dh108,
I was an AQM on Hastings but just did the one tour before converting to Lockheed's masterpiece.
As has been mentioned the Hastings was unpressurised so at any height above 10000 feet oxygen was normally required. A trip from Akrotiri to Khormaksar would involve cruising heights well above this. Getting to the toilets at the back of the a/c could be a scramble as the small portable oxy bottles were of very limited duration.
In these circumsatances pax would be on oxygen in their seats and the regulations stipulated that they had to stay awake. You can imagine how difficult this was on a night flight !
The Hastings sloping floor did not make for easy loading, especially vehicles etc. The arrival of the Hercules was 'the great leap forward' IMHO.