I went inside the secret room where pilots sleep on long-haul flights. It was the best seat on the plane.

• Pilots take shifts on long-haul flights. When they’re not flying, they rest in hidden rooms.
• I toured the secret room stationed above business class on an Air New Zealand Boeing 777-300ER.
• It was the nicest spot on the aircraft, with two beds, two recliners, and plenty of space.  

Twelve hours is a long time for anyone to be on a plane.

But when you are responsible for flying the aircraft, it’s an even tougher role. That’s why pilots take shifts on long-haul flights.

When pilots aren’t in the cockpit, they’re resting in secret rooms on board the aircraft.

On a 12-hour Air New Zealand flight from Auckland, New Zealand, to Los Angeles, I toured this part of the plane that most people don’t see.