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Galley Gossip: The mini motel for the commuting flight attendant
See that guy over there, the one wearing a business suit lying on the floor inside an orange tent at the airport? The first time I saw that picture on The New York Times website, I laughed, and then I thought to myself, genius, absolute genius. The Mini Motel, a one-person tent complete with air mattress, pillow, reading light and alarm clock, that's what Frank Giotto, a business traveler, created after an unscheduled stay at a German airport.
There's one problem with the luxury tent, and it's a pretty big problem. Simply put, it's a tent. Personally, I can't see too many passengers interested in buying a tent. I mean who in their right mind wants to lug that thing on the airplane - just in case there's a delay, or cancellation, or something that would cause one to set up tent? Nor do I see the airlines purchasing it. Not when they're getting rid of things - namely employees - in order to save money. So who do I see desperate to get their hands on a luxury tent aimed at stranded people at the airport? Flight attendants of course!
According to Wikipedia, Commuting is the process of traveling between one's place of residence and regular place of work. For most people, normal people, commuting means getting in the car or hopping on a train and taking an hour long ride to the city where the office is located. Commuting for a flight attendant is a whole other animal. We cross cities, as in several cities, in order to get to work. Yet it's what a lot of flight attendants choose to do, particularly the ones based in New York - like me! Yes, I am a commuter. I commute from my home in Los Angeles to New York where I start my trips at one of two New York airports. I know I know, it's a little crazy, but it works.
Just to be safe, and well rested, I always fly to New York the night before my trip. But some commuters travel up on the same morning of their trip. Haven't you ever wondered why the crew looks so worn out? Why they look as if they haven't slept in days? Chances are they haven't. Chances are, if they weren't working twelve hours a day for three days straight (with short layovers), they could be commuters.
Now I know what you're wondering: where do commuters stay at night when they're not on a trip and laying over at a hotel in a strange city? If they do not have family or friends they can "visit", they'll stay in one of three locations...
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The Crash Pad: If they've got the money to spend (about $150/month), you'll find commuters living in crash pads not too far away from the airport. My first crash pad, located in Kew Gardens, also known as Crew Gardens, was a three story house that was home to so many flight attendants I couldn't begin to count them all. Seriously. I don't even know if I met everyone who lived in this particular crash pad during my first three months as a flight attendant. All I know is "my room" had six bunk beds lining the walls, and each bunk bed had a different flight attendant (who brought along their own set of sheets) sleeping in it each and every night.
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The Airport Hotel: Sometimes a few commuters will get together and chip in to share a cheap hotel room near the airport -- though this doesn't really happen often, not anymore, not since we took a pay cut after 9/11. However, I do still see quite a few commuting pilots waiting for the hotel shuttle outside the airport.
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Flight Operations - Besides a couple of computers and a few sofas and maybe a television, there's usually a little "quiet room" located somewhere at the back of ops. The quiet room is always dark and filled with reclining chairs. This is where you'll find a majority of the New York commuters. But ONLY if ops is located on the outside of security, which isn't always the norm at most airline terminals. But if ops is an option, rest assured, that's the place to be.
Which brings me back to The Mini Motel, a $39.95 luxury one-person tent that comes complete with a mattress, pillow, reading light, alarm clock, and, most importantly, a bit of privacy when you're stranded at the airport far away from home. Tell me this isn't the perfect gift for that commuting flight attendant in your life! After that commuting flight attendant FINALLY stops thanking you over and over and over for the wonderful gift, you tell me that thoughtful gift is just a tent and not a luxurious crew condo.
Filed under: Gear, Africa, Hotels and Accommodations, Airlines, Transportation, Galley Gossip
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Debbie Jul 17th 2008 11:25AM
wow I never thought of it that way. I'm the passenger that goes to sleep and you never have to deal with
CJ Jul 17th 2008 11:35AM
If you are commuting for a living, then you should be able to afford accomodations, otherwise, why bother?
Get a job closer to home
Heather Poole Jul 17th 2008 12:07PM
CJ - I, personally, do have accomodations in NY, and I'm very lucky and fortunate to have what I have when I'm working in New York. I guess you're not a flight attendant, otherwise you might be laughing at the post....it's a joke.
Heather Poole
CJ Jul 18th 2008 1:13AM
No, thankfully, I have a great job where I don't have to worry about finding accomodations for the night.
Afia Apr 18th 2009 1:58PM
I cant wait to become a F/A...
David Troyer Jul 17th 2008 12:31PM
This is awesome. How do airport policy/staff generally feel about such a thing? On more than one occasion I've had my small 2-person tent packed and considered setting it up for a long lay-over.
Brenda SFO Jul 17th 2008 12:55PM
Heather, maybe you could start a business on the side - Rent-a-Tent! Buy a bunch of those little sleeper tents and have a little booth in the airports that rented them out to commuters and passengers. There would have to be some sort of way though that the tents could be cleaned between renters!
RTDIVA Jul 18th 2008 12:53AM
OMG This is to funny. Heather you come up with the best stories. I would love to see the TSA's reaction to someone putting one of those things up at MSP. But I would not want to see some poor soul go to jail over it.
RTDIVA Jul 18th 2008 12:51AM
CJ She does not commute for a living. She is a flight attendant. She chooses to commute so she can live where she does for what ever her reason. Whats with your attitude?
TFiddy Jul 18th 2008 10:53AM
Oh Heather... this is too much...I love it! Something like this is enough to get an old girl up for commuting to JFK again! Is there a deluxe model with a shower? Just askin'. Keep up the good work...love your posts and can relate to every single one of them. Fly safe!
Amy Jul 19th 2008 1:53PM
So, here's a funny story about flight attendants overnight accommodations:
My husband and I went to Montego Bay Jamaica in the spring. We stayed at the Ritz Carlton, it was a corporate thing paid by his work. We're waiting outside he hotel and about fifteen women dressed in red suits covered in two-inch thick make-up came out to catch a bus. Turns out Virgin Atlantic has one weekly non-stop flight to Montego Bay, they fly in, stay at the Ritz Carlton, then fly back.
Now those are some accommodations!
Bob the semi-talented singing pilot Jul 28th 2008 12:34AM
Heather,
They need to make a tent that can be used for flight attendant crew rest on the airplane.
Something that would fit on all the popular FA in-flight rest areas such as across a fold-down jumpseat, a row of empty coach seats........and even the floor of the 767 cockpit.
Great!
Now I'm going to have to re-write your song:
Lay Heather, lay
Lay inside your crew rest tent
Lay Heather, lay
It's the best 39 dollars you've spent.....
Heather's originsl song:
http://www.myspace.com/maddoggydog777
.
Sue Jul 28th 2008 6:38AM
why DO so many flight attendants look like they are wearing clown makeup? Especially in Europe and the Mid East airlines? It's not flattering..especially the ones with the bright red lipstick..it only ages them...
Varina Aug 19th 2008 8:53PM
I am a fellow Flight Attendant with a 2-leg commute from Daytona Beach, FL (DAB) to Washington, DC (DCA). All I can say is I LOVE the one person tent idea! Commuting is no fun, but when you love what you do it's just something you got to do. SO SO SO many times I have been stuck trying to get home or trying to get to work even. Since starting my airline career I have slept in some of the MOST crazy places and most crazy postitions. Because although we may have a crash pad or great accomadations in our bases, when you get stuck at the half way point you're just out of luck.
Sean Aug 24th 2008 4:56PM
Great idea! I will buy a tent asap! I live in Nashville & commute to Baltimore. So many times I sit in the crew lounge tired and praying my flight is not full home. Lol, oh the life of a flight attendant...Sold!