9:1 The Galley
The galley is the cabin crew's office. It's where you will keep all the equipment you need to carry out your job, and it is where you will spend time with other cabin crew members. The galley space is a confined and extremely cramped work area. Galleys are designed for maximum
usage of storage space. You'll have all your food, beverages, product inventory, and the airline trolley. You will also have cooking/food heating amenities, which can include a microwave, or a steam oven, or perhaps both on some aircrafts.
Also located in the galley is additional safety equipment, and storage for your travel bag. There will be a lot of time spent in this area, as it's where all the meal preparation takes place, and it is where trolley stock is replenished for sales during a flight.
A View Inside the Galley
The galley of a Qatar Airways Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner. This is also where the carts are stored, as they will have compartments where they're locked to secure the contents during the flight. The trolleys themselves are designed to be slim, allowing them to be easily manoeuvred, up anddown the aisle, serving whatever is on offer to passengers. This includes meals and drinks, and usually a different trolley for the products you are selling.
There are aspects of the galley cabin crew members must keep out of sight. This is not always for security reasons; it is because not doing so would disrupt the illusion of customer service for those on board. In the galley are areas where cabin crew members prepare food, dispose of trash, and keep the necessary equipment for keeping lavatories clean. With so much going on in such a small space it is necessary to keep the area clean and tidy not only to maintain the high standards that passengers expect but also to ensure that everyone has enough room to manoeuvre while they are working.
In the galley are areas for you to store your trolleys, as well as areas where additional items for the trolley are stored. It is worth noting that there are areas where you will strap the trolleys in, and this must be done during turbulence. Not doing so poses the risk of trolleys careering down the flight deck, which in turn can lead to injuries amongst staff and passengers alike.
Whenever a cabin crew member runs out of particular goods on their trolley, they will return to the galley to stock up on extra items. Again, it is necessary to keep such items out of public view. As you can probably now see, the galley is an area of privacy. It is usually the case that the toilets are right next to it. In addition, if a passenger cannot grab your attention using the overhead alarm system, they may venture towards the galley. They are not banned from entering it entirely, but you should not let them close to the cockpit, for security reasons. In addition, it is worth noting that the galley is where you go to should you need to relay concerns or hold a private conversation.
Examples of this can include:
a.When you want to let another member of staff know you are not happy with their conduct
b.When you wish to convey concerns regarding passenger safety
c.When you want to let another member of staff know that you suspect a passenger is behaving strangely
d.As stated at the beginning of the chapter, the galley is your office. Treat it as such, and care for it well.
Module Summary
The galley is a small space, yet it is where most of the important actions take place for a cabin crew member. In the galley, you will find everything you need to perform your role. This module detailed the equipment available, storage, and how you can keep that equipment safe. In addition, you found out why the galley should primarily be kept private from passengers. Finally, we discovered why it is important to understand that the galley is where all private conversations take place. It offers the illusion that nothing is too much trouble, and ensures passengers do not see behind the scenes.
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