the flight now landing at marks & sparks ...

For airline crews, London is the hottest ticket: 2,000 'space waiters' land in the capital each day and, boy, can they shop. By Tyler Brule

peeding up and down the aisles of Sainsbury's on Cromwell Road, west London, Britta and Magnus are behaving like crazed contestants on a Scandinavian version of Supermarket Sweep. The pair have just stocked up on a variety of tikka and masala ready meals, cleaned out the toiletry department, filled up on Sainsbury's own label wine and are now jockeying for a position in the check-out queue.

For the staff at Sainsbury's Kensington, Britta and Magnus' commando- style approach to consumerism is an hourly occurrence. "They all stay at a hotel across the street and they always leave their grocery shopping till the last minute, so they're usually in a rush because they're trying to catch their flights."

Having spent pounds 70 in eight minutes, the blonde bobbed duo race across the car park, disappear into the dull grey monstrosity that is the Forum Hotel and minutes later emerge through the hotel's front door in the muted tones of their Scandinavian Airlines (SAS) uniforms, just in time to catch their shuttle bus to Heathrow.

For flight crews based in locales as diverse as Sydney or Sao Paolo, London is ranked as one of the hottest destinations. There are nearly 2,000 flight attendants in the capital on any given day and, for them, it's shopping heaven. If you've ever wondered why Boots has totally sold out of Gillette Sensor razor blades or why a certain gingham shirt is no longer available on the rails at Jigsaw Menswear, it might have something to do with the fact that Qantas flight QF9 has just landed from Singapore disgorging 15 label-conscious cabin crew, or that Magnus has briefed his colleagues back in Stockholm on what's hot in London's chain stores.

"A lot of us bid for routes according to when new collections arrive in the shops and where they'll be cheapest," explains Magnus. "So, for example, we don't buy things from The Gap in London because it's cheaper in New York but a lot of girls I fly with like to come to London every few weeks because they want to see the new things at Oasis or Warehouse, and we all like buying food from M&S."

Towering behind Gloucester Road tube station, the Forum Hotel is the economic lifeline to the convenience stores that dot the pavement. "We're the ones that put Harts and Cullens on the map," says Sean from American Airlines. "That stretch of Gloucester Road is always buzzing because you've got hundreds of flight attendants arriving and departing at all hours and we're always looking for something to eat."

"Those American Airlines girls really love their donuts," says Anna, an SAS girl from Oslo, as she watches three middle-aged women picking through the mix of glazed and jelly-filled offerings at Harts' self-service bar. "You can tell American crews because the women all have the same bad perms and aerobic shoes and the men are all in love with their hairdryers."

Over at the Forum, a crew member from American Airlines says that the SAS girls are "all up themselves" because they've got great winter coats and they're well paid.

Given that most countries have only one flag carrier, it's not surprising that national differences play themselves out in hotel lobbies in third countries. "We make fun of each other's uniforms and do our own thing. We don't hang out together just because we're space waitresses," says Deb from Qantas.

Late Saturday afternoon at the Forum, tanned girls from Qantas stagger through the doors in packs of twos and threes, laden down with bags from Hennes, Boots, Jigsaw, Selfridges, Habitat and Oasis.

"Those girls are simply known as the 'shoppers' ," says Jason from Qantas, pointing across the lobby. "They just travel from one destination to the next, buying up clothes and housewares to fill their little bijoux flats in Paddington." He smiles with reluctant pride. "They're the ones who make the whole thing still look glamourous."

WHERE THEY EAT

Wagamama: SAS, Qantas

Wheeler's: American Airlines

Kentucky Fried Chicken and Burger King: all airlines, but only when desperate

TGI Friday's: SAS Stockholm crews only

Bombay Brasserie: Qantas and Lufthansa

WHAT THEY BUY

Boots Apple Shampoo: SAS

Boots Bath Oil: American Airlines

M&S underwear: SAS, Qantas

Museli from Sainsburys: all American crews

Jigsaw Menswear short-sleeve gingham shirts: Qantas, SAS

Oasis hipsters: Qantas Shelly's Shoes: SAS trainees