My very first time to Europe, I had to sleep in the Charles de Gaulle, Paris France (CDG) airport. I had flown from New York-John F. Kennedy, NY (JFK) to London-Heathrow, London England (LHR) on Virgin Atlantic Airways (VS). I was so ecstatic, that I did not check the loads coming back. Well, I paid the price as the return flights were all full. They were also full the next day as well. My best bet was to make it to Charles de Gaulle and fly out the next morning as those flights were open.
As such, I took bmi british midland (BD) across the English Channel to Paris-Charles de Gaulle. Once there, I realized that my ATM card would not work and I did not have enough money on my credit card or cash for a hotel. I was in Terminal 1, so I made my way down to the lowest level and asked the operations guys if I could just sleep on the slab outside their office. They said O.K. and I busied myself until the next morning. It was quite a long night indeed.
The next morning, I was very happy to see the Delta Air Lines (DL) tail which would be my ride home back to the U.S. I cleaned up as much as I could in the airport restroom, then made my way to the check-in area; checked in and got on the plane. Boy was I glad to sleep all the way back to the U.S.
This Web site would have been helpful – http://www.sleepinginairports.net, in finding a spot at Charles de Gaulle.
Have you had to sleep in an airport either waiting for an early flight or having been bumped and just can’t afford a night in a hotel? Please share your experiences with us.
Which airport is the best airport to spend the night in your opinion? Which is the worst?
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I was going to Sydney on United out of LAX back in 2007. I worked for Mesa Airlines (ha ha). I had all my bags with me because it was iffy as to getting on or not. But there ended up being plenty of seats. The gate agent called my name and handed me a ticket. I was super stoked! Not 30 seconds later he takes the ticket out from under my hand on the counter and says that I wasn’t going because they were weight restricted. I asked him to talk to the CA to see if he could include me in the FA JS count since all the JS were not filled. The ever-so-pleasant United employee refused and said it wasn’t an option. I was stuck. So seeing as Mesa and Skywest and all other express operated flights share a crew room in IAD at the D gates, I figured it wouldn’t be a problem to go crash in the Skywest crew room. I found out where it was and went to it. The inflight sup wouldn’t let me. He just wouldn’t allow it. The United people, of course, said no as well. All the flights where already gone since it was around midnight, so I slept on the couches in the terminal at LAX. I was woken up at like 6am and found a flight home. I went back for round 2 the next night and was able to get on. However, I had an interview scheduled with United the week I was getting back from AU and cancelled it as soon as I got back.
I also work for Mesa, now, (haha again) and have had run ins with UA gate employees. Rude, and stupid once in a while. Some people you give a little power, and watch out.
United Gate Agents Are Very Rude. I hopped from city to city to get home, finally making it to ORD only one more flt to get home, but it was the end of the night and the last 3 flights all left around the same time,diffrent Airline, diffrent terminals. I went to United First (big mistake) they printed me a pass and let me know that the flight was delayed an hour. Ok I will wait. Now the other 2 flt’s were long gone and United had over sold by 30 seats but didnt bother to tell me…Why didn’t you just let me know so I could of ran over to one of the other airlines and get home. Now I had to sleep in ORD, where there is no crew lounge for our airline. The Supervisior had the nerve to tell me “next time buy a ticket.”
looking at the other people that had paid for tickets, I said “it didnt help them out, did it!”
Yes plenty of times. Just slept there Wednesday night and might have to sleep there tonight. I can’t afford to stay in hotels too often. It sucks commuting when they are cutting flights and not putting bigger planes on certain routes that really need them.
I have been flying since 1979 and have slept in so many crew lounges I couldnt name all the times
I have two stories of interest. First was a “day” trip to LAX when we thought the flights looked good. Little did we know the open seats would be gone due to stranded passengers from other airlines. We finally got a zed to vegas at 1am and back to DEN the following morning. If you need a quiet spot find the kids playground. Usually enclosed to keep the noise in (or out in our case). Second concerns ua staff. Stranded in DCA due to weather and finally found a ua flight with space that left in 1 1/2 hours. The ticket counter “LADY” was very upset and told us to come back later because she was about to go on her lunch (1 hour long) and didn’t have the three minutes it took to get us seats. Finally gave us the worst seats she could find on the flight but after two days they where great.
Slept in many airports on purpose while I was backpacking around Europe. Would book early morning and very late in the night flights so I wouldn’t have to pay for a hotel. In many of the airports in was a common sight to see other backpackers doing the same thing.
In terms of getting bumped from flights, I can think of LAX, SLC, ATL (crew lounge so it wasn’t as bad), Ottawa, Dakar (that was the worst) and Seattle. I’m sure there is more. Can’t remember which were good.
Real Pilots dont even need to be asked this one!
If you are a “real” pilot there is no reason to ask this question as any pilot / FA that has ever been forced to commute due to the gyrations of the industry would be keenly aware of getting “half way there” just to get out of the hub on the homebound leg or to the hub in the AM for the show!
The real trick is finding the points with a nice shower to freshen up in the am!
But it is the glamour that keeps me going!
Awesome Capt. Phil
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passrider.com
Yes, I’ve slept in DFW. Remember the Peanuts cast with that kid Pigstye or whatever his name is? Well it reminds me of the cloud of dust that he had following him. I was there on a particularly bad encounter. First trip we used benefits for coming back from Costa Rica. People left and right were stuck. Even rev passengers. I don’t know why airlines are so stupid to overbook later flights and force passenger unrest, but that left no cots for employees. Needless to say a few days later I fell ill to the point of risking my medical and had to see the doc. Some of the bacteria from the floor slammed me.
DCA National, rooms were 400.00 a night(I checked) then board the last flight out at 10p…..The Captian came on and said the flight had canx…..86 of us slept on the floor, least someone had given me a levi jacket which I pulled over my head……Have you ever seen the ceiling lights at National?
Hi Charles,
Thank you for your story.
Nice story. I’ve seen the ceiling lights at DCA, but not as you have I’m sure. This area is a really bad one for hotels as they are so pricey.
Anyone else had a similar experience at DCA?
passrider.com
Had to overnight at JFK, was inside security and hoped to stay there, but they kicked us out after the last flight left that evening around 1 am, we then went to the baggage claim area, which was bright and loud for the rest of the evening.
Overnighted in Gatwick (LGW) outside security which was not bad. There were couches up in the Gatwick village (shopping mall portion of the airport) slept well from midnight til 7 am!
DCA, we were also inside security, but they kicked us out to the Baggage Claim area after the last flight left that evening. I travel with eyeshades, so the bright lights aren’t a big problem.
PHX did not kick us out of the secured area and we were able to sleep thru the night. (used the children’s play area)
I have to agree with an earlier post. The play areas are great for quietness and if you get there early you can claim one of the mats! Spent a night in ATL. The security even came around on their Segways handing out blankets! (I would have preferred a pillow!) However, they play that stupid security anoucement about unattended bags every 15 – 20 minutes, so sleep is next to impossible!
I am agreen with Craig M…ATL is the worst airport to sleep overnight, I did once in 2009 & i thought i will have a good sleep somewhere in the corner but because of so much lights, TSA announcement every 10/15 mins, cleaning staff was talking so loud like they were fighting & screaming on each other, floor cleaning machines, heavy duty vaccuum cleaners etc.etc.etc. It was the biggest mistake of my life, I decided to go to smokers room which is a full glass room, its very quite (you can have a good sleep if you are a smoker)but if you are not a smoker then you cannot stay there more than few mins & thats what I did, came out of there in 5 mins….will never do it again on any airport everrrrrr. I will prefer to stay in hotel no matter how much it will cost.
I’ve been in this industry 5 years now. I have had to sleep in airports and crew room countless times. I never gets any earlier. I comute a long distance and have had countless times I’ve worked on 1 to 2 hours of sleep. We get paid sooooo much money I cant afford a hotel room on those nights I get bumped or have to fly in the day before to meet my show time. I have to agree with others the UA agents are the worst to have to deal with. Sometimes if I get stuck somewhere I will go into the family bathrooms to rest. I feel more secure and its a little more peaceful. As someone stated before there is the children play area and there are sometimes mother nursing areas to get a away in as well. Not all airports have crew rooms for the airline that I work for so staying on one of those areas I have found to be a little more peaceful and out of the way.
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So I had to add to the lovely experiences of you fellow flyers. I work at Southwest Airlines. And as you know in order to even go the restroom at our airline you’re going to having change planes first. My older brother was having a birthday party in NYC and I wanted to go, but I had just started at Southwest so I had no vacation time yet . So I decided I was going to leave after work on a Friday and try and make to LGA. Well the last flight out of DAL to get to LGA was at like 2 in the afternoon which i would still have been at work, so I had to tried and get a close as possible which meant MDW. SO i left 6 from Dal and got to MDW at 10pm and the spent the night in the airport until the next morning when I took the first flight out to LGA. It made for a very noisy restless night.
Awesome story Kyle; at least you made it to work on time
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Kerwin
http://www.passrider.com