Flight attendants warn of destination where their passports get temporarily taken away
Flight attendants have shared the one destination they wish they could avoid flying to.
The life of a modern flight attendant is very different to that enjoyed by the aisle walkers of the golden age of aviation. For most in the industry now, it is a hard job that involves multiple trips each day if you're flying short-haul, and long-layovers in far-flung countries if you're working on longer flights.
As fun as exploring the world may be, flight attendants do not get to choose where they fly to - meaning they can end up in countries they don't love. And many of them agree on the one that they are most keen to avoid. They have done so as a pilot shared the destination that he would never fly to.
Do you have experience of working as a flight attendant? We'd love to hear from you. Email webtravel@reachplc.com
For many flight attendants, that destination is Saudi Arabia. One of the big issues, according to aviators posting on the industry forum Airliners.net, is that international staff are required to hand in their passports for the duration of their stay.
"Saudi Arabia holds passports on arrival. You get them back just before departure. No receipt either. Just a ziploc with all the crew member passports taken away by an official. Good times," one flight attendant wrote on the forum.
As well as having to hand over the one document that can get you out of the country, there are other reasons why aviators don't love spending layovers in the Middle Eastern country. Its notoriously harsh laws regarding sexuality and gender being a big one.
LGBTQ+ cabin crew members are not able to avoid travelling to Saudi, despite the the fact the state criminalises LGBTQ+ people including imposing the death penalty.
When one flight attendant asked if they'd be able to avoid trips to Saudi based on their sexuality, a fellow aviator wrote on Airliners.net: "It is not a legitimate reason. This a work trip, not a vacation. It's your job. Keep any political views and sexual orientations that are potentially offensive to the destination in the closet, so to speak.
"We have plenty of homosexual crew. They still fly to Malaysia, the UAE, and Saudi Arabia. Immigration there can't read your mind. They'll never know if you're homosexual unless you tell them.
"Can it be tedious? Certainly. No one enjoys having to dress in a certain restrictive way, or having their passport confiscated on arrival. But again, it's part of the job. If you didn't want to fly to places you don't like, you should not be aircrew at an international carrier."
These experiences are, of course, anecdotal, and other flight attendants may have more positive experiences of travelling to and feelings about working in Saudi Arabia. This year Wizz Air has moved into the Saudi market, launching low-cost flights from Gatwick to Jeddah.
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I witnessed someone having to leave their watch as collateral and rushing out to find an ATM late at night. Just save yourself the hassle. Keep in mind that it's a closed currency, so you can only get it once you get there, and you can't take it back with you at the end of your trip. Visiting Tirana without Albanian Lek in cash will be painful. And trust me, because I tried. Some restaurants will accept cards, but not all. I witnessed someone having to leave their watch as collateral and rushing out to find an ATM late at night. Just save yourself the hassle. Keep in mind that it's a closed currency, so you can only get it once you get there, and you can't take it back with you at the end of your trip. Have the details of a taxi company at hand: Sore feet (or heels!) and walking don't go well together. Uber and Bolt don't operate in Albania. We used Green Taxi from and to the airport, but our Airbnb host also recommended Blue Taxi and Taxi Lux. Sore feet (or heels!) and walking don't go well together. Uber and Bolt don't operate in Albania. We used Green Taxi from and to the airport, but our Airbnb host also recommended Blue Taxi and Taxi Lux. Check out the airport lounge for a bit of luxury: If you want to finish your holiday with a treat, visit the Business Lounge at Tirana Airport. Entering costs £25 (or free with Priority Pass), and it will save you from the crowded waiting area. They have a wide selection of good food and drinks, but the freshly baked cakes deserve a special mention. This article was originally published on 17 April 2025 and has been updated. MORE: Greek island dubbed 'Mykonos of the Sporades' is a gem that's 26C in September MORE: I visited the 'world's most fun airport' that makes family holidays easy MORE: The spectacular city you must visit to watch the FIFA World Cup in 2026
