12 hours travelling and working – but paid for just 6 hours

HERE is a typical day for a steward who was based at Edinburgh Airport (all times UK).

3AM – Alarm goes off. Shave – shaving the night before is banned as stubble is against policy. Breakfast of cereal, coffee, Red Bull. 3.40AM – Take night bus to airport. 4.15AM – Arrive. Go through security and head to portable crew room. Fill bottles with 1.5L water for shift, and make instant coffee to take in flask. Meet with team including supervisor. Briefing on safety,

passenger numbers, flight times, sales targets. Board.

5.10AM – Onboard security checks, customer boarding and safety demonstration.

5.45AM – Take-off. Only now is the crew member effectively paid.

5.50AM – In-flight service. Hand out magazines, take food orders. Chance to boost pay by selling drinks, snacks, scratch cards, perfumes. Collect litter. If flight is long enough, repeat rounds.

7.45AM – Arrive at Krakow. Payment ends. Turnaround procedure. Sweep plane for suspicious items, litter, baggage. Clean toilets (in severe cases, external cleaners used). 8.10AM – Boarding procedure. 8.35 AM – Flight departs. Payment period begins again. In-flight service. 10.35 AM – Land in Edinburgh. Payment period ends. Repeat procedures for flight to Dublin, then another back to Edinburgh. 2.40PM – Land in Edinburgh. Payment ends. Turnaround procedure. 3.20PM – Supervisor checks sales results. Staff quizzed if targets not met. Debrief on any safety issues, what could be improved. 3.35PM – Catch bus home. Clean uniform (crew get only one blazer and two pairs of trousers). 7PM – Go to bed.