‘I became an easyJet flight attendant at 64. I hope I’m still here in my 80s’

Cabin crew? Isn’t that a job for young people? Well, not according to easyJet, which started a campaign in 2022 to recruit flight attendants who are comfortably into their middle years. The resulting figures in their Returnship Initiative tell their own story: the number of staff members aged over 50 has doubled, while the number of those over 60 has quadrupled.

To many, this may come as a surprise – indeed, it’s likely that there were even some doubts at easyJet that anyone would even apply, considering that research shows 71 per cent of people above the age of 50 assume that their age would count against them when applying for a new job.

This age group doesn’t, it should be pointed out, think that the hirers are usually getting it right here, however. In fact, three-quarters of them also believed this was the perfect time for a change of career.

EasyJet agreed. Let’s face it, if you need someone who is good at handling people – and especially people who can often be tired or anxious – a little motherly common sense can go a very long way. Add to that a history of a few decades of punctuality, coping with stressful situations, strong communication, running an office or a business or bringing up a family, and you have quite a few life skills that transfer very smoothly to this particular job.

It was not, however, a career choice Francesca Hicks had ever considered when, at the age of 64, she saw a TV advert about the scheme. She’d been a mother, a secretary, and a nurse for people with dementia and delirium – so she certainly had the life experience required. Curious to know more, she attended a taster open day, and quite simply decided she was going to love it. A formal application followed, along with vetting and a couple of interviews, and then she was on the easyJet training course.

“The training is intense,” she says. “There are lots of different subjects and you need to get a high mark in all of the exams. People assume it’s all about serving food, greeting people and saying goodbye to them. In fact, you have to be constantly vigilant. You’re trained in CPR, first aid and safety, what to do if there is a fire on board – it’s an important job with a lot of responsibility. Fortunately, I haven’t experienced too many emergencies. You do get people who are unwell because they’re dehydrated or who faint. Ironically, after 250 flights as cabin crew, it was on a personal flight when I was going on holiday that someone became so ill that the plane had to be diverted.”

The 5am starts even happen on the course – to get you into the habit – and there are wet drills in the swimming pool for emergency water landings and training for security breaches. Not a job for the faint hearted, then. Cabin crew flying short-haul routes can have up to four flights in a day, while for longer flights, there are often layovers. It’s not until she gets her monthly roster that Francesca knows to which of the airline’s destinations she’ll be travelling.

“It’s busy and it’s fast paced,” she says. “We’re on the plane an hour before the passengers to carry out all the checks, and we have weekly briefings and updates. It’s like homework but it keeps you refreshed. It can be tiring at times, but we take onboard breaks when we can and we all look after each other. We’re all ages on the team and the younger ones often find it easier to talk to me. Maybe I’m a bit of a mum for some people.

“I think we challenge the cabin crew stereotype and the passengers definitely notice and seem happy to see an older face. Of course, there are the entitled, rude ones – but mostly people are lovely and like to chat, just as I do. They’ll talk about where they’ve been, what they’ve been doing, visiting grandchildren or buying a holiday home. They are often very friendly and I’ve had offers of a free hair cut or a meal or a glass of wine.

“They do ask me about how I got into the job, too. Many have reached the point where their children have left home, they’ve got the people skills and they want to fill a gap in their own lives. I just tell them how much I enjoy it. It’s an attractive career choice.”

Sixteen months on from that first fateful application, Francesca has no plans for her own retirement. Her family are thrilled with her new job, she says. “And I love the new challenge. I know one member of staff who’s 74. I think I’m still a child at heart, too. I hope I’m still here in my 80s.”

[Source: Daily Telegraph]