In an industry that became renowned for coveting youth and beauty, easyJet is pushing harder than ever to banish those old-fashioned stereotypes with the Luton-based low-cost carrier launching a new drive to hire cabin crew over the age of 50.
Around one in ten EasyJet cabin crew are now over the age of 50, with that figure rising steadily since 2022, when the airline first started actively encouraging older career changers to apply. The number of over-50s in EasyJet’s cabin crew has increased by 127% in that time, while the number of over-60s has nearly quadrupled.
With a new recruitment drive for hundreds of cabin crew roles across the UK opening in September 2026, EasyJet is using the moment to make the case, backed by new research, that a career change in your 50s isn’t just a possibility but something you won’t regret.
Why the Age Assumption Doesn’t Hold Up
New data from EasyJet found that 80% of UK adults who changed career after 50 reported an improvement in their overall happiness. Regaining a sense of control over life and work, feeling more capable, and increased confidence were the most commonly cited drivers.
And here’s the thing: Nearly two-thirds of those surveyed wished they had made the change sooner.
That is a striking set of numbers for a job that most people still think is reserved solely for people in their twenties. The reality inside EasyJet’s crew rooms looks different. Over half of over-50s currently flying say they feel like a mentor to younger colleagues, and three quarters say they feel welcome, with age simply not factoring into how they are treated on board.
And crew report that passengers respond well to it too, with more than half saying passengers often comment on seeing someone their own age working the flight.
Why a Career Change Could Be Exactly What You Need
A lot of people reach their 50s having wondered, at some point, what it would be like to work as cabin crew, but think their chances of living out this dream are long gone. EasyJet’s data suggests that assumption is just plain wrong.
If you have been coasting through a job that stopped fulfilling you years ago, this research makes a strong case for doing something about it. Beyond the headline happiness figure, EasyJet’s research found that 78% of people who changed career after 50 felt they had regained a sense of control over their working life, and 74% said the change made them feel more capable. Almost 9 in 10 said they would actively encourage someone else their age to learn a new skill rather than sit still.
The reasons people gave for wanting a change were not really about escaping something. They were about wanting more: more flexibility, more satisfaction, new experiences after years of the same routine. Three-quarters of over-50s who made the switch said it renewed their excitement about working through their 50s, 60s and beyond, and a quarter said they now want to stay in their new role for as long as possible.
Two thirds of over-50s currently flying with EasyJet say they thrive on engaging with passengers, and the skills most commonly cited as transferable – problem-solving, staying calm under pressure, and strong communication – are ones built up over a working life, not qualities you arrive with straight out of school.
If your current job has started to feel like it is shrinking rather than growing, then maybe this is the moment to become cabin crew.
One Woman’s Route Into the Job at 64
Francesca Hicks had spent her working life as a secretary and, later, as a nurse caring for people living with dementia. At 64, she went looking for a way to put skills she had acquired over many years to use somewhere new. She attended an easyJet taster open day, and before long she had completed the easyJet initial cabin crew training course.
Eighteen months on, she has flown more than 250 times.
“I knew I already held all the skills required for the job, but it gave me another way to use my communication, organisation and interpersonal skills in a new and exciting setting,” Hicks said. She describes the reception from her new colleagues as consistently positive, and says the experience has left her with a level of confidence she is carrying into whatever comes next.
What’s Actually Behind the Shift
EasyJet’s Director of Cabin Services, Michael Brown, has framed the latest recruitment push as a straightforward business case as much as a social one: “It’s been incredibly encouraging to see the numbers of cabin crew over 50 more than double since 2022, evidence that many are increasingly viewing cabin crew as a fantastic career pivot regardless of age.”
What This Means If You’re Considering Applying
If you are over 50 and have been putting off applying to become cabin crew because you assumed this was a young person’s job, the numbers here suggest that assumption is increasingly out of step with who is actually getting hired and thriving in the role.
EasyJet’s general cabin crew recruitment for 2027 roles opens in September 2026, with hundreds of positions available across its UK bases. We’ll have a full hiring alert with the specific dates, base breakdown, and application steps once EasyJet confirms them. In the meantime, our Ultimate Recruitment Guide and free cabin crew resume templates are the right place to start getting your application in shape, whatever stage of life you’re applying from.
