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For airline crews, the best office in the world comes with early alarms, constantly changing colleagues and schedules that can become especially demanding during the summer rush.

Captain Pete Smith, who has spent 30 years in aviation after a decade working for British Gas, said the view from his workplace remains one of the biggest rewards.

“No matter the time of year, we always get some sunshine when we go to work,” he said, describing the cockpit as a “fantastic office”.

Some days begin before sunrise

Bank holiday weekends can mean particularly busy schedules for pilots and cabin crew. Smith recalled one summer duty that began with his alarm ringing at 03:30 BST for a flight to Croatia.

Short-haul crews often fly out and return on the same day, while long-haul journeys generally involve an overnight stay before the return flight.

“It’s a busy schedule,” Smith said, describing the height of summer as an especially demanding period.

One young passenger changed everything

Among the countless passengers Smith has carried, one family has remained particularly close to his heart.

He recalled meeting a family who took five TUI holidays because they did not know how long their son Jack would be around. Smith arranged for the youngster to visit the flight deck, an experience that eventually helped create a lasting friendship.

Smith described Jack as “the bravest person I know”.

Every flight brings new faces

Cabin crew member Charlie Silver has spent 11 years in the industry and shares her experiences of the job through social media. Her TikTok videos have attracted millions of views, and she has also expanded into YouTube.

Silver said she enjoys the unpredictability of the work and the shift-based lifestyle.

With more than 800 crew members in Manchester, she said staff can regularly find themselves working with people they have never met before.

For her, that constant change is part of what makes life in the skies so distinctive.