People of BNE: The Considine Family

Family professions are a common tradition, and often go back several generations: a family of doctors, lawyers, barbers, chefs; but how often do you see a family with aviation in their blood? And we aren’t simply talking a family of pilots, but a family who work across four different areas of an airport – that very family is the Considine family at Brisbane Airport. 

“I think the people who come will be surprised at the range of roles at the airport that don’t necessarily require any previous knowledge of aviation. And there are many pathways to really great careers.”

Meet the Considine's

Many know that an airport is often more than just planes and pilots, it’s a HUGE living, breathing ecosystem with thousands of parts working in tandem. The Considine family take working in tandem very seriously, with each of their 4 members, Laurel, Paul, Fin and Max, all finding their own little corner of BNE to call home.

Mother to Fin and Max, Laurel, works for Airservices Australia in Simulator Exercise Design and Development. Paul, father of the two young men, has been a pilot for over 30 years and currently flies for Pionair – a passenger and cargo charter service. Fin, who arguably has the toughest job of them all, works in Customer Service for Swissport – a ground services provider at BNE. And finally, the youngest Max, started as a Ramp Agent for the same company as his brother, having been promoted to Lead Loader and Qantas Planner. 

While their day-to-day rarely puts them working alongside one another, Max recently received the exciting honour of directing his father’s jet into a bay at Brisbane Airport. 

“I said you know today I’m going to be marshalling you in, whether you like it or not. He does what he’s told,”

 

Remarked Max, recalling the day with his dad. Well, that’s one way to put your old man in his place. 

Love at first sock

That isn’t the only opportune moment that this family has had together during their time in the aviation industry. This next moment in the Considine family history takes us back to the 1990s, when Pan Am was all the rage and love was in the Air Traffic Services. Laurel and Paul met while Laurel was working in Regional Queensland, in the Mt. Isa Briefing Office.

“Paul was a pilot putting in his flight plan. He complimented me on my socks,”

 

Laughs Laurel as she recalls her meet-cute with now husband, Paul. Fly forward a few decades (and a few children) and now her whole family work at BNE. 

Side note: for those looking to snag the attention of a special someone, Mott & Mulberry at Brisbane Domestic Terminal stock a range of quirky and colourful sock designs. You never know, a pair of flamingo socks could spark the flames of love – take it from Laurel and Paul. 

A Legacy Continues

“It’s something we all now have in common. I’m actually quite proud of the boys. They are both advancing quite rapidly. Paul and I have always been associated with aviation so after 30 years it’s a delight to see the boys having fun.”

Sons Fin and Max are both eager to follow in their parent’s wonderfully sock-adorned footsteps in the aviation industry. Max is to follow his dad's lead to become a pilot and has just started learning to fly at Caboolture, and Fin is keen on following his mother into Air Traffic Control.

The Considines are 4 in a sea of 24,000 who work across Brisbane Airport and are proof of how a job at an airport can grow into a career than spans several different areas of the business, and can grow and progress beyond – even a place where you could meet your future partner. 

If you’re interested in a position at Brisbane Airport, employees across the airport are hiring for hundreds of positions including catering, security, cleaning, baggage, ground handling, retail, hotels, childcare and car rental. Visit www.bne.com.au/jobs to take a look at what’s available and possibly take the first step in your new career (romantic meet-cute not guaranteed, unfortunately).