Airlines typically put a lot of effort into finding suitable accommodations for crews on layovers, so this is a (sort of) hilarious mix up, if you ask me…
In this post:
British Airways staff put up in Milan love motel
Ordinarily, airlines have agreements with hotels in various cities for accommodating crews, so generally crews stay at the same hotels. However, sometimes issues arise, with room availability, last minute cancelations, etc., and then airlines have to work to find other places for crews to stay.
The Sun reports on a rather awkward situation that British Airways pilots and flight attendants dealt with during a layover in Milan on the night of Thursday, June 12, 2025.
For whatever reason, at least 12 pilots and flight attendants weren’t able to stay at British Airways’ standard hotel in the city, so the carrier’s hotel booking team booked staff elsewhere. The only problem is that they were accidentally booked in a pay-by-the-hour sex motel. According to an insider:
“Crew were booked into a pay-by-the-hour sex hotel last Thursday. They were confronted with bondage sets, mirrored ceilings, human dog cages and leather harnesses. It was obvious that this wasn’t the place the crew was supposed to stay. It was a comical mistake by the hotel booking team, but had serious implications.”
Some of the team who stayed in the sex dungeon didn’t get any sleep, so they couldn’t operate on BA services the following day. They were kept awake by thrillseekers moaning and groaning all day and night. Staff reported constant noise, and witnessed ‘drug deals and prostitution,’ as well as a ‘24-hour orgy.’ There were adult workers outside propositing staff. Crew even reported suspicious fluids in their rooms which made their skin crawl.”
British Airways has sort of acknowledged the incident, releasing the following statement:
“A small number of crew were moved to unapproved hotel rooms due to availability issues with our usual provider, without our knowledge. We are urgently investigating to prevent a repeat.”
How could the airline make this mistake?
Logically, you’re probably wondering how an airline could make a mistake like this, and book staff at a pay-by-the-hour sex motel. Well, this is where it gets truly wild.
The crew was reportedly supposed to be booked at Mo.om Hotel, a pretty standard four-star property. Instead, they were booked at Motel Mo.om, a pay-by-the-hour sex motel, which also claims to be a four-star property. I can totally see how that mix-up could happen, but also… really?!?
Like, it actually takes quite a bit of searching online to find reference to this property, so you’d think that this mistake wouldn’t happen. Below are some of the hotel’s marketing pictures.
I find it interesting that the crew actually ended up spending the night at this property. You’d think they would’ve gotten in touch with their hotel support desk, and would’ve been accommodated somewhere else.
In fairness, some of the rooms at the hotel actually look semi-normal, so perhaps they were put up in those rooms, and didn’t realize what had happened until after checking in. Like, I imagine if they had been placed in cages and tied up, they might’ve objected more quickly (or not… who am I to judge?).
Bottom line
British Airways pilots and flight attendants were accidentally booked at a sex motel during a recent Milan layover. Their typical hotel wasn’t available, for whatever reason, so they had to be accommodated elsewhere. However, rather than being booked at Mo.om Hotel, they were booked at Motel Mo.om. Oops! I can’t help but wonder how often people either book or show up at the wrong “version” of that property.
What do you make of this British Airways mix-up?
Did the entire crew complain or just some of them?
TIL people are weird.
Looks nicer than most of the hotels AA puts its passengers up in, so I don’t see what the big deal is.
12 crew members at once makes me think a long-haul flight to London may have diverted to Milan and BA's approved Milan hotel may have been sold out at the same time.
It's not a surprising number considering they've got multiple daily flights to both airports.
BA used to lay over at the Hilton in Milan. I was there once, and actually had a pretty fun evening hanging out with some of the crew in the lounge, and considering the conversations we were having, I suspect most of them would have been just fine if they'd been placed in a sex hotel.
The comments section has delivered!
Hey Ben, how come you have pictures of that establishment? Care to explain to your followers?
I once stayed in a hotel like this outside Ensenada. It was totally private, entirely quiet and serviceable. The furniture was probably more helpful than I needed, the color scheme was sort of like a Mercure hotel, lots of purple and black with silks and velvets. No windows.
The minibar had a menu of additional items that involved latex, silicone and black plastic, but the prices were totally fair.
There were no windows. Each room...
I once stayed in a hotel like this outside Ensenada. It was totally private, entirely quiet and serviceable. The furniture was probably more helpful than I needed, the color scheme was sort of like a Mercure hotel, lots of purple and black with silks and velvets. No windows.
The minibar had a menu of additional items that involved latex, silicone and black plastic, but the prices were totally fair.
There were no windows. Each room had a private garage in the front with its own garage door. So you can imagine driving into the the motel in privacy, closing the garage door behind your car in security, and then from the garage to the large apartment. Spanish tile floors. About $25 a night but you could book three hours for just 200 pesos instead.
I guarantee that it was way better than in Milan.
The lady who checked me in emphasized in English though, "It's for hookers"
Milan is a historic airport, fascinating place if you haven't been. BA services Milan, I imagine, from London, right?
I've stayed in a love motel in Kaohsiung and my room (basically suite) was significantly more spacious and overall better than what was being offered in the corporate hotels at 200+% more.
Human dog cage? Sounds like long haul economy to me!
Pride Month?
Make sure you let them know your Bonvoyeur status when booking...
Why would BA book them at any off-site hotel in Milan? Weird.
@ DaninMCI -- Off-site from the airport, you're saying? Often contracts with crews dictate that they are entitled to stay at a property in the city rather than near the airport, since it's more desirable in terms of activities.
The answer to the question we all want to know though is - does the Milanese sex dungeon hotel offer its guests bottled water??
In Milan, water should come with the Last Supper.
And I thought it was bad enough that I check for bed bugs in a hotel room by inspecting the mattress seems for the bugs’ telltale stains. How are the patrons at this hotel supposed to differentiate the bug stains from all the others?
"Lynn, these are sex people"
Oh you act like half the crew wouldn’t already have plans to be there anyways
You guys, the IRS, they allow for T&A, it's fine.
I didn't know about this hotel and I live in Milan!! Thanks for sharing it!
Someone in crew scheduling will have a lot of explaining to do.
I love staying at this hotel!
Cmon fake person using my name, do you have a serious inferiority complex.
It's a made up name on the internet, and you're trying so hard to impersonate some alias that obviously isn't even real?
Or did your lazy narcissist parents named you after themselves hence your mental problems with names.
It will be an honor if from now on you use Eskimo the II. Since you might not take it very well to be called junior.
This is Gold!
It's Gold that didn't cost GBP20k, either!
That's hilarious, though I think Japan still takes the cake for the most interesting themed adult hotels. I recall seeing one with a bouldering wall above the bed, which I have to say is probably one of the most niche fetishes imaginable...
Why do I never get put up in a hotel like this when I misconnect? Would certainly help take the edge off. The AA flight attendants who get off on treating their pax like the filthy worthless trash they are would fit right in with the hotel staff.
People from the country that created the Hellfire Club have no excuse to be shocked by a place like this. Although as a person who attends well-equipped gay bathhouses, this place is a bit over the top, although it might be worth a visit the next time I'm in Milan.
When can we expect a review of the Motel Mo‘om? Will you be reviewing it together with Ford?
Oh. Well. BA layovers have developed quite the reputation.
Don’t give Marriott any ideas on more brands to acquire
@ Dn10 -- Who needs elite qualifying nights, when you can instead have elite qualifying hours?!
Hey, at least then we'd have gotten credit for the Hyatt day rates during the pandemic!
Oh no, Marriott corporate might be taking notes already!
Oh they absolutely should add it. I hate missing on elite nights whenever I stay in a dungeon.
I wish Mariott would aquire these types of chains! I would go from being a Silver to an Ambassador Elite so quick, maybe even in one go if I may pat myself on the back.
Does the sex dungeon hotel have an elite status system? Which credit cards are transfer partners?
Their only transfer partner is RyanAir, since that pre-qualifies you as a masochist.