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This is your captain sleeping

Take a look inside the secret bedrooms on planes where pilots sleep on long-haul flights

ON a long-haul flight it's not only passengers who need their rest.

During the course of the journey it's important that the pilots and the cabin crew catch up on sleep.

Crew rest areas can include reclining seats, beds, a bathroom and even a telly
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Crew rest areas can include reclining seats, beds, a bathroom and even a tellyCredit: Not known refer to copyright holder
These hidden quarters are where pilots sleep on a Boeing 787 Dreamliner
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These hidden quarters are where pilots sleep on a Boeing 787 DreamlinerCredit: Getty Images
The snug bays have lie-flat beds with curtains for privacy and to drown out the sound of the plane
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The snug bays have lie-flat beds with curtains for privacy and to drown out the sound of the planeCredit: Getty Images

But they don't struggle to snooze in economy like the rest of us.

Unlike the flight attendants, who nap on bunk beds in small rest areas designated for crew, pilots have their own individual sleeping quarters, usually tucked away behind the cockpit.

Here they can spend up to half of their time while on a long-haul journey, according to .

Rest area hidden away on the upper deck of an Air India Boeing 777-300 plane
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Rest area hidden away on the upper deck of an Air India Boeing 777-300 planeCredit: Alamy
Pilots can relax and unwind with their own TVs in their private area
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Pilots can relax and unwind with their own TVs in their private areaCredit: Alamy

On most aircraft, the pilot's bedroom is located above first class.

On this Boeing 777, most passengers would be completely unaware the room existed as pilots access it by climbing hidden stairs.

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The rooms themselves differ according to the aircraft.

While a little pokey, the standard pilot's private sleeping quarters features two business class seats and comfy lie-flat beds to ensure they get a good night's kip before returning to duty.

The majority of planes tuck the sleeping bay away above first class and behind the cockpit shown on this Boeing 777 design
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The majority of planes tuck the sleeping bay away above first class and behind the cockpit shown on this Boeing 777 design
Some of the sections come with their own bathroom facilities
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Some of the sections come with their own bathroom facilities

There are also curtains to help drown out the sound of the plane and a phone should the resting pilot be needed.

Depending on the plane, some come equipped with a sink or bathroom, so they don't have to queue up down the aisle like the rest of us.

Some pilot bedrooms even have a TV and Singapore Airlines treat their captains with satin pillows.

While many planes have the private pilot sleeping areas, like in this image, some pilots just use a sectioned off part of business class
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While many planes have the private pilot sleeping areas, like in this image, some pilots just use a sectioned off part of business classCredit: Alamy
On a Boeing 777 plane most passengers would be completely unaware the room existed as pilots access it by climbing hidden stairs
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On a Boeing 777 plane most passengers would be completely unaware the room existed as pilots access it by climbing hidden stairsCredit: Getty Images

Not all planes have these private pilot bedrooms with some having to make do with a simple area cordoned off by a curtain in business class.

Earlier this week we told how the UK has introduced a cabin luggage ban on laptops, tablets and e-readers on passenger flights from certain airports – effective from March 25.

This follows a similar move in the US.

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