Do you employ many cabin crew who also have a family. How do they manage work-life balance?

Yes, many of our British Airways cabin crew have families, and we recognise the importance of supporting a healthy work-life balance in what can be a demanding but rewarding role.

While the nature of the job involves irregular hours and travel, we offer part-time contracts and a bidding system that allows crew to request specific days off or preferred routes, where operationally possible. Our rostering system also aims to provide adequate rest periods between duties and longer blocks of time at home following long-haul flights.

Many of our crew find that the structure of the role, combined with the time off between trips, allows them to spend quality time with their families. There is also a strong sense of community among our team, with colleagues often supporting one another in managing personal and professional commitments.

Hi, thanks for your question.

Yes, many cabin crew have families, and it’s definitely possible to balance the role with family life. The lifestyle is different from a regular 9–5 job, as the shifts involve early starts, late finishes and time away from home. Some people find this actually gives them more flexibility, as you often have weekdays off when others are working, which can be useful for family commitments.

There is also flexibility with our rostering system. You can swap trips with colleagues, bid for certain trips and days off, and of course make use of annual leave. This all helps crew shape their roster in a way that works for them and their families. Yes, it can be difficult at times, but everyone develops their own way of managing it - and it is absolutely achievable.

You can read more about life as cabin crew on the Cabin Crew FAQ page and register for job alerts here.

I hope that helps 😊

Dan