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Original poster

Cabin crew?

56 replies

Pigeonchested · 17/02/2023 07:55

I have always wanted to do this. I live nearish to Heathrow, I’m 45, kids are late teens so starting to get some freedom back in my life. No experience but I want a new job/some excitement/to travel more. Would I be mad to look into this? Am I too old? Would anyone want to employ me? I’d rather do long haul than short if I had the choice. Is it feasible / possible?

OP posts:
Cookerhood · 17/02/2023 08:07

A friend did it when she was over 50. Like you, it was something she had always wanted to do. It's poorly paid & tiring but she loves it (BA).

Cookerhood · 17/02/2023 08:08

With BA (I think) anyone who joins now is "mixed fleet" which means they do both short & long haul.

Mercurial123 · 17/02/2023 08:10

BA employees older cabin crew and I think KLM. I'd go for it.

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MrWhippersnapper · 17/02/2023 08:11

Virgin employs older crew too

BagOfDust · 17/02/2023 08:11

Go for it! If you don't try you will never know, and that would be a tough regret!

Bigpinktrain · 17/02/2023 08:12

I have always wanted to do this.
I missed the boat when I was young and child free, I will perhaps consider trying in ten years when they are older! (I will be 45)

kellj · 17/02/2023 08:15

Go for it. You're never too old

EasilyDirected · 17/02/2023 08:15

I flew Easyjet last week and noticed that one of the cabin crew looked to be about my age, 50s, I'd say go for it.

Harebrain · 17/02/2023 08:15

I’d say go for it too. (This would be the perfect time for someone who’s Cabin Crew to do an AMA!)

Iamanunsafebuilding · 17/02/2023 08:17

Do it! My DD joined easyJet last year as cabin crew and she loves it. On paper the pay isn't great but it really adds up, by the time she gets her basic salary plus sector pay and commission on onboard sales she earns a decent wage!

KangarooKenny · 17/02/2023 08:52

Plenty of older cabin crew on TUI.

Nimbostratus100 · 17/02/2023 08:55

I have a friend who just started this new career post 45

notimagain · 17/02/2023 08:56

Rostering and pay are very much airline specific

Be interesting to get info from somebody currently working as BA cabin crew (CC) to get the current realities of their pay and rostering...working from memory the former can be poor and the latter can be pretty brutal.

BA CC are all rostered a mix of short haul and long haul trips rosters, the old days of being dedicated short haul or long haul CC have gone.

You'll travel but don't expect a massive number of days off down route on Longhaul trips - most places it's one night, maybe two, then back to London or o rare occasions off elsewhere..

MermaidEyes · 17/02/2023 09:21

My friend has just started working for BA, same age as you! Lifelong dream and she's loving it! Go for it. If you don't try you'll never know.

MaoamAddict · 17/02/2023 09:57

Friend's aunt started at 55 and absolutely loved it, preferred long haul so she got a couple of days the other end, as long as your DC are old enough to not need wraparound care etc then absolutely!

notimagain · 17/02/2023 10:16

If I can just pitch back in just to point out there's no such thing as a generic cabin crew job (or pilot job for that matter- things like days off (or not) after Long Haul, days off down route, night stops etc are very much airline, contract Industrial agreement dependent, even base dependent.

The IMHO OP needs to try and communicate directly with somebody currently in the job at an airline they are interested in to get a real feel for the job at that place

I know when I was working and BA introduced mixed fleet (after much controversy) the demography was varied...many people right across the age spectrum joined - many were quite open in saying that they intended to give it a try for a year or two but the rostering wasn't for them long term.

Coco9910 · 17/02/2023 10:36

I was cabin crew for 5 years and would highly recommend it! You definitely are not too old! The main thing they look for when recruiting crew is how they get on with other people, as you will be working with strangers a lot of the time. Your age would be a massive advantage for your life experience! (Hope that doesn’t come across rude!) BA has changed in recent years and it is paid a lot more fair now. It also hires permanent crew, where as Virgin was hiring seasonal (might have changed from the last I heard!)

Happy to answer any questions about cabin crew! I did long and short haul - my airline doesn’t exist anymore though 😅

sydneysunset · 17/02/2023 10:37

Some of the Cabin Crew on United appear to be in their 70s, so age is no longer the barrier it once was

mummyh2016 · 17/02/2023 10:43

Do it!
I did it when I was younger for a couple of years, without a doubt it was the most enjoyable job I've had. I only did short haul for a budget airline.
I only packed it in as my partner (now DH) also worked shifts and we were like ships passing in the night at times which I struggled with.

notimagain · 17/02/2023 11:04

sydneysunset · 17/02/2023 10:37

Some of the Cabin Crew on United appear to be in their 70s, so age is no longer the barrier it once was

FWIW it hasn’t been for sometime in the States…I think American Airlines have or had flight attendants aged well over 80.

Original poster
Pigeonchested · 17/02/2023 11:50

This is great, thank you all so much! I thought I’d get loads of posters telling me I’m too old and that it’s exhausting etc

i like the look of BA to be honest as they seem to do more structured shifts from what I gather (eg you could do Tuesday - Friday each week or whatever) and not sure others do that - does anyone know if that’s true? They don’t have any Heathrow vacancies at the moment though 😢 I looked at Virgin but they have a 6 week training course in Gatwick which would be a pain as I don’t want to be away for that long in one go (kids are older but not that old I want to go away for that long) but there may be ways around that perhaps. I’ll keep looking - thanks for all the encouragement!

OP posts:
DesertRose64 · 17/02/2023 12:03

OP, I really hope this becomes a reality for you. But, maybe the fact there’s a 6 week course away from home and you’re saying it’s problematic is the way you’ll find out if the job really is for you.

We’re an aviation family, flight deck, cabin crew and ATC and I just think that if you could do the 6 week course away from home it would set you up for anything you’d encounter when you start work.

All the very best to you OP. 🤝

Dozycuntlaters · 17/02/2023 12:11

My friend has just started doing this for Jet2, she is mid 50's.

mummyh2016 · 17/02/2023 12:20

Pigeonchested · 17/02/2023 11:50

This is great, thank you all so much! I thought I’d get loads of posters telling me I’m too old and that it’s exhausting etc

i like the look of BA to be honest as they seem to do more structured shifts from what I gather (eg you could do Tuesday - Friday each week or whatever) and not sure others do that - does anyone know if that’s true? They don’t have any Heathrow vacancies at the moment though 😢 I looked at Virgin but they have a 6 week training course in Gatwick which would be a pain as I don’t want to be away for that long in one go (kids are older but not that old I want to go away for that long) but there may be ways around that perhaps. I’ll keep looking - thanks for all the encouragement!

You might find the structured shifts is something is something that will be available only when you've worked there a while. Happy to be corrected though!

SVRT19674 · 17/02/2023 12:24

Oh I hope it works out for you. I applied for BA when I was 26, my interview was at Gatwick on 11/09/2001. We watched the two planes hit the twin towers on their screens, days later all airlines ditched thousands of workers. So, got nowhere.