An air hostess who works for the travel agency TUI has given passengers a peak behind the scenes by revealing where cabin crew staff sleep during long haul flights.

Frequent travellers will be familiar with the different class services offered by airlines, including economy, pre-economy, business and first class. The two higher cabin classes are recognised for having seats where passengers can lie down to sleep but not many people know where staff on board the cabin go to have a nap.

Charlie Silver, a TUI flight attendant, a video on TikTok giving passengers a rare insight. In the clip she walked through a discreet access door by the galley and climbed a ladder into a compact rest area above the passenger cabin. She said: “This is our crew bunks and we have six of these little beds located on our 787 Dreamliners.”

She explained cabin crew get a ‘bunk kit’ when they go in which includes a pillowcase, mattress topper and a blanket. Charlie admitted it “isn’t the easiest task” making a little bed up due to the limited space.

The air hostess shared: “Some crew can’t sleep up here but even if you’re not going to sleep sometimes it’s just a nice little escape from everyone. I, personally, can sleep and I think it’s just the sound of the plane that just soothes me.”

Laying the blanket on top of herself, she mentioned one thing she always does is fasten her seatbelt to make sure she is secure in case there’s any turbulence. Cabin crew bunks typically come with reading lights as well.

Charlie added these bunks are where staff can “have a little nap at 40,000 feet somewhere across the Atlantic”. Once the plane has taken off, scheduled rest periods are rotated among the crew, making sure everyone gets some down time.

According to Cabin Crew Wings, on flights from 8 to 12 hours, staff might be given an hour or two for their rest break and on ultra-long-haul flights (longer than 12 hours) they are often given up to four hours to recharge and feel refreshed to assist the cabin of passengers.

Cabin Crew 24 shares passengers “rarely know about these spaces as they are often hidden from view” and the compartments are “small but provide enough comfort for crew members to rest during their breaks”. The website reveals these areas are equipped with essentials, such as privacy curtains and ventilation systems.

It also explains that rest for cabin crew is a “critical part of ensuring the safety and efficiency of the flight” as staff on board the plane have many responsibilities, including responding to emergencies and customer service. Charlie’s TikTok video giving viewers a glimpse into where TUI cabin crew members sleep has racked up more than 30,000 likes and nearly 200 comments.

One user said: “I’d pay good money to have one of these instead of a normal seat.” Another added: “Gosh I’d feel very claustrophobic.”

A third user shared their surprise as they commented: “Why have I travelled long haul millions of times with TUI and never knew about these.” A fourth asked: “Been on a TUI 787 many times, where on Earth is this located on the plane?!?!” Charlie replied: “At the back most people think it’s a toilet!”