I went inside the secret room where pilots sleep on long-haul flights. It was the best seat on the plane.
Pilots take shifts on long-haul flights. When they’re not flying, they rest in hidden rooms.
I toured the secret room stationed above business class on an Air New Zealand Boeing 777-300ER.
It was the nicest spot on the aircraft, with two beds, two recliners, and plenty of space.
Twelve hours is a long time for anyone to be on a plane.
But when you are responsible for flying the aircraft, it’s an even tougher role. That’s why pilots take shifts on long-haul flights.
When pilots aren’t in the cockpit, they’re resting in secret rooms on board the aircraft.
On a 12-hour Air New Zealand flight from Auckland, New Zealand, to Los Angeles, I toured this part of the plane that most people don’t see.
The author in the pilot’s secret bedroom area.Monica Humphries/Business Insider
Together, we walked past rows of lie-flat seats and into the airplane’s front galley.
The business-class section on Air New Zealand’s Boeing 777-300ER planes.Monica Humphries/Business Insider
From the galley, I could see the aircraft’s cockpit. As I looked around, I didn’t spot any door or signs indicating the pilot’s rest area.
The entrance to the plane’s cockpit.Monica Humphries/Business Insider
Then, Sarita pointed to a camouflaged door. She explained that it was intentionally hidden so passengers don’t accidentally disturb the resting pilots.
The door to the pilot’s rest area is in the front galley.Monica Humphries/Business Insider
Sarita entered a secret code and opened the latch. Behind the door was a narrow, steep staircase. I climbed up and was immediately shocked by the room’s size.
Flight attendant Alice climbs up into the bedroom where pilots rest on long-haul flights.Monica Humphries/Business Insider
Although I couldn’t fully stand at 5 feet and 8 inches, the room had enough space for two reclining chairs and two beds.
The pilot’s secret rest area on an Air New Zealand Boeing 777-300ER.Monica Humphries/Business Insider
She said that on most long-haul flights, four pilots split time between the cockpit and the rest area. Rules require that at any point during the flight, there be at least two pilots in the cockpit.
A chair pilots use to rest.Monica Humphries/Business Insider
The flight’s captain typically decides when the breaks happen, but like flight attendants, pilots typically take their breaks in two-hour slots. Once on a break, the pilots spend their time in the recliner, a bunk-style bed, or a combination of both.
Two beds have pillows and blankets.Monica Humphries/Business Insider
Regardless of where they were resting, each area had seatbelts for safety.
Both the chair and the bed have seat belts for moments of turbulence.Monica Humphries/Business Insider
The pilots also had a TV similar to the one I had in business class near the recliner chairs. Nearby was a plug, temperature control panel, and cupholders.
Each pilot has a TV in their secret rest area.Monica Humphries/Business Insider
Between the seats, the pilots had a phone to communicate with the cockpit and flight attendants in the cabin.
Below the beds is a phone.Monica Humphries/Business Insider
Behind the leather seats were two cubby-style beds.
Two beds are located in the pilot’s rest area on the Boeing 777-300ER.Monica Humphries/Business Insider
The narrow beds each had a curtain to block out light and allow for privacy.
The area has two leather seats and two beds.Monica Humphries/Business Insider
Inside the sleeping cubby were two sets of blankets and pillows similar to the ones I had in business class. The mattress on the bed looked comfy enough for a decent nap.
The pilots have pillows and blankets to use while they rest.Monica Humphries/Business Insider
Along the edge of the bed, I spotted more cupholders and a control panel for lights and airflow.
Each pilot is able to control the light and airflow from their bed.Monica Humphries/Business Insider
As I descended the stairs, I spotted a wardrobe. Sarita told me that’s where the pilots store parts of their uniforms while they rest.
The pilot’s rest area has a closet for storing uniforms.Monica Humphries/Business Insider
I felt spoiled in my business-class seat, but the pilot’s room was even more luxurious. They had privacy, space to stretch out, and a larger bed than my lie-flat seat.
The author in her business-class seat.Monica Humphries/Business Insider
And, of course, those perks were well-earned. On my flight home, I slept better knowing the pilots had room to rest and re-energize for some of the world’s longest flights.
Air New Zealand pilots arrive at the Sydney International Airport.James D. Morgan/Getty Images
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