin.

‘They are cramped, but you can make it comfortable as you get a blanket and a pillow.

‘I always take my own pyjamas and I make a little bed up. I sometimes try to take pillows and blankets from business class if they aren’t in use.

‘It’s very basic, some have TVs, but they are tiny, smaller than iPad minis.’

The Boeing 777 pilot rest area

The Boeing 777 pilot area has two business-class seats

On the Boeing 777, there is a separate area for pilots, with two beds, two business-class seats and, on some airlines, a bathroom area with a sink or lavatory

As this graphic shows, some of the sleeping compartments are situated at the front of the plane above the first class section

Dan Air, the flight attendant behind Confessions of a Trolley Dolley, told MailOnline Travel: ‘Crew rest areas on certain aircraft are a lot better than they used to be.

‘They are very small and very cramped and yes can be very claustrophobic. It’s not nice being in the tiny, confined space during severe turbulence. It can get very unnerving.

‘In terms of what staff do there, well that would be telling, but I’m sure you can imagine that a lot more than sleeping often goes on here.

‘We try to make them as comfortable as possible for us, bringing our own pyjamas, blankets and teddies to try and help us get some sleep, but to be honest, it’s often very difficult to sleep.’

The Points Guy was recently granted access to a Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner crew area and tested the mattresses.

The verdict? ‘You’ll definitely be better off sleeping in one of the brand-new business-class pods at the pointy end of the plane,’ the site reported.

But it added: ‘It’s amazing what you’ll find up here. There are smoke detectors, fire extinguishers, flashlights and portable oxygen containers for use in an emergency. There are also comfort items, such as power outlets, a small mirror, coat hooks and a phone to call the other flight attendant stations.’ 

Staff are pictured chatting and relaxing with magazines and refreshments inside a Boeing 777 crew rest area

Dan Air, the flight attendant behind Confessions of a Trolley Dolley, told MailOnline Travel: ‘Crew rest areas on certain aircraft are a lot better than they used to be’