If you have ever flown through the night and dozed off somewhere between the inflight meal and the landing announcement, you may have wondered what the cabin crew do when exhaustion kicks in. A viral social
media video has now lifted the curtain, quite literally, on a hidden section of the aircraft that passengers are not allowed to enter.
A flight attendant named Bryan, who has around 5,000 followers on Instagram, shared a clip titled, “A place where no passenger is allowed,” offering a rare look at the crew’s rest area on long-haul flights. “People often ask me where flight attendants sleep on a 17-hour flight,” he said at the start of the video, before changing out of his uniform into pyjamas and heading up a discreet staircase tucked away from passengers’ view.
What follows is a guided tour of the Crew Rest Compartment (CRC), a compact but functional space fitted with narrow bunk beds separated by curtains. Each bunk is equipped with a seat belt to be fastened during turbulence, along with pillows, blankets and overhead reading lights. Privacy curtains line the walls, creating a dormitory-style setting that allows crew members to stretch out between demanding shifts. Bryan even jokes that there is a television available for “endless entertainment”.
Watch the viral video:
While long flights may feel leisurely for passengers who can sleep, watch films or read, the cabin crew often work shifts stretching 12 to 16 hours, and in some cases up to 18 hours or more when delays or weather disruptions occur. To ensure safety and alertness, airlines mandate staggered rest breaks, with the team rotating duties so that some crew members sleep while others manage the cabin.
These rest areas are typically located above the main cabin or in areas concealed behind locked doors and are strictly off-limits to passengers. Though compact, they are designed to meet aviation safety standards, making them essential for ultra-long-haul operations that can run for 15-17 hours or beyond.
The video has sparked curiosity online, with many viewers surprised to learn that such hidden compartments exist on commercial aircraft. For the crew, however, the CRC is less of a mystery and more of a necessity, a quiet retreat where they can recharge before returning to the aisles to keep hundreds of passengers comfortable and safe mid-air.
