“Give me America trips any day. I just can’t be doing Asias all the time”
Think of a flight attendant and chances are you think of the exotic locations where they spend their layovers. It’s true that for many flighties, a big part of the time they spend at work is not actually at work at all, but in a different city before their next flight.
There’s a lot more that makes a certain port popular for flight attendants than just the city itself. That said, not all destinations are created equal.
For example New York is always going to be a good idea, somewhere like Dhaka probably less so. When it comes to the most popular trips its usually depends on the destination and the amount of time there. So what makes a good destination? There are a few factors that flighties look for. These include:
1. A High Allowance
The amount of cash allowance that cabin crew receive is based on the cost of food and drinks in that particular destination. This means that depending where you overnight, will determine how much cash you ultimately receive. Most crew tend to save as much as they can when it comes to allowances, so a port that offers higher allowances than another will generally be more sought after.
If there are any particular destinations that offer a longer than standard than layover (due to their not being a daily flight) the allowance will be even higher. Additionally if there’s cheap shopping to be had in a destination, and the allowance is still substantial, it’s going to be a popular port.
2. The Crew Hotel And It’s Location
The hotel itself and the facilities is a major factor in whether or not crew prefer going to one place over another. When you’re on holidays, you hotel might not be that important. However, when you’re still ‘at work’ and often with a very short turnaround, the comfort of the hotel and its facilities/services takes top priority. And let’s be honest, every crewmember likes to stay somewhere a little bit fancy. Things like the size of the room, whether or not there is a crew discount in the bar, a bathtub and much more are all factors whether a flight attendant likes going to a particular destination.
Since you’re often going back to the same places so often, the crew hotel is your home away from home. Often you’ll be tired from previous trips or the flight itself, it will be a trip where you barely leave the hotel anyway. This means it’s the things like a nice swimming pool, or breakfast buffet for a reasonable price that can make all the difference.
“Where exactly in the city do you stay?”
It’s not much good having a layover in New York, if you’re staying out in Newark New Jersey and you’re layover is less than 24 hours. Similarly, the same thing goes for an airport hotel. Sometimes they fit the bill, but if you’re going to experience a destination, you want to be in the thick of things. Ideally you want good places to eat and drink a stones throw away from the crew hotel since you don’t ever have much time.
Other important things include good public transport options close by if you want to explore further afield. A supermarket close by to get your own food and snacks is always important too. Sometimes you just want to sit in your room and Netflix before the next flight.
3. Comfort, Safety And Things From Home
Because international flight attendants spend so much of their time in far away locations, often the most popular destinations are those that remind you of home in some way. Sometimes all you want is a good steak sandwich but you struggle to find any meals that doesn’t contain rice or noodles.
I’ve also noticed that some of the most popular ports tend to be in the USA or ‘western’ countries where even if English isn’t the national language it is still widely spoken. Safety or the perceived safety of the place is another importance for crew. This is one of the reasons (as well as having a low allowance and being a long and difficult flight) that Johannesburg is definitely not a favourite destination for cabin crew.
4. The Types of Passengers on the Flight
Sometimes it’s not even about the destination, it’s about the journey. The reality is that some passenger groups are much more work than others. Whether due to cultural differences or demographics (business versus family leisure travellers) there are definitely some crew who care less about where they go, but how difficult the flights are. Some long haul flights fly during daylight the entire time – in both directions! Needless to say, you’ve got your work cut of for you with these kinds of trips. Often when you’re jet lagged and it’s your night time, you’re dealing with people who are
Depending where your airline flies to will depend on how challenging the flights are but Indian cities have a reputation for running crew ragged. Also, I’ve noticed families that going to somewhere like Hawaii and the ‘cruise ship crowd’ can also be particularly high maintenance. For crew that want a relatively easy journey, look no further Japan trips where the passengers are respectful, polite and fuss free.
5. Beach Destinations
Layovers in beach destination really feel like you’re on holiday instead of work and you’ll be pinching yourself that you’re getting paid for this. They offer the perfect mix of relaxation and activity and there’s nothing better than having a dip in the saltwater after or before your flight. Whether Bali, Phuket, Honolulu or the Maldives, there’s sand and surf, and pina coladas at sunset. What could be better? #bestjobintheworld
You’ll be hard pressed to find any crew that don’t love a good beach layover, and it will be probably even harder to get these kinds of trips on a regular basis.
“I bid for all Hawaii and Japan trips. Probably won’t get many or any of them but you’ve got to be in it to win it…”
