FAQ: the cargo access.
The cargo of a private jet is an important area, extremely necessary for the flight attendants.
On many private jets, the cargo is pressurised, heated and accessible during the flight.
Access from lavatory
ON Private Jets such as Bombardier Global 6000, Gulfstream G650, Dassault Falcon 7X the cargo is located at the very end of the cabin and is accessible trough a door inside the customer’s lavatory, which is the bigger bathroom.
In order to get to the cargo, the crew must walk trough the whole cabin, enter the lavatory and then open the cargo door.
The cargo door is thicker and heavier compared to the other cabin doors.
There are sliding panels that allows to divide the cabin into smaller areas and provide privacy and tranquility to the customers.
One of these panels is also by the galley and separates the galley form the cabin.
The flight attendant usually keeps this door closed during the entire flight (apart from service time) to ensure privacy to the guests.
Why is so important to have access to the cargo?
In the cargo of a private jet there are usually a lot of supplies that must be available to the flight attendant for the hospitality service he/she will provide.
For example, there are some food items that we use to restock the galley.
There is also water and wine stock.
Moreover, in the cargo you can find the items you need to mount the beds such as pillows, duvet, mattresses.
Not everybody knows that a VIP flight attendant is responsible of the cleanliness of the jet interiors and usually the cargo is where you can find the vacuum cleaner.
Cargo door procedure
The procedure for the cargo door really depends on the type of jet and the manufacture.
In general, the cargo door is connects to an alarm that pops up in the cockpit when you open it.
It can be a visual alert or a visual and acoustic alert.
It’s a good habit of the flight attendant to inform the pilots when she/he intends to open the cargo door.
This is usedule for them in order to prepare themselves to see/hear that alarm.
It’s also necessary that the cargo door is properly closed for take of and landing as part of the cabin preparation duties.
How does the cargo look like?
Well, the cargo is basically an empty room.
Usually the space of a hold is calculated in cubic feet.
There is a door in the fuselage that allows the pilots to load the suitcases (it’s their duty to load and unload the suitcases in the Business Aviation).
We often joke abut the pilots playing Tetris while trying to load all the suitcases!
The cargo might also be organised with fixed shelves and horizontal panels that help the storage organisation.
Then, there are some nets to mount to keep the luggage in the same position during take off, landing and turbulence.
In the types of jets I mentioned above, the cargo area is very big.
An adult can stand still, and you can stow many suitcases, around 20 to 30 pieces.
And yes, before you ask: we often fill the cargo up to the ceiling!