Flight attendants face one of the toughest and most demanding sleep schedules in the world. It leaves many fighting for rest and recovery in between their chaotic work lives, forever travelling.
Syra Gill is a 52 year-old international flight attendant from London who has been working in the airport industry for over 20 years but only as part of the cabin crew since 2022.
“You know when I tell people that I’m a flight attendant they instantly go ‘wow that’s so cool you get to travel to all these different countries’. Don’t get me wrong I thoroughly enjoy it and all but it isn’t as simple as that”.
Behind the smart and polished uniforms and friendly smiles as passengers board the plane is a physically demanding job that rarely allows for rest let alone a proper sleep.
“If you’re going on lets say a 14 hour flight to somewhere in Asia, Thailand for example, it isn’t at all as simple as just sitting back and relaxing in between take off and landing.”
“As part of the cabin crew it is your responsibility to constantly make sure that the other passengers are comfortable before you can even think of relaxing yourself.”
Even on long flights where scheduled breaks and opportunities for rest are there, downtime is rare. From the needs of passengers to unexpected issues that arise, it feels like a constant cycle.
“Yes there are a few of us so it won’t just be me. On a flight of roughly 200 people, let’s say which is small compared to some of the other flights, there will be around 4 flight attendants. That’s around 1 per 50 passengers which is quite a lot so there really isn’t much time for rest.”
When they do get a break, it doesn’t allow for true relaxation. It is near impossible.
“You have to be ready at all times to attend to these passengers. That means there isn’t much opportunity for sleep. Maybe you’ll get an hour or two in but you can never fully relax. We do have compartments on long haul flights but we often have to rotate between us and if the flight is extremely busy then it gets very hectic.”
There are some occasions where due to the circumstances of the flight, a fair amount of sleep is obtained. For Syra, three hours was considered a good day.
“I’d say on a 14 hour flight I would be lucky to get three hours in. You have to think about meal times as well and all the preparation or if customers are requesting for a drink and what not. Obviously there are different classes too so it often depends on that too.”
“I have been in business and first class on a few occasions and although it is much less people it doesn’t really matter. In economy you are still always required to deliver the best possible customer service but obviously there are restrictions and limitations that those in business and first class don’t have.
“In economy you get the basic necessities, food but at meal times only, and water however it isn’t the same at all for business and first class. You get your meals as per usual but there’s the option for drinks on request, snacks and often people request you to make up their beds.”
It is evident that passengers do not hesitate to make the most of what they paid for when in those more premium classes such as business and first class.
Layovers may sound like the opportunity for a luxurious holiday but they are far from it. It is often an opportunity to catch up on lost sleep.
“One thing I want to make clear is that being a flight attendant doesn’t mean you get a holiday from every shift. Yes sometimes I’ll stay over for a day or two but it never really extends further than that and to be honest if I am just coming off a 12 or above hour flight than all I want to do when I get off the plane is sleep.”
When that tiredness hits, even the most fun, exciting places lose their appeal.
“I’m so tired and shattered that I’m not even fussed about sight seeing or anything of the sort.
Not to mention there’s also the issue of jet lag but I usually just sleep regardless. Then on the flight back it’s usually the same thing again. Then I’ll take a few days and do it all again.”
It isn’t just the long haul flights that wear you out. Short haul flights can be just as intense if not more. Just in a different manor.
“I don’t always do long flights, sometimes I do lots of short flights. That’s a different sort of thing though. It is usually a flight from London to Glasgow and then to Dublin and back to London or something like that. Those are tiring in a different way. You are genuinely on the move constantly.”
“There’s not really an option to rest or anything like that because the flights are so short. You’ve already landed before you can even think about sitting down and then it is straight onto the next flight.”
When the day starts so early and ends so late the full effects of the lack of sleep and intensity of the day are felt in the body and mind.
The extra responsibility of vulnerable passengers such as infants, the elderly, or disabled passengers who require mobility assistance can make the job even more demanding.
“In a lot of these flights you have babies and young children or elderly people who require wheelchair access so that is something else to be prepared for.”
Despite the lack of sleep and challenges and constant travelling there are still many unique and exciting aspects to being a flight attendant. It just requires adapting and planning around the limited sleep that comes with some shifts.
“So there are a lot of factors that don’t really get considered but nonetheless I still enjoy it and wouldn’t change it for the world. I would more advise that if you are interested in being a flight attendant then you have to accept that there will be many days where you’re running on four hours of sleep.”
For more frequent fliers:
