‘An amazing coincidence’: surprise for Burgess Hill Girls as former student flies pupils and teachers home from Italy

The girls realised that former student Anna Morgan had flown the plane as they disembarked from their Classics trip flight.

Anna, who has been a pilot for easyJet since June 2023, said: “I had just landed back into Gatwick from Naples and usually I like to hop out of the flight deck to say goodbye to passengers if I can. I saw Mrs Cassim, my Year 10 form tutor, and couldn’t believe it. She was bringing pupils back from the same trip I had been on when I was at Burgess Hill Girls. It was so lovely to see her and an amazing coincidence I flew the school trip home.”

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Anna left Burgess Hill Girls in 2018 and graduated from Sussex University with a degree in Finance and Accounting. She became qualified as a commercial pilot through the easyJet Generation Scheme at CAE.

Head of drama Emma Cassim said: “I was really surprised when the crew addressed me by name and then I looked up and saw the pilot was Anna. The girls were really impressed that they had been flown by a former student, not much older than themselves.”

Anna said she now aims to develop a long-term career in aviation. She said: “I’m still a very new pilot at easyJet, so I’ve got my first simulator check to concentrate on. Longer term, I would like to become a Captain and get involved in pilot recruitment, particularly inspiring girls to get into aviation. It really is the dream job.”