As airline pilots, we will likely be faced, at one time or another, with the prospect of commuting to our base. A big part of that is also likely to include multiple monthly overnights in a crash pad with other crew members — either pilots, flight attendants, or both (and possibly even gate agents, mechanics or members of other work groups).
The crash pad experience, for better or worse, can have a major influence on our job satisfaction, our stress levels, and even our fitness for duty and overall health. As a career commuter myself, I’ve had my share of experiences with crash pads, some better than others, but none that I could honestly call “great.” When I set out to build a nationwide network of hotel-based crash pads, my goal was to address the shortcomings I had dealt with in my own crash pad experiences while establishing a new standard for pilot pads by offering services and amenities not typically found in your average run-of-the-mill pad. But what are those things — those big-ticket items that can make or break the crash pad experience for a commuting pilot? Let’s take a look at the things I consider to be the most important items to look for when you’re trying to decide on a pad — a place where you will likely spend a significant portion of your life as an airline pilot, at least for a while.
One of the first considerations you’ll need to address is what your budget, your comfort zone, and your “pain point” are for a place to rest before and after trips. The old adage, “you get what you pay for” does apply here, (at least to an extent) and the cost of crash pads can vary widely from market to market and even from neighborhood to neighborhood within a market. Generally, you’ll pay exponentially more for better accommodations, with the least expensive pads being bare-bones facilities in less-convenient areas, and the most expensive ones being private rooms in upscale areas with lots of amenities and nearby conveniences. Your personal “pain point” will dictate your decision here: Are you willing to pay a premium for the best digs? Or are you strictly a bargain shopper? Or do you fall somewhere in the middle? Only you can answer these questions. Of particular consideration, generally paramount in this process, are safety and security. If the place isn’t in a safe neighborhood with a secure and dependable means of getting to it, the rest of the features might be moot.
Having identified your priorities in terms of cost and quality, it’s time for you to roll up your sleeves and get to work searching for your home away from home. The internet is a good place to start, but there actually aren’t as many crash pad advertising websites out there as one might expect. One pretty good place to start is CrashPad411.com, which allows you to search for pads near specific major airports, advertised by proximity to the airport, cost, and a number of other data points. Other good sources of leads include some of the old standbys for airline info: Crew room bulletin boards, your base chief pilot, Facebook and other social media resources (such as AeroCrewNews.com and The Hotel Crash Pad Network), personal referrals, and word-of-mouth “cockpit chatter.” Regardless of what avenues you decide to use, make sure they seem reputable, and always try to validate the info you acquire by cross-referencing other sources, especially personal anecdotal information you might be able to obtain from people who have actually stayed in the pad or area you’re considering.
Once you’ve narrowed down your search and are ready to compare a number of potential pads, make sure you do a good apples-to-apples comparison of all your options. Here are some good questions to ask in order to further filter the places you’re considering:
- Is the neighborhood safe? Crime data for specific areas is pretty readily available from the local police department. That, combined with anecdotal evidence you can obtain by talking to your base chief pilot, other crew members and from “locals“ can be really helpful here. Keep in mind that major airports have a depressing tendency to be located near areas that have greater challenges with crime, safety and security, so this is definitely a factor to consider.
- How close is it to the airport, and how will you get from the airport to the pad and back? How much extra will it cost you in cab fares or other expenses to make that additional commute to and from the airport? How convenient will it be? Obviously, a pad with a built-in airport shuttle is ideal, but those are generally tough to find. A little thought and planning here can save you a lot of headache (and a lot of money) down the road.
- How many beds are there per room? Is it a hot-bunk or cold-bunk setup, and are bed linens and towels provided and changed daily, or will that be up to you to accomplish? How many bathrooms does it have, and what are their quality and accessibility? Is it pilot-only, or mixed with other work groups, such as flight attendants and gate agents? Is it coed or unisex? Do the other amenities and conveniences that are available offset the relative cost and inconvenience inherent to each of these particular considerations?
- What is the overall quality of the place? Is it in a run-down old tenement or a sparkling-new building or complex? What are its particular amenities? How will you access the pad — with a key you’ll have to manage, or a keypad code you’ll have to remember, or by way of a “gatekeeper” such as a concierge or front desk personnel? Does it have built-in security features? Is parking available? Does it offer regular maid/housekeeping services? (A continually filthy crash pad is not something you want to be subjected to). Does it have a pool? Is there a gym available nearby, and if so, how much will it cost to use it? Does it have a full kitchen, and maybe an outdoor grill or patio/courtyard area you can use?
- Are there restaurants, bars, stores, urgent care clinics, pharmacies and other conveniences nearby? How easy are they to get to, and what transportation options besides walking are available to get to them?
- Is there a security deposit required? Any long-term lease obligation? Are any deposits refundable if you decide to move or are forced to change bases?
- Are there any reviews of the crash pad or its owner available online or elsewhere? How responsive is the crash pad owner/operator when you contact him or her for information? What’s your “gut feeling” about the person when you communicate? Is he or she actually a fellow airline employee, or maybe just some realtor who decided to get into the crash pad business?
Based on my 12-plus years’ experience as an airline commuter and as a crash pad occupant and owner, these are just a few starting points for you to use in your quest for a crash pad. I hope they’re helpful. As a baseline to get your journey started, I invite you to begin your research with The Hotel Crash Pad Network on Facebook at https://m.facebook.com/TheHotelCrashPadNetwork/ . Please feel free to reach out to me with any questions you might have.
Happy hunting! ACN
I would like to find out about crash pads in Orlando near the international airport. I am a flight attendant with Frontier and I am transferring to Orlando May 1, 2019. I want to know about the location, cost, amenities, and a contact person that I could speak to.
Thank you
Jenny Williams
Thank you for your inquiry. We are actually opening our very first MCO Hotel Crash Pad, an all-female pad, this weekend, at the Residence Inn by Marriott at the airport. We intend to follow with an all-male pad in the same hotel on May 1st. Please email me at [email protected] for more info.
Hello Bruce, need a crashpad in Houston Hobby Airport area. Do you have anything available for the month of June?
Linda, thank you for touching base with me. We’re working on getting our signature Hotel Crash Pads open for both HOU and IAH, but we don’t have any open yet. We do think we’ve found a hotel to work with, however, and we would be happy to add you to our waiting list and keep you informed. Please email us at [email protected] and mention HOU in your message and we will get back to you!
Hi Bruce, I’m looking for a crash pad for LAX
Hi Mindy,
We don’t have any pads open in LAX yet, but we are working on it. If you would like to be placed on our waiting list, just email us at [email protected] and mention LAX in your message. Thanks!
Hi Bruce, I would like to find out about crash pads for Boston near the Logon airport. I am a flight attendant with JetBlue and will be in Boston in July 2019. Do you have Hotel Crash Pads available?
Thank you
Thanks so much, Anne-Marie. I’m a captain for B6 out of BOS, so it’s always nice to hear from a fellow blue-suiter. Please email me at [email protected] so I can get you on our BOS waiting list. We unfortunately don’t yet have any pads open in BOS, but we are working on it!
Hi Bruce
Going to be based in OAK for a couple months starting in July. Would you have any information on crashpads in that area?
Ty,
Stacey
Isn’t your nickname Moose?
Hey Stacey,
Yep, this is Moose from JetBlue! Good to hear from you. We are working hard to get pads open for SFO and OAK, but we don’t have anything available yet. The SFO hotel market has proven to be a very tough nut to crack. We’re confident we will have something to offer soon, but we can’t say exactly when that might be. If you will provide us with your email address, we will add you to our waiting list and keep you informed of our progress. You can just email us at [email protected] if you prefer.
Hello Bruce I wanted to find out about any crash pads for Cincinnati -CVG
Crystal, thanks so much for inquiring. We don’t have any pads in CVG yet, but we’re working on it. I will add you to our CVG waiting list and keep you informed.
Hello Bruce,
Would need a crash pad in the Dallas area (DFW). Would you have any information in that area? Thank you
Hi Martha, thanks for inquiring. We don’t have any pads in DFW yet, but we are working on it. Please email [email protected] to be placed on our waiting list.
Hey Bruce I currently have a 3 bedroom apt open for rental less than a mile away from Chicago’s Midway international airport. How can I help out in offering my crash pad for pilots or flight attendants in my area of need?
Ezekiel, I can’t really advise you on how best to market your own crash pad. We deal strictly in opening Hotel Crash Pads in our company’s nationwide expansion.
Hi. I am needing an all female crashpad in dfw that also has free shuttle service to the airport since I am a commuter. Would you have anything available?
Hi Ginger, it depends on the city. All our crash pads offer our clients all the standard amenities of a guest stay at an airport-area hotel, including airport shuttle service. We have pads in several cities around the country and I’m not sure what city you’re inquiring about. Please visit our website at http://www.HotelCrashPads.com/Locations and click on the tab for your city of interest; there you will be able to complete an email submission form, which will generate an automatic email back to you containing all the granular details of the pad and how it works, as well as imbedded links to two forms you’ll need to complete and return if you’d like to secure a spot. This will also afford you the opportunity to book and pay for a spot in the pad if you decide you’d like to secure one for yourself, either using a credit card via Amazon Pay on the site if you’d like, or alternately via Venmo, Google Pay or Apple Pay if you prefer. If you don’t see your city of interest on our website, please email us at [email protected] and tell us what city you need. Thank you again for your inquiry.
Need extended DFW Crashpad during 8 weeks Customer Service Agent training starting Wed. Dec.1, 2021. Will be commuting back to IAH on my days off. Cannot commit to permanently relocating to DFW. Will request transfer to IAH after completely 6 month Probationary Period.
Thank you for reaching out to us. We appreciate your interest in our Hotel Crash Pads, and we want to address all your questions as quickly and completely as possible. For starters, please visit our new interactive website at HotelCrashPads.com and click on the “LOCATIONS” tab, where you can learn about the overall scope of our nationwide network of Hotel Crash Pads, research details of the pad of your choice, create an account, complete all application forms, and make secure payment with a credit or debit card, all online. If you encounter any technical difficulties with the site or with the account creation or application processes, please contact our IT Support professionals at Support@3116Digital for technical assistance. If you have any pad-specific questions that can’t be answered by the information on our website, please email us at [email protected]. Thank you again, and we look forward to earning your business.
Hello! I have to report to Chicago on the 23rd of this month and would like to know if you have an vacancies?
Thank you for reaching out to us. We appreciate your interest in our Hotel Crash Pads, and we want to address all your questions as quickly and completely as possible. We can currently accommodate you in ORD! For starters, please visit our new interactive website at HotelCrashPads.com, where you can create a free online membership account, learn about the overall scope of our nationwide network of Hotel Crash Pads, research the details of each pad, check availability of spots in your preferred pad, complete all application forms, join any applicable waiting lists, and make secure payment with a credit or debit card to lock in a spot for the pad of your choice, all online. If you encounter any technical difficulties with the site or with the account creation and application processes, please contact our IT Support professionals at [email protected] for technical assistance. Please be mindful that spots in our pads are granted on a first-come, first-served basis, in order of those who pay-in and complete the application process. We apologize in advance if a spot is not available by the time you elect to pay for the pad. If you have any pad-specific questions that can’t be answered by the information on our website, please email us at [email protected]. Thank you again, and we look forward to earning your business.
Hello Bruce,
There are 2 of us Flight Attendants from Spirit Airlines that are looking for a crash pad in the FLL area ASAP. We will need it by April 1st, 2022. Do you have any availability?
Thanks very much for reaching out to us. We appreciate your interest in our Hotel Crash Pads. Although we don’t have any pads available in FLL at present, we are working on getting pads established there. Since your crash pad needs will probably change as time goes on, we do invite you to visit our new interactive website at HotelCrashPads.com, where you can create a free online membership account by scrolling to the bottom of the page and clicking on the “Become A Member” link, learn about the overall scope of our nationwide network of Hotel Crash Pads, research the details of each pad, check availability of spots in your preferred pad, complete all application forms, join any applicable waiting lists, and make secure payment with a credit or debit card to lock in a spot for the pad of your choice, all online. All the questions you might have about how our pads work can be found there in the detailed pad descriptions. If you encounter any technical difficulties with the site or with the account creation and application processes, please contact our IT Support professionals at [email protected] for technical assistance. If you have any pad-specific questions that can’t be answered by the information on our website, please email us at [email protected].
Please be mindful that spots in our pads are granted on a first-come, first-served basis, in order of those who pay-in and complete the application process. We apologize in advance if a spot is not available by the time you elect to pay for the pad. Thank you again, and we look forward to earning your business.
FREQUENTLY-ASKED QUESTIONS
https://hotelcrashpads.com/faqs/
Hello Bruce,
There are 2 of us Flight Attendants from Spirit Airlines looking for a crash pad in the FLL area. Do you have any availability for April 1, 2022?
Hello, looking for a crash pad in DEN, preferably with a shuttle, for Feb/March 2023.
Thank you for reaching out to us. We appreciate your interest in our Hotel Crash Pads. Answers to all the questions you might have about our pads and how they work can be found in the detailed pad descriptions found in the Locations section of our new interactive website, HotelCrashPads.com. With a quick visit to our website, you can learn about the overall scope of our nationwide network of Hotel Crash Pads, research all the details of the pad of your choice, check availability of spots in your preferred pad, create a free online membership account by clicking on the “Join Us” link, complete all required application forms, join any applicable waiting lists, and make secure online payment to lock in a spot for the pad of your choice. If you still have questions after reading the details of the pad you’re interested in, please refer first to our Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) at https://hotelcrashpads.com/faq/. If you still have questions after that, we will be happy to answer them via email. Our business hours are 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. Central time; during those hours, we will reply to email messages and website Contact form entries as quickly as possible. Contact attempts sent to us after 6:00 p.m. Central time will be answered after 8:00 a.m. the next business day.
Please be mindful that spots in our pads are granted on a first-come, first-served basis, in order of those who complete the application process and purchase subscriptions. We apologize in advance if no spots are available in the pad of your choice by the time you elect to make payment.
Thank you again, and we look forward to earning your business.
FREQUENTLY-ASKED QUESTIONS:
https://hotelcrashpads.com/faq/