Flight Attendants Share 90-Second 'Hotel Room Autopsy' Safety Routine

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In Short: Flight attendants have shared a 90-second safety routine they call the 'hotel room autopsy,' which they perform before unpacking their bags in a new hotel room. This quick check is designed to familiarize them with their surroundings and identify any potential safety concerns.

According to Aura Martinez, a New York-based flight attendant with 19 years of experience, the routine involves scanning the room to ensure no one is inside and making sure everything looks as it should. She also advises travelers to know the layout of the hotel, such as the location of the stairwell and the number of doors between their room and the exit.

The safety check aligns with recommendations from the U.S. State Department for hotel safety, as reported by Fox News Digital. Experts recommend checking that the room phone is working so that travelers can reach the front desk or emergency services if their cellphones aren't functioning.

Flight attendants also advise caution when someone unexpectedly knocks on the door, even if they claim to be hotel staff. They suggest placing a portable door alarm or door wedge at the base of the door to provide an additional layer of reassurance, especially for solo travelers.

The routine is popular among airline crew members who spend hundreds of nights in hotels each year. It comes from years of experience sleeping in strange rooms in different countries, under varying fire rules and levels of hotel security.

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"This is not a nervous habit," said a recent post from CabinCrew24, an online resource for flight attendants and aviation professionals.
"Know whether you turn left or right when you leave your room, approximately how far the stairwell is and, if possible, how many doors you would pass before reaching it," she said.
Martinez also said a small flashlight is an "incredibly underrated" item to pack for your travels.
Before unpacking their bags, many flight attendants perform what they call a "hotel room autopsy," a quick, six-step safety check to make sure their rooms are safe before settling in.
Flight attendants say spending about 90 seconds checking a hotel room before unpacking can help travelers become familiar with their surroundings and identify potential safety concerns.

Sources

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