The ushers of air travel may have traditionally been young women and a smattering of gay men, but the days of the “trolley dolly” have been retired in favour of a more inclusive kind of cabin crew. With easyJet reporting a four-fold increase in over-60s joining their fleet of on-board staff since 2022, this group now comprises 12 per cent of the carrier’s cabin crew, who earn salaries ranging from £19,000 to £28,000.
The i Paper spoke to Andy Hampson, a 61-year-old cabin crew member, to find out why, three years ago, he pivoted to this career.
I used to be in corporate conferences and events, but with Covid, the hospitality industry was decimated, and the introduction of Zoom and things like Microsoft Teams didn’t help either.
I’d wanted to be a pilot when I was a boy, but that never happened, so when I saw easyJet’s advert for over-50s to join, I thought I’d apply – never ever thinking that I’d get the job because of my age. But I began my training in February 2023; becoming cabin crew is the best thing I ever did.
Physically, the assessment can be challenging. You need to be able to lift customers’ luggage into the overhead lockers, you also have to prove your ability to swim, to tread water for a certain time, and also to climb unaided into a life raft. There’s also an element of firefighting! But I’m relatively fit, and in decent shape.
You also have to be situationally aware – or alert – from the moment you start your shift to when you finish.
I was paid during training, which was handy, and because I’m a bit older I was used to early starts, which sometimes came at 5am. It was all there to prepare us for shifts where we need to commit to, say, a 4.45am arrival at the airport for a 6am flight.
The pay is a drop from my previous job, but most people over 50 find their best earning years are behind them. But I get free food and drink on every flight, a pension fund and private healthcare. I also get a lot of time off, because of my shift patterns on top of 28 days’ holiday. It will typically be five days working followed by four days off, followed by five days working, followed by three days off, and repeat. But most importantly, I am always flying with different crew and different passengers to different places. It keeps things exciting, and most of all, I get to work amongst a bunch of young people who make me feel young. It kind of rubs off on me and I come home with a smile on my face.
When you get to 61, you appreciate how many different people there are in the world, so I always give people a smile and look for the good in them. It does irritate me, though, when they are listening with their earphones in while we’re trying to perform the safety demo.
We have a really good gate crew who will pick up if someone is inebriated and sometimes will deem them unfit to fly. When passengers do drink too much I’ll take the position of being a mate towards them. If there’s a free seat, I’ll sit in it, chat with them, make a joke with them, and then slip it into the conversation – “There’s a family next door, so shall we just keep it down?” Or I’ll say, “My name’s Andy and I know what you’re going through, I’ve been in your position many times. You’re itching to get to where you’re going and you’re itching to party”. It’s about being personal and reasonable, because once you’ve got them onside, the battle’s won.
Sometimes they will say, “Okay, Andy, we’ll quieten down a bit because it’s you.” They’re appreciative of my age.
We also get people who are scared of flying. I used to be one of them. I’d clutch on to the armrest every time I flew, until I did a skydive in 2015 and it absolutely cured me. So I’ll tell them that story, and that these planes are designed for the worst the weather can throw at them. People do seem to take more from me as this elderly guy who’s had more life experience than those who are fresh out of school. I’m not in any way dismissing the valuable input of my younger colleagues, but the passenger does sometimes feel that way.
Screaming children are an annoyance to everyone on the aircraft and there’s no point glaring at the parents because they’re just as embarrassed. So when the aircraft is cruising I’ll go up to the family and suggest them walking the kid around the galley or warming up the bottle of milk in some boiling water. It’s about using common sense rather than having a rigid plan to stick to.
We also have Olbas Oil that we spread on to a tissue and give to passengers when their ears are popping. It really helps because it opens up the nasal cavity. As for people being sick, we put the bags into biohazard bags and, really, when you’ve had children, a little bit of sick doesn’t bother you so much.
We’re only legally allowed to work 13 hours at a time. I’m based in Gatwick and will do four flights a day when it’s shorter flights to, say, Munich and Edinburgh, or two flights a day when it’s a journey to Egypt, Turkey or Tenerife.
I live with my wife, my 82-year-old mother-in-law, my 23-year-old daughter and our Labrador, who’s quite clingy. With my shift pattern, I get a lot of time off, and it means there’s always someone who is going to be at home for the dog.
Me and my wife get discounted flights, too, and I often get tips from passengers. If we’re on the way back from a destination I can ask, “How was it? What’s the price of things like? Is it cheap?” And more often than not, I’ll take their advice and book a holiday based on their information. Like when someone painted such a beautiful picture of Cyprus that we decided to visit.
Hence then, the article about at 61 i retrained as an air steward i m having the time of my life was published today ( ) and is available on inews ( Middle East ) The editorial team at PressBee has edited and verified it, and it may have been modified, fully republished, or quoted. You can read and follow the updates of this news or article from its original source.
Read More Details
Finally We wish PressBee provided you with enough information of ( At 61, I retrained as an air steward – I’m having the time of my life )
Also on site :
- Sandra Bullock Seemingly Drops Hint That Olivia Rodrigo and Stevie Nicks Have Music in ‘Practical Magic 2’
- We Asked 3 Child Psychologists for the Best Question To Ask Kids at the Dinner Table, and They All Said the Same Thing
- Iconic 2007 Hit Ranked One of the Greatest Comedy Movies of All Time Was Written by Two 13-Year-Old Boys in Vancouver