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

Sophie-Claire HoellerDec 3, 2020, 23:32 IST

The rest areas are small, but comfortable.Courtesy of Boeing

Flight attendants get breaks on long-haul flights to recharge and stay energized.
They have their own bedrooms in which to take power naps.
These bedrooms are hidden from passengers.
They can be tucked behind a secret stairway or even accessed through a hatch that looks like a typical overhead bin.

Flight attendants are humans too, and just like everyone else, they need to sleep on long-haul flights.

But where do they do it?

Most Boeing 777 and 787 airliners have a secret stairway that leads to a tiny set of windowless bedrooms for the cabin crew - including hidden bedrooms for pilots - that few people know exist.

See what the secret cabins look like.

Jim Edwards contributed to an earlier version of this story.

"On long flights, there's most likely flight attendants who are sleeping below you or above you," flight attendant Kat Kamalani previously told Insider.

This bed is located underneath passengers. iStock/Getty Images Plus

She explained that, on long-haul flights, the crew gets split in half, so that one half works while the other half rests. Who gets what shift depends on seniority.

The rest areas are small, but comfortable. Courtesy of Boeing

She said that many flight attendants learn to sleep on command, but that most "don't even sleep, they just sit on social media and hang out on their phone."

A bunk bed on a Delta 747-400 airplane. Ted S. Warren/AP

It depends on the plane, but crew rest areas are usually hidden behind the cockpit, above first class, like on this Boeing 777.

In a Boeing 777, the rest area is above first class. Boeing

Secret stairs leading up to the bedrooms are hidden behind an inconspicuous door. They can usually be found near the cockpit, and a code or key is needed to get to them.

You need a code or key to unlock the door. Courtesy of David Parker Brown/AirlineReporter.com

Secret stairs leading up to the bedrooms are hidden behind an inconspicuous door. They can usually be found near the cockpit, and a code or key is needed to get to them.

Upstairs are cramped, windowless bedrooms with eight beds (or seven, depending on the airline). This is the cabin's rest area on the Boeing 787 Dreamliner.

Beds are separated by curtains. Chris McGrath/Getty Images

The crew certainly seems to enjoy the overhead rest areas on Boeing 777s, which, depending on the airline, can fit six to 10 bunks, as well as personal storage space for each crew member.

Crew members also have personal storage areas in these spaces. Boeing

The crew certainly seems to enjoy the overhead rest areas on Boeing 777s, which, depending on the airline, can fit six to 10 bunks, as well as personal storage space for each crew member.

On the Boeing 777, pilots have their own overhead sleeping compartments, which feature two roomy sleeping berths, as well as two business-class seats, and enough room for a closet, sink, or lavatory, depending on the airline.

Pilots have their own space to unwind. Boeing

On the Boeing 777, pilots have their own overhead sleeping compartments, which feature two roomy sleeping berths, as well as two business-class seats, and enough room for a closet, sink, or lavatory, depending on the airline.

The beds, which are generally around six feet long and two and a half feet wide, are partitioned by heavy curtains meant to muffle noise.

The crew sleeping quarters on board an Airbus A380. Shutterstock

Bunks generally have reading lights, hooks, and mirrors, as well as some personal storage space. Usually, they come with blankets and pillows, occasionally even pajamas.

Some crew rest areas feature more privacy than others. In Pictures Ltd./Corbis/Getty Images

Bunks generally have reading lights, hooks, and mirrors, as well as some personal storage space. Usually, they come with blankets and pillows, occasionally even pajamas.

Some of the rooms are a little more high-end with features like entertainment systems, though it varies by airline. Some airplanes, like Air Canada's Boeing 787 Dreamliner, have flat, open sleeping areas.

Some crew rest areas have entertainment systems. Aaron Harris/Reuters

Some of the rooms are a little more high-end with features like entertainment systems, though it varies by airline. Some airplanes, like Air Canada's Boeing 787 Dreamliner, have flat, open sleeping areas.

Other planes have partitioned-off beds along an aisle, reminiscent of a cruise ship.

Some beds are separated by aisles. iStock/Getty Images Plus

Others have bunk beds that are stacked on top of each other, like this Malaysian Air A380 plane.

Bunk beds are also common. Courtesy of David Parker Brown/AirlineReporter.com

While most rooms seem claustrophobic, this luxe cabin on Singapore's Airbus A380 looks pretty comfortable.

Silky pillows feel luxurious. Courtesy of David Parker Brown, AirlineReporter.com

I just flew on the first Boeing 737 Max passenger flight since the plane was grounded. The flaws that killed 346 people were the least of my concerns.

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

"On long flights, there's most likely flight attendants who are sleeping below you or above you," flight attendant Kat Kamalani previously told Insider.

She explained that, on long-haul flights, the crew gets split in half, so that one half works while the other half rests. Who gets what shift depends on seniority.

She said that many flight attendants learn to sleep on command, but that most "don't even sleep, they just sit on social media and hang out on their phone."

It depends on the plane, but crew rest areas are usually hidden behind the cockpit, above first class, like on this Boeing 777.

Secret stairs leading up to the bedrooms are hidden behind an inconspicuous door. They can usually be found near the cockpit, and a code or key is needed to get to them.

Upstairs are cramped, windowless bedrooms with eight beds (or seven, depending on the airline). This is the cabin's rest area on the Boeing 787 Dreamliner.

The crew certainly seems to enjoy the overhead rest areas on Boeing 777s, which, depending on the airline, can fit six to 10 bunks, as well as personal storage space for each crew member.

On the Boeing 777, pilots have their own overhead sleeping compartments, which feature two roomy sleeping berths, as well as two business-class seats, and enough room for a closet, sink, or lavatory, depending on the airline.

The beds, which are generally around six feet long and two and a half feet wide, are partitioned by heavy curtains meant to muffle noise.

Bunks generally have reading lights, hooks, and mirrors, as well as some personal storage space. Usually, they come with blankets and pillows, occasionally even pajamas.

Some of the rooms are a little more high-end with features like entertainment systems, though it varies by airline. Some airplanes, like Air Canada's Boeing 787 Dreamliner, have flat, open sleeping areas.

Other planes have partitioned-off beds along an aisle, reminiscent of a cruise ship.

Others have bunk beds that are stacked on top of each other, like this Malaysian Air A380 plane.

While most rooms seem claustrophobic, this luxe cabin on Singapore's Airbus A380 looks pretty comfortable.