Singapore's cabin crew say NZ route is torture

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Singapore Airlines flight attendants are describing the New Zealand route as a "torture" after the airline stopped providing them with bunk rest for their 11-hour flights to and from Singapore.

Since last July, the airline has done away with crew rest bunks for its return flights to Auckland and Christchurch, and flight attendants have to get their rest in empty seats among the passengers.

But many are finding it hard to get any rest at all.

"We can't even close our eyes for five minutes, because there's bound to be someone tapping on our shoulder asking us to get water or adjust their entertainment system," said one flight attendant.

"As far as they are concerned, because we are still in uniform we are still on duty, and it's sometimes easier to just get them the glass of water than explain to them that it's our rest break. This route is becoming a real torture."

Another said many passengers were still not used to having flight attendants resting among them, while others would try to chat them up.

"Just on this flight, a male passenger sitting in front of me offered to be my private guide around Auckland and tried to ask me out to dinner," the flight attendant said.

"We were already working overtime as our aircraft had to be diverted from Christchurch to Auckland because of the volcanic ash, and what I needed was rest - not some grand tour of Auckland."

Singapore Airlines said flights to New Zealand used Boeing 777-200 and 777-300 aircraft, which did not have private rest areas for crew.

Air New Zealand said it had private bunk rest areas for crew on all aircraft used for mid- to long-haul flights.

Singapore's general manager for NZ, James Lim, said: "While it's correct that there are no crew bunks on flights to Auckland and Christchurch, which are operated by a variant of our Boeing 777 aircraft, this is in accordance with guidelines set by the Air Operator Certificate Requirements.

"These state that crew rest is only mandatory for cabin crew whose flight duty is 14 hours or more."

A spokesman added: "From next month, we will be deploying the B777-300ER, which is configured with crew bunks, on one of our Auckland flights."