It was the Seventies when British Airways agreed with the unions that 55 would be the compulsory retirement age for people like Norma Franks.

However, Norma says that was a long time ago and things have changed.

She is so angry she joined former colleagues in lobbying shareholders attending BA's annual general meeting.

Waving banners calling on the firm to "ban ageism", she and 55-year-old Jill Kitchenham, of Mark Cross, near Crowborough, demanded to know why they had been dumped when BA chairman Lord Marshall continued in his job at the age of 69.

By the year 2006, Norma will be joined on the scrapheap by about 2,000 colleagues as they reach the landmark age.

Sitting in the garden of her beautiful home near Horsham, Norma said: "Times have changed. People might have been put on the scrapheap at 55 all those years ago. But not any more.

"If one is fit and well and able to do the job, I can't see any reason why the contracts cannot be extended."

Norma has spent a lifetime in the glamorous world of air hostessing.

She flew with the now defunct Dan Air for 22 years and was "taken over" when BA bought the business in the early Nineties.

Since then she has flown both short-haul hops from Gatwick and long-haul flights from Heathrow.

Her farewell journey was an emotional one. The captain on the flight from Bangkok announced her impending retirement and every one of the 300 passengers aboard the huge jet shook her hand and wished her well as they left.

"We had Victoria Beckham on the flight that day in first class. I didn't get to meet her but everyone else shook my hand. It was a very emotional flight," says Norma.

She lives in the heart of the Sussex countryside in Faygate with her pilot husband Simon, who flies with Excel.

His place in the cockpit is assured until he reaches 60 but as far as BA is concerned Norma is already washed up.

In January a group calling itself Option 55 will fight BA at a tribunal for the right to carry on working.

Norma isn't one of the eight main cases but says she expects a good result if they are successful.

"I cannot speak highly enough of BA as an employer.

"It is a great firm to work for apart from this silly ruling about retirement at 55. It's ageist and it is wrong."

She says younger crew members and passengers can all relate to a slightly older member of a team.

"It gives people confidence.

"If I was not up to the job I would be the first one to quit, but I am able to do this job which I love well and that makes retirement hard."

Norma is taking two months off to review her life.

She is redecorating at home and taking time out for herself.

"Flying is a full-time career. We certainly don't do it for the money," she added.

Norma earned £20,000 when she retired but says all the younger crew earn half that if they are lucky.

"It's all about cost, at least that's what BA says. But what about the cost in self-respect? I'm not old and they think I am finished. It is upsetting."

The Government is now considering new legislation to outlaw age discrimination among employers.

The law will come into effect next year and firms will have two years to implement the changes.

BA's director of people, Neil Robertson, said: "We have made it clear we have no objection in principle to raising the retirement age but this must be managed in the context of the new legislation. We do support the Government's proposals."

But Mr Robertson - heading a BA working group looking into the matter - said it was a complex issue which would take years to resolve.

Meanwhile Norma's career might not be over just yet.

Two airlines - Air Atlantic and EAL - are recruiting older staff and Easyjet recently announced it is going for a more mature look for its cabin crew from next year.

In the eyes of BA's mandarins she might not be a dolly - but Norma's still got a lot left on her trolley.