You are never crew old to fly! British Airways says over-50s are queueing up to join as flight attendants.
The flag carrier reports that the volume of new recruits aged 50 and above has increased in the last five years – up from one in 12 in 2019 to one in seven last year. And early indications for 2024 suggest that those numbers will increase with perhaps 20% of new cabin crew being aged over 50.
BA says it encourages people of all ages and backgrounds to join and values the transferable skills and life experience that they can bring. Here, three BA cabin crew say why they chose to take up a new career at 38,000ft later in life…
Helen Salmon, from Welwyn Garden City, Herts – joined aged 69, after getting a PhD when she was 60.
Margaret Eastaugh, from Sunderland, joined at 57 (PR HANDOUT)
Helen Salmon started flying at 69-years-old (PR HANDOUT)“After a series of different jobs in my 40s, such as hospitality and teaching ballet, I decided to go to university – an opportunity that wasn’t afforded to me when I was younger. I studied geology and finally achieved a PhD at the age of 60," she told the Mirror.
BA trainee claims they're 'jobless and miles from home' due to 'shambles'
“During this time, I was also employed in a mineral exploration company. This entailed a lot of travelling, something instilled in me by my parents when I was much younger.
“As my father was an aeronautical engineer, I was always fascinated by aviation and travel. When Covid struck, I couldn’t travel in the company I worked for any more and I felt I needed to pursue something else. I had been very interested in the airline business for many years, and I wanted to explore this further.
“The chance to mix my love of travel and my hospitality experience together was enticing and exciting and to do this for the national flag carrier was my dream. For British Airways to take me on at the age of 69 was incredibly gratifying and brave. I have had the chance to visit amazing places and as a representative of BA now, I hope to demonstrate to others that despite your age, you can still have qualities that are valued.”
Nigel Humphriss, a retired Metropolitan Police officer from Central London, joined at 59.
“I retired from the Metropolitan Police with an injury, and was looking for a suitable change of career. I thought ‘what would be better than a career in the airline industry as cabin crew?’ I applied to a company called Air Europe and got through the whole process of interviews and was given a start date," he said.
“In the interim period, I went from working as an estate agent to setting up my own business in Kent.
“This extremely successful venture culminated in me selling the business some years later, with offices dotted around Kent, to none other than Savills, which enabled me to take time off, move with my family to Naples in Florida for a two-year sabbatical and look at what I really wanted to do.
“It was at this point that I decided the massive itch that needed to be scratched was still there, and I made what turned out to be a successful application to British Airways at the ripe old age of 59!
“I am now 61 and loving every single minute of life. I have visited so many new countries, met so many fantastic people, both passengers and of course crew, and I just regret not being able to get into this industry much sooner.
“I would recommend any person considering retirement to think again and look at a complete career change, which gives the opportunity to travel the world, meet new people, and enjoy working for such a prestigious organisation.
“If I could inspire just one person to make this career change, I would be delighted.”
British Airways' January sale has £300 off holidays - here are the best deals
Margaret Eastaugh, from Sunderland – joined at 57, as a former civil servant whose son is an inflight manager at BA.
“I got my wings [cabin crew graduation] two months before I was 57. Previously, I was a civil servant for 28 years based in Newcastle and Seaham, specialising as a pensions and benefits officer. I can’t say I ever loved my job but the hours and flexibility fitted in with having two children, so I stayed for longer than I should have," she said.
“After experiencing a lot of changes in the job, it encouraged me to take early retirement and I started travelling a bit more with my son, who was cabin crew then. During that time, I met a few ‘mature’ crew, who inspired me to apply.
“When applying, I honestly didn’t think I would be accepted, being a larger and older lady. My son is now an inflight manager for BA and I love my job working with so many lovely crew. It’s amazing that I can travel the world and it is a privilege that I am now able to take my husband away on trips that we would have never been able to experience previously. I have never looked back.”
MORE INFO
careers.ba.com
Check out by signing up to our free weekly newsletter.
Read more similar news:
Comments:
comments powered by Disqus
