But while pilots and flight attendants say the huge amount of time in isolation puts a strain on them, the real difficulty is being made to feel unwelcome when they get back home.
Dave Church has been flying for Air New Zealand for 27 years. The 787 captain says the last year has been pretty miserable for pilots.
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New Zealand air line pilots' association president Andrew Ridling says long-haul pilots have spent the last year locked in hotel rooms.
“There’s been a lot of job losses, and some of those who kept their jobs have been down-trained,” he said. So it hasn’t just been a case of immediate financial impact – some pilots have found themselves down a rung on the career ladder, affecting their long-term job prospects.