Cabin crew dumped from their job for being too old are furious their boss if still able to work despite being 69.

The former British Airways stewardesses yesterday lobbied shareholders attending the firm's annual general meeting.

Among them was Jill Kitchenham, 55, of Mark Cross in East Sussex, who had to give up the job she loved in January. She said: "It's a bit galling when BA chairman Lord Marshall is still in his job at 69.

"The Government says it wants people to go on working until 70 and I am told that at 55 I am getting kicked out."

Joining her was Norma Franks, 55, from Horsham, West Sussex, who had to quit at the end of June after 32 years' service with BA.

She said: "I am totally against this rule. I am fit and I am healthy."

A spokeswoman for BA said: "We have no objection in principle to raising the retirement age of cabin crew from 55 to 60.

"But any decision to change the retirement age must meet the needs of the majority of the cabin crew community and the company.

"The European Commission is scheduled to introduce new legislation on retirement age in 2006, raising it to 60.

"It would not be in the interests of the business or the majority of our people to implement any changes until we know the detail of the legislation."

At the AGM at the Queen Elizabeth II Centre in Westminster, London, BA shareholders were also barracked by environmental demonstrators over plans for expansion at Heathrow.

BA produced evidence yesterday that would also interest anti-Gatwick expansion campaigners.

It said noise generated by its aircraft had reduced by 50 per cent in the last five years and it had reduced nitrogen oxide emissions generated by its aircraft by 20 per cent in the last three years.