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Most cabin crew salaries are at the low end of the scale, so they often have to think of ways to save money. This can also be tricky being in a different country and figuring things out, especially if you don’t know the city. The hotels where cabin crew stay are usually 4 or 5-star, which is all very nice, but otherwise, they’d be way out of our price range. Cabin crew also love to shop and eat and are well-used to finding things within budget. Here are some of our best tips for saving money when you are down-route.
Hotel
At a hotel, cabin crew will often receive a meal allowance or a nightly payment to help pay for their costs down-route. However, most will try and save money by not blowing their budget and saving the extra money when they can. No splurging on five-star room service, the cabin crew will look for a local supermarket to buy snacks or food. It also makes for the experience of finding new things to try and shopping for their favorite things. Also, never touch the drinks or snacks in the hotel mini bar, as they are extortionate prices. Even just nudging a can, can incur a charge to your bill.
Delsey dining
If there is no supermarket nearby or cabin crew don’t want to leave their rooms, they can become a ‘Delsey diner‘. This might be an option for crew who need to save money or who have special dietary requirements. Sometimes crew don’t like the food at the city they are going to or won’t eat there because of fear of food poisoning. Sometimes it’s too expensive to eat, for example, in Moscow. In this case, they will bring food from home and sometimes any leftover snacks from the aircraft. Instant soups and noodles are staples, but cabin crew are quite creative and will have a number of meals lined up, for a food emergency.
Transport
Be mindful of using taxis down-route unless you know they are safe and inexpensive. Always try to travel with other crew going out to explore. For example, you would not go out in a taxi in Nigeria, but you might in Delhi. New York and London will be expensive, but Dubai and Singapore will be less so. Beware of scams and ask the price first, as in some places, like Istanbul, you may be purposefully given the wrong change. Sometimes, local buses or the metro are the way to go. Dubai, Tokyo, Singapore, and Hong Kong are all perfectly safe and affordable for public transport. The metro in Moscow is worth a visit as some of the stations are beautiful.
Shopping
Cabin crew do love a bargain and know the cheapest places to shop down-route. They often plan their shopping around their work schedule. They will know where the nearest Target, Walmart, and Walgreens are when visiting the US. In the UK, cabin crew usually can be found at Primark or TK Maxx. If there’s a souk it’s well worth haggling when in Marrakech, Istanbul, Dubai, and Egypt.
Eating
Cabin crew love going to explore and try the local food, even on a budget. Once the supermarket has been covered, it’s time to try street food for the best local options especially if you are in Asia. The hawker centers in Singapore have some of the best and cheapest food in the world. Most cabin crew will ask their team for recommendations when down-route as many cabin crew will have their favorites well within budget.