EASYJET hopes to see the number of “silver stewards and stewardesses” take off — by hiring more over-50s as cabin crew. A recruitment drive includes free online career information and taster sessions at the airline’s Gatwick training centre. The “returnships” scheme comes as a survey shows nearly half of those over 50 and working had considered switching careers .
And two thirds of those who had retired said they had thought of going back to work. Yet in a survey of 2,000 Brits aged 50 or over, 71 per cent believed their age would put off employers. Most thought cabin crew jobs were for younger people, with 16 per cent thinking they could not apply if aged over 30.
READ MORE ON CABIN CREW ONS figures show that employment among the over-50s has been growing in recent years - with easyJet themselves employing double the number of over-50s that it did in 2022. The carrier also employs more than four times the amount of over-60s than they did two years. Michael Brown, director of cabin services, said the airline wanted to “tackle misconceptions about the job and broaden horizons for talented people looking for new opportunities”.
He said: “ Cabin crew can be a job for anyone with the skills, no matter their age.” Most read in News Travel "So, if you’re passionate about working with people and want a job that’s different every day, then we would absolutely encourage you to apply and can’t wait to welcome you on board as part of the team.”.
