What happens when your dad is your boss at 35,000 feet

Saturday, 13 June 2026

Amie and Andrew Jackson, father-daughter cabin crew for Qantas based in New Zealand.

Andrew Jackson works as cabin manager alongside his flight attendant daughter Amie Jackson on Qantas flights.

Pilot Roger Christophers and his son Troy fly together in cockpit after Troy joined JetConnect in 2024.

JetConnect is celebrating 25 years in New Zealand, hiring NZ crew for Qantas Group.

The moment the Qantas aircraft doors close, Andrew Jackson and Roger Christophers have to switch off 'Dad mode”.

After years of hearing their work stories of flying, their children decided to join them in the air.

Outside the cabin, Andrew and his flight attendant daughter Amie are best friends. But at 35,000 feet above the Tasman, he is her cabin manager.

Learning to differentiate between the two roles was difficult for Amie when she became a flight attendant in 2022, but now, the Jacksons have learnt to work as a team.

“Few people get to work alongside one of their parents, especially in such a unique industry like ours, so having my dad not only as a colleague but also as my boss on board the aircraft is really special,” Amie said.

“I’ve learnt so much from seeing how he leads a team, speaks to customers, and I’ve got to see, first and foremost, how hard he works.”

When they first worked a shift together, Andrew, who has been a flight attendant since 2011, said he “couldn’t wait.”

Andrew and Amie working Christmas Day together.

“I had a moment while working on the beverage cart, where I almost burst into tears, seeing my baby girl in uniform serving customers, all grown up. One of those ‘Dad's-proudest’ moments. This happens a lot nowadays.”

Now, they request to work together as often as they can.

“It was an initial idea so that I would be able to impart knowledge, but as time has gone on, we just seem to fit,” Andrew said.

Roger and Troy Christophers’ first flight together in September 2025.

Amie cherishes the quality time she gets to spend with her dad, even on Christmas Day when they’ve been on the same shift, “whether that is onboard the aircraft, catching up for a coffee while we’re on a layover, or just the multiple laughs we share onboard the plane. All the experiences we’ve shared are so unique to the industry we’re a part of and I’ll treasure them forever.”

Andrew said he was grateful to get to see Amie so often, especially as children grow up and move out of home with their own lives.

“We get to share experiences flying that most dads would never have the opportunity to do with their children.”

They are sharing their story as their employer, JetConnect, which employs more than 1000 New Zealand cabin crew and pilots for Qantas Group, celebrates 25 years.

Troy Christophers in the cockpit with his dad Roger in 2014. Little did he know, a decade later, they'd be flying the plane together as Qantas pilots.

Pilot Roger Christophers started with Jetconnect in September 2003 after previously flying for Eagle Air, a regional airline based in New Zealand.

“I’ve now spent more than 23 years with Qantas and feel very fortunate to have enjoyed a career doing something I genuinely love.”

His son Troy joined in 2024 and they first flew in the cockpit together on a three-day trip covering Brisbane, Sydney, Melbourne and Auckland.

“It was a busy but very special trip,” Roger said. “The cabin manager would often tell passengers they were travelling with a father-and-son flight crew, which usually resulted in plenty of smiles, cheers and conversations.

“Professionally, it’s just another flight and we both have a job to do, but there is a strong sense of pride sitting alongside your son on the flight deck. It’s a unique experience that not many fathers and sons get to share, and those are memories I’ll always treasure.”

Troy said the times he has flown with his dad have been highlights of his young career.

“Once the aircraft doors close, we’re both there to do a job and operate professionally, but there are definitely moments where you stop and appreciate how unique the experience is.

”Watching the way Dad approaches the job has probably taught me more than any single piece of advice. After more than two decades with Qantas, he still asks questions and is always willing to take on advice and learn more. That’s something I want to carry throughout my own career.”

While the shared family passion keeps the pairs close in the air, the Christophers admit that back on the ground, boundaries still have to be drawn.

'The dinner table can sometimes sound a little like a pilot’s crew room,' Roger said. 'Much to the amusement of the rest of the family, who usually roll their eyes and try to steer the conversation elsewhere.'