{"id":1246,"date":"2025-06-06T14:00:00","date_gmt":"2025-06-06T13:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/jusmedia.co.uk\/doze\/?p=1246"},"modified":"2025-06-06T09:26:35","modified_gmt":"2025-06-06T08:26:35","slug":"travelling-between-time-zones","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/jusmedia.co.uk\/doze\/2025\/06\/06\/travelling-between-time-zones\/","title":{"rendered":"Travelling between time zones"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYou know when I tell people that I\u2019m a flight attendant they instantly go \u2018wow that\u2019s so cool you get to travel to all these different countries\u2019. Don\u2019t get me wrong I thoroughly enjoy it and all but it isn\u2019t as simple as that\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n
\n
\"\"<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
\n

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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIf you\u2019re going on lets say a 14 hour flight to somewhere in Asia, Thailand for example, it isn\u2019t at all as simple as just sitting back and relaxing in between take off and landing.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAs 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.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“Yes there are a few of us so it won\u2019t just be me. On a flight of roughly 200 people, let\u2019s say which is small compared to some of the other flights, there will be around 4 flight attendants. That\u2019s around 1 per 50 passengers which is quite a lot so there really isn\u2019t much time for rest.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

When they do get a break, it doesn\u2019t allow for true relaxation. It is near impossible.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYou have to be ready at all times to attend to these passengers. That means there isn\u2019t much opportunity for sleep. Maybe you\u2019ll 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.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI\u2019d 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.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI have been in business and first class on a few occasions and although it is much less people it doesn\u2019t 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\u2019t have.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIn economy you get the basic necessities, food but at meal times only, and water however it isn\u2019t the same at all for business and first class. You get your meals as per usual but there\u2019s the option for drinks on request, snacks and often people request you to make up their beds.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n
\n

\u201cOne thing I want to make clear is that being a flight attendant doesn\u2019t mean you get a holiday from every shift. Yes sometimes I\u2019ll 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.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

When that tiredness hits, even the most fun, exciting places lose their appeal.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI\u2019m so tired and shattered that I\u2019m not even fussed about sight seeing or anything of the sort.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

\n
\"\"<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

Not to mention there\u2019s also the issue of jet lag but I usually just sleep regardless. Then on the flight back it\u2019s usually the same thing again. Then I\u2019ll take a few days and do it all again.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It isn\u2019t 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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI don\u2019t always do long flights, sometimes I do lots of short flights. That\u2019s 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.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThere\u2019s not really an option to rest or anything like that because the flights are so short. You\u2019ve already landed before you can even think about sitting down and then it is straight onto the next flight.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIn 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.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cSo there are a lot of factors that don\u2019t really get considered but nonetheless I still enjoy it and wouldn\u2019t 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\u2019re running on four hours of sleep.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For more frequent fliers:<\/p>\n\n\n\n