BA stewardess fights 'ageism'

A British Airways stewardess has been forced to retire afer reaching the age of 55.

Now Deanna-Maria Williams, who feels she is in the prime of life and takes a three-mile run four times a week to keep trim, is to challenge the airline's "ageist" employment policy along with 300 former cabin crew colleages in test cases before a tribunal.

Yesterday she took the fight to BA's 69-year-old chariman Lord Marshall at the airline's annual shareholders' meeting in London.

Mis Williams, from Henley-on-Thames, told Lord Marshall and the BA board she was a "a shareholder and former employee compulsorily retired at an early age."

She said: "Considering the adverse effect that current cabin crew shortages are having on our passengers - not to mention our finances - surely it is time for BA to immediately move its retirement practices for all staff and not just the current chariman, into the 21st century."

She and her fellow demonstrators demand they be allowed to work until they are 60 or 65.

Lord Marshall has said BA would consider cextendin the retirement age limit when new EU legslation outlawing age descrimination comes into force in 2006.