On the ground mother and daughter and colleagues in the Air

“I think it is important that you have a job that you enjoy,” Hilde argues to her daughter Laura. Both now work as cabin crew members at TUI fly. But how did it get to this point? In this blog you can read how the mother-daughter story of flight attendants Hilde and Laura came about.

Hilde: It all started in 1992, when my career started as a cabin crew member. My father was a pilot in the Belgian army and passed on his love for aviation. His stories about adventure high above the clouds have always inspired me. In the meantime, I look back with pride on an ongoing adventure of 32 years as a flight attendant. Without realizing it, just like my father did, I planted a seed of passion for aviation in my daughter.

Mini vacations

In my opinion, traveling with the family has always been the most beautiful family moments. I sometimes took my daughters with me on my layovers, when we were allowed to stay at our destination for a few nights. I vividly remember how they watched the planes take off with wide eyes, full of wonder at the world above the clouds. The first time Laura went on a layover , she was 6 years old. Since I often have to work during weekends and school holidays, I was happy to be able to take my daughters with me on my trips every now and then. This was often only for a day or two. But that was no problem for my daughters, because they were always very enthusiastic to come along.

Passion and inspiration

In winter we flew together towards the sun and discovered other cultures. Without realizing it, they were already given a broad worldview. Laura was very conscientious. When we were on the plane, I always told her not to disturb Mom and she stayed firmly in her seat for the entire flight until I came to visit her. But when the pilot asked to take a look in the cockpit after the flight, her jaw dropped.

Laura: I’ve always liked that mom is cabin crew .

When I was allowed to go with mom on a layover , I was always struck by how friendly and open the cabin crew were on board. The blue planes took me to sunny Punta Cana where I played for hours on the beach, to beautiful Cancun where I took a dip with dolphins and to Orlando where I discovered the magical world of Universal Studios. But it wasn’t just the glamor of travel that attracted me; it was Mom’s dedication and enthusiasm that inspired me.

Also read: A day in the life of a flight attendant .

Busy schedule

Despite the challenges of irregular working hours, Mom kept the schedule under control. My grandmothers regularly stayed with us and mom also arranged transport to my hobbies down to the last detail. I missed Mom regularly, but when she came home after a layover I was so happy to see her again.

I got my wings

Aviation has conquered my heart. I remember giving a speech in primary school about my dream of becoming a cabin crew, enchanting my classmates with a real safety demonstration. Last year I decided to take the step and applied for a part-time job as a flight attendant. My mother panicked for a moment, because this step meant that I had to combine my flight attendant training with my other studies. It wasn’t bad, but mom was very proud when I was officially appointed stewardess during the wing parade .

Just like mom, I also like to connect with people and I love to travel. So I can’t think of a better side job than as cabin crew. Our first flight together was a very nice collaboration, with applause from the passengers when the pilot introduced us. We like to travel ourselves, so it is also nice to give the passengers a nice trip. And that journey starts on the plane.

Do you want to become a flight attendant like Laura and her mother?

Find the options here and discover the best layovers from our crew or read this Q&A with flight attendant Lara 

Text & Images: © TUI Editorial