Cabin crew have to be prepared for anything, so we tend to carry more around in our crew bag than we'd like. Of course, like everyone else, we need our wallet, keys, phone and other everyday items.

If a crew member is flying and on duty, they also have to carry their passport, crew ID card, cabin crew license, medical certificate and health insurance details. They also have to carry copies of their safety procedures manual, the aircraft type manual, first aid manual, and quick reference handbook or checklist as required by the airline and aviation authority. These may also be in digital format and there will be one copy onboard the aircraft.

Cabin crew will also have a company-issued service apron or waistcoat, spare hosiery, and cabin shoes (low-heeled shoes for the ladies during a flight). If you have a night stop or are on standby duty, you will have extra civilian clothes to wear down route - usually there is a selection as you could end up in the tropics or in Arctic weather.

5 Snacks and water

You never know whether you will need them while sitting on standby, during your flight if you don't get a crew meal, or you might need them down-route. It's good to have an emergency supply, just in case.

4 Amenity kit

It is a good idea to make your own amenity kit with things that you will use. You can get sample-size products from some department stores, or supermarkets sometimes give them away free. Or use the amenities at the hotel on your night-stop, toothpaste and toothbrush, deodorant, comb and scent are essentials.

If you wear make-up, mini size powders, concealer, mascara, and lipstick/lip balm can save the day. Also, It's handy to have if you get an unexpected night-stop due to the aircraft 'going tech' (the aircraft is grounded due to a technical problem.)

3 First aid items

Paracetamol or a mild painkiller are good to have on hand. A few band-aids can help when the crew shoes cause blisters. Eye drops and a nasal inhaler will increase comfort on long-haul flights. Cooling gel for burns is a great emergency item to have as cabin crew are subject to burns from the ovens and meal racks. Of course, since the pandemic, spare masks and gloves are crucial along with hand sanitizer and antiseptic wipes.

2 Sewing pack

You know those tiny sewing kits you find in the hotel drawers, with a needle, some thread and a button and safety pin? It becomes a crew bag essential, as you'd be surprised how many buttons fall off your uniform during a flight. At least you can maintain the uniform standards by sewing the buttons back on.

1 Pens and notebooks

These are a standard stash for cabin crew from the night-stop hotel. You can never have enough hotel pens and notepads in your crew bag. Notebooks are handy for writing down passenger drinks orders in the cabin or calculating a currency conversion for inflight retail or just writing your post-landing shopping list. Passengers often ask for pens when they have to fill in their immigration cards and of course, you never see the pen again, so it's always better to have some extras.

Depending on the airline, the cabin crew might be required to carry a retail sales kit for the selling of duty free or buy onboard items and charity ambassador kit for collecting donations for the preferred charity of the airline's choice, it differs airline to airline.