Originally Posted by
Uplinker
Thank you, sincerely.
I have all but given up.
At one point, in desperation of not getting another airline job I decided to volunteer for the RNLI lifeboats, (we lived near the sea for a couple of years).
I have been on and around boats on the sea since the age of four. I've holidayed by the sea in the UK for years and years - swimming, snorkelling and going out on fast sailing boats on the sea. I am fit and trim and do a 10km run every week. The lifeboat station was literally a 5 minute jog from my house. I am out of work, so available 24/7 without having to get leave from work. I am used to using radio communications equipment and know about meteorology and tides. I don't need glasses, (which are a hindrance with sea spray), or any sight correction.
Guess what they said in the interview ?? Too old !! I tried to point out that a person one year younger than their arbitrary age limit, but who had only one leg, or was blind, would be useless on a lifeboat. But they rejected me, a fit active and experienced sea goer simply because of a stupid age limit.
This country needs to shake itself up. We keep being told that we have an ageing population, so we need to encourage all these asylum seekers to come here to work, but what about those of us over 50 who want to work but are ignored and rejected ?
Sorry about your current situation.
I have some sympathy with RNLI rules, with physical nature of the task, guess they need to set a sensible limit which is easily enforceable.
As for flying, that isn’t forgivable. it’s probably impossible to prove age discrimination they just need to rig the selection process. There does seem to be a bias against elder folks these days, not sure why. Maybe drive and ambition are better than experience. Who knows what companies think. However in your line of work I would have thought experience would be a very desirable asset.
Dont give up. Even if you don’t get back into commercial flying there is plenty of things to do, which maybe not as lucrative are still fulfilling.
good luck.