At 64, you can still reinvent everything, even your career. That is what Francesca Hicks did: after a lifetime spent helping people with dementia, she decided to become a flight attendant for easyJet.
Not a solitary choice: the British carrier has recently relaunched the Returnship program, designed precisely to attract over 50 individuals, people who want to change careers and retirees who wish to return to work. And the numbers tell a broader story than a single recruitment drive. Since 2022, entries of cabin crew over 50 have more than doubled, those over 60 have quadrupled.
Not only easyJet. The British This Morning program has gathered other similar stories, such as Sarah Parker, who joined British Airways at 57, or Tim Bott, who after thirty years in the Kent police left the uniform for Virgin Atlantic. Different stories, but with a common thread: the desire to start anew, perhaps precisely in the sector that more than anything promises travel and new experiences.
No age limits to become flight attendants
Behind these numbers lies a deeper shift in how airlines view the age of their cabin crews. After the pandemic they had to rebuild entire rosters, and the more mature candidates proved to be a valuable resource for several reasons: they know how to handle stress, remain calm in difficult situations, and bring communication skills honed by years of work life.
Not surprisingly, British Airways, , Jet2 and Wizz Air also hire cabin crew with no upper age limit. In Italy and in most European countries, indeed, there is no fixed legal threshold, but only requirements of physical and psychological suitability.
A study commissioned by easyJet on 2,000 Britons over 50 confirms that this opportunity is still not well known: 71% think age could prevent them from being accepted as flight attendants, while 16% even believe that you cannot apply after the age of 30. These mistaken beliefs that the Returnship program aims to dispel, with free orientation sessions and hands-on days at the London Gatwick training center.
Why more and more over-50s choose to restart
Behind the decision to change life after 50 is rarely solely financial need. Those who choose to restart do so mainly to test themselves with something new, to satisfy the desire to live as many experiences as possible, and, in many cases, to pursue what they consider truly the dream job.
There is also the awareness, often undervalued, of having still a lot to offer: the ability to manage stress, strong communication skills, and empathy with people. These are skills that a lifetime of work naturally sharpens and that the aviation sector seems to value more than many over-50s imagine.
It should not be surprising then that those who have already taken this step describe, almost invariably, feeling happier, more confident, and more in control of their lives.
From 50 to 88 years old, Bette Nash, the flight attendant who holds a Guinness record for the most long-serving cabin crew member, proves there’s time to build a second pension… simply by flying around the world.
