What drew you to being a pilot in the very beginning?
I joined BA as cabin crew. Nobody in my family had any history with flying, so I hadn’t even considered it as a profession. On my first flight, we had to sit in the cockpit to gain an understanding of what the pilots did and I loved it. From that moment on I started looking into how I could gain my pilot’s license.
Since the beginning of your career, have you seen an increase in the number of female pilots?
Yes, very much so. BA actively recruit female pilots.
As a working mother, what’s your secret to juggling long flights with two young children at home and dealing with the jet lag?
That’s a very good question. These days I listen much more to my body and sleep when I feel the need to. This sometimes means when I’m away I’m up all night and sleep through the day. The day I get back from a trip I go to bed the same time as the kids and if I need to my husband is always happy to give me a lie in, the first morning I’m back. After that I feel fine again.
What are your travel essentials you can’t live without?
My moisturizer (Diprobase) – only £4.50 at Boots but so nourishing, Earplugs and a book for those sleepless nights.
What is the latest book you read?
I actually finished one today, ‘Lying in Wait’, a psychological thriller by Liz Nugent. Brilliant book, highly recommended.
Where do you go on holiday and why? How do you switch off?
I often go on holiday to see my parents in Sweden although the last one was to Sandestin in Florida in February. It was one of the best beaches I’ve been to and the water was beautiful. The kids loved it. To switch off properly I like to do very little. Lie on a beach under an umbrella, read a book, and maybe treat myself to a massage.
What’s your favourite hotel with child friendly facilities?
We haven’t actually travelled much with the children while they’ve been young, apart from camping for 10 days at Lake Garda when my youngest was 10 months old. That was fun! I would love to go to an activity hotel in Europe somewhere though, like Mark Warner or Nelson, I hear the kid clubs there are fantastic and we can do our sport activities mixed with relaxing on the beach.
You often travel to South America, what is your favourite city and why?
BA has expanded their network recently and now fly to Lima and Santiago as well. Sadly it’s on a different aircraft type to the one I fly on. The route to Santiago in Chile is on a 787 Dreamliner (the longest Dreamliner flight currently in operation with a flight time of 14 hours and 40 minutes).
To choose a favourite is difficult although I think Rio de Janeiro wins. It has everything; beaches, weather, people, sport and amazing food. Last time I was there I cycled up to Corcovado, it was great fun, albeit hard work!
Top restaurant, bar, place to reboot in this city?
I know the evening and night life much better in Buenos Aires and every time I go there I always like to visit ‘Floreria Atlántico’ close to Recoleta for their fabulous gin and tonics. It’s a flower shop during the day and at 7pm it opens as a bar. They do food too and a bit of tapas. After that we go either to ‘New Brighton’ which is this old-fashioned restaurant who serves fabulous steaks (apparently, I don’t eat meat) or to this place in Palermo (La Cabrera) which is just lush and then head to a bar in Palermo after dinner (Bar 878).
What’s the most amazing hotel you have stayed at in the world?
The most amazing hotel I’ve stayed at was a hotel in Koh Samui but I can’t remember the name! They even wiped the sand off the towels when we went for a swim. Thailand is just stunning with beautiful and kind people. And the food is next to none!