Second generation Emirates flight attendant surprised by proud mother

A young cabin crew member joined Emirates two decades after his mum started working for the company, the airline says.

Two generations of Emirates cabin crew: Karim and his mother, Sue, who flew from Stockholm to attend his graduation. Courtesy Emirates Airline

DUBAI // A former flight attendant for Emirates flew to Dubai to surprise her son during his own cabin crew graduation ceremony for the same airline.

Australian mother of Hungarian descent, Sue Abdul, said that she was “holding back the tears” during the ceremony of her son Karim Hollosi, who joined Emirates two decades after his mum.

"I combined my love for the customer service industry with my fanatical love for flying," Mr Hollosi said in a video that the airline released. "Her enthusiasm and her love for the airline did rub off on me."

His mum started working with the airline in 1994 when it was a much smaller company with about 500 cabin crew. The airline now has more than 19,500.

“When Karim told me that he wanted to become cabin crew for Emirates, I jumped for joy,” she said.

Ms Abdul said she was there with him through the process when he joined the airline in June.

“I feel excited, happy, proud,” she said.

Her son described what he would do if his mum was on his flight.

“If my mother was on my flight, I’d try to act natural. I’d probably get a bit nervous because I know that she is watching me like a hawk,” he said.

Emirates cabin crew train at the Emirates Aviation College and are recruited from more than 135 countries, speaking more than 55 languages, the airline says.