British low-cost carrier, easyJet, recently began its latest cabin crew recruitment drive, under a new initiative titled “Flight Paths.” As part of its 2025 recruitment, the initiative is aimed at bringing nearly 1,000 recruits on board by 2026. The focus will be on recruiting school leavers or those classed by the UK Government as not ‘not in employment, education or training’ (NEET). The drive is aimed at individuals between the ages of 18 and 2,4 and to help them get a head start while also displaying how accessible and rewarding a job as cabin crew for easyJet can be.
Flight Paths is a result of a detailed survey where easyJet surveyed around 2,000 young people and spoke to them about widespread misconceptions regarding cabin crew jobs. Over 90 per cent did not know there was no minimum academic qualification required for cabin-crew training. Two-thirds believed they were under-qualified, while nearly 90 per cent had never considered working for an airline. These findings highlight the obstacles rooted in misinformation and how they prevent young people from pursuing aviation as a career.
Breaking Barriers
Michael Brown, Director of Cabin Services at easyJet, commented,” We want to show young people that being cabin crew is more than just a job – it’s a career filled with variety, teamwork and opportunity, which has so much to offer to so many people as well as offering a pathway to progress in working within our wider industry too.”
The course program is focused on addressing these issues. easyJet will also open the doors of its London Gatwick Training Centre for free hands-on taster sessions, providing young people with the opportunity to find out more about the job directly from the airline’s cabin crew and training experts.
The session is also aimed at showcasing how the job is a great opportunity to gain valuable life skills such as communication, team management, and problem-solving, while providing countless travel opportunities. Overall, the sessions are aimed at shifting perception and offering a straightforward entry route.
Why This Matters
1,000 recruits in two years is a sizable push. It is also heartening to see that the initiative is not unique to easyJet. Other carriers have similar paths already in place. British Airways has its Speedbird pilot academy, offering training for about 100 cadets with support worth £ 100,000. easyJet also has a plan in place to recruit around 1,000 new pilots by 2028. As part of an exchange program with Virgin Atlantic, the initiative is aimed at broadening pilot experience. Especially among women. Both these moves, among many others, mirror the cabin-crew push: opening routes into aviation for defined groups.
Many carriers have come up with new models, all aimed at enabling young people, especially from disadvantaged groups, to enter the field of aviation. Some airlines link youth outreach with apprenticeships or cadetships, feeding not only cabin crew but pilot pipelines.
The results from such recruitment drives and upskilling programs speak volumes about how much the industry requires these efforts. Take easyJet’s Returnships campaign, which invited over-50s to experience cabin-crew work. The initiative spiked hiring among that age group, repeatedly showing that age needn’t limit application. The campaign demonstrated how openness and accessible recruitment can uncover untapped talent pools.
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What Candidates Should Know
Aviation is popular among young people today, but that hasn’t stopped misconceptions from taking hold. Pre-conceived notions about qualification and suitability often deter many young, talented people from entering the field. The Flight Paths program confronts all this head-on, while reframing cabin-crew work as a credible, rewarding career - not a dead-end job.
The intervention speaks to candidates and recruiters alike: a clear brief, visible access, and industry willingness to invest.
No prior experience is required to enrol in the Flight Paths program. Once selected, the training will last about four weeks and will include practical drills, such as swimming assessments and safety demonstrations. The training modules will be carried out at the carrier’s London Gatwick or Milan Malpensa centre, with accommodation arranged if needed. After qualifying, individuals feed directly into the crew roster, with chances to step up to cabin-manager roles after 12 months.
