Do airline staff always go on excursions together?

[Melburnian1]

Some airline staff have indicated to me over the years that if they are in a foreign port, it is either convention or expected that they all go out together to say visit a market or another sort of social activity. Allegedly, they do not venture out alone or in a smallish group of just 'some' of the crew.

Is this widespread or restricted to (say) some Asian airlines?

Is it a cultural thing or to try to minimise crew members having unpleasant experiences such as getting lost and in a worst case causing a flight cancellation due to insufficient crew being available, being pickpocketed or worse or a simple way to keep track of everybody?

Or alternatively, are crew - I'm talking 'cabin crew' here - allowed to come and go as they please provided they are suitably attired and checked out of the hotel by the time that the train or bus is taking them back to the airport for their next flight?

 

[MEL_Traveller]

I guess individual crew members will have their own preferences, especially when visiting new cities or cities which might not be 'as safe' as some others.

But otherwise there's no 'convention' as far as I'm aware. While crew may choose to meet for an excursion or for a meal, many do their own thing and have friends in the cities they visit. Many crew will use the opportunity to fly somewhere else, on crew discount, during a layover.

Particular airlines may have requirements for a dress code, but none of the ones I know do. As you say, as long as they are back in time for checkout (and have complied with the alcohol and fatigue policies) that's all they need to do.

 

[Mattg]

A couple of years ago I did a walking tour in Amsterdam, and there was a group 5 or 6 people on the tour that appeared to be travelling together. One was Australian, one was from Uzbekistan, another from Brazil, and the others were from a variety of other extremely random places around the globe. I asked one of them how they knew each other and they said they were colleagues. I thoght that was a bit strange, but didn't think much of it. A couple of hours later, they all had to leave the tour early as they would all be working overnight and needed a minimum amount of rest. By this point I was thoroughly confused as to where they might be working!

Well, there was only one logical explanation - sure enough, they were Emirates flight attendants on a 24 hour layover.

For the record, I don't think there was any rule saying they had to go out in groups - a bunch of the crew just got together and joined the tour on a whim.

 

[Milboo]

Crew I know do their own thing - either head out and do what they want or see local friends, other crew in town or head out with colleagues, given they are friendly with many of them.

 

[N860CR]

Contrary to popular belief, airline crew are simply people. They are no different to any other employee away from home on work.

Often they will go out to socialize, whereas sometimes they will remain in their hotel room and watch Netflix.

I'm unsure why we need a thread to look at this.

 

[harvyk]

Contrary to popular belief, airline crew are simply people. They are no different to any other employee away from home on work.

Often they will go out to socialize, whereas sometimes they will remain in their hotel room and watch Netflix.

I'm unsure why we need a thread to look at this.

True, airline staff are people, however they are also on a business trip, and certain companies have all sorts of rules for how people will act when they are away on business (sometimes draconian, sometimes very free). There are also potentially unwritten rules among FA's. The answer may even depend on the airline in question, and the culture (both ethnic and company) of the FA's.

So I think it's a very valid question, just how do FA's spend their time when they are away?

 

[Melburnian1]

harvyk, many thanks: that is exactly why I asked the question, because some staff from some airlines have informed me that they never go out alone, and nor do their colleagues. It may not apply to every airline.

 

[moa999]

I suspect it depends on the airline..

An EK crew is likely to be in a different city every week, and hence there is probably a greater chance of a group heading out on a slip.
A QF A380 crew doesn't have a large choice of destinations and I suspect most have seen all the tourist destinations in DXB, LHR, LAX, DFW (and HKG)

 

[MEL_Traveller]

harvyk, many thanks: that is exactly why I asked the question, because some staff from some airlines have informed me that they never go out alone, and nor do their colleagues. It may not apply to every airline.

unless you are prepared to tell us the airline(s) this is a bit of a difficult conversation to have... SQ, CX, TG... none of those have any rules about having to stay together (or if they do, it's not enforced). So which airlines are you particularly enquiringly about?

are these staff friends of yours? they might give you a different answer if they are personal friends, or if you are passenger. it might also be that if they are friends, they are more the 'quiet reserved' type?

 

[Katie]

Just an anecdote - when I went to Moscow 5 years ago, I flew CX. I was chatting to an FA or CSM about flying there on one of the HKG-DME-HKF flights. She mentioned to me that she and some of her colleagues tended not to go out sightseeing or go out much in Moscow, due to racist experiences. I got the impression this was an individual choice, not in any way mandated by their employer. If there is known and potentially dangerous racism or other issues in particular locations, I would expect the airline to show a duty of care, and make their staff aware of potential issues. Same as a DFAT warning for a particular location - in some locations I would be advised not to walk alone/at night/in certain areas, etc.

For some flight crew in some locations, reactions from locals might restrict what they feel comfortable to do, and may make them more inclined to go out in a larger group.

 

[nlagalle]

harvyk, many thanks: that is exactly why I asked the question, because some staff from some airlines have informed me that they never go out alone, and nor do their colleagues. It may not apply to every airline.

the same can be said for any other industry where staff are travelling together. we had rules about how we travelled in Beijing and Delhi for the Olympics and Comm Games, and I know the guys in Rio had the same too...

Sometimes it's for safety, other times they may want a walking buddy..

 

[Melburnian1]

Both JL and PR staff have said this to me.

Filipinos love being together in groups; perhaps with the Japanese, it is a hangover from the days when almost all Japanese travelled overseas on group not individual tours.

 

[jb747]

Think about it. You're in a foreign city, with a group of people whom you know, and share a language with. If you choose to go out, you're quite likely to wander off with your friends. Unless you don't have any....

 

[JohnK]

I'm unsure why we need a thread to look at this.

Because on AFF we are nosy.

 

[tuapekastar]

I'm unsure why we need a thread to look at this.

Any alternate method of asking a question? I think that's one of the things AFF is about, is it not (asking questions, that is)?

 

[N860CR]

Any alternate method of asking a question? I think that's one of the things AFF is about, is it not (asking questions, that is)?

Just seems like an odd thing to be asking. There is still a bit of an odd obsession with cabin crew (to the point that many airlines now have procedures in place for when people actually ask this type of question on board).

 

[esseeeayeenn]

Think about it. You're in a foreign city, with a group of people whom you know, and share a language with. If you choose to go out, you're quite likely to wander off with your friends. Unless you don't have any....

Well if you work for a middle eastern airline you don't necessarily share a first language or much else with the rest of the crew.
Money is also a factor. The base salary paid to cabin crew is quite low (unless they are on a legacy QF agreement) and the allowance paid during layovers is a significant part of their income.
Some see this as money to burn during the layover. Others try to save as much as possible.
I suppose this comes back to the point that cabin crew are all different.

 

[Buzzard]

I would rather someone ask a question regardless of how silly the AFF community think it is, without being criticised in any way, than being too ashamed to ask a question. We are all different and all curious about different things.

 

[milehighclub]

I spend my layover on Australian Frequent Flyer! Why would you do anything else???

But jokes aside we can pretty much do whatever you want as long as you are back at the aircraft for sign on. We don't even have a requirement to go to the hotel if you fill out a form saying you'll be away (and you can get your CSM to pick up your allowance). There is a small list of activities that we can't do (not that I plan on jousting anytime soon).

Trips to JNB generally has crew doing things in groups for safety, even for simple things like going to the mall.

 

[Boca68]

I spend my layover on Australian Frequent Flyer! Why would you do anything else???

But jokes aside we can pretty much do whatever you want as long as you are back at the aircraft for sign on. We don't even have a requirement to go to the hotel if you fill out a form saying you'll be away (and you can get your CSM to pick up your allowance). There is a small list of activities that we can't do (not that I plan on jousting anytime soon).

Trips to JNB generally has crew doing things in groups for safety, even for simple things like going to the mall.

Well, there goes my dream of Good Sir Knight by day/Chief Purser by night on QF MEL-LHR.

And I just bought the chain mail!!