Being an airline pilot is a glamourous job. Or so the movies tell you.
Whilst the image of the ‘Catch Me If You Can’ pilot is a relic of the 1960s, the reality of the 21st Century is something quite different. Long flights often followed by just 24 hours in an airport hotel, the joys of jetlag often resulting in the daytime being spent asleep and the night-time wide awake.
However, if you could manage your sleep, each new city was an adventure waiting to happen. And then Covid came along.
With countries setting their own rules for the acceptance of international travellers, they have also established their own ways to handle the airline crew who are visitors for a short period of time.
For some destinations, after a 15-hour shift and a police escort to the hotel, we are given a single-use keycard for access to our room. Once we are in, we are in; sometimes for up to 72 hours. In the corridors, security guards ensure that we do not sneak out. In the room, internet access can be sketchy and English-language television channels can be limited.
To read the full article on The Telegraph, click here
