Working mum uses helicopter to be home for kids’ bath time

When Jane Bentall was pregnant with her first child in 2001, she was asked to take on a more field-based role with the travel company she was working for.

It would mean more travel and longer commutes and for a woman about to start a family, the work-life juggling act involved with taking the position was a daunting prospect.

That is, until her boss offered her the use of the company helicopter to travel to and from work.

“They didn't buy it for me, just to be clear,” Bentall said, while speaking at a hospitality event in London this week.

“But they were able to let me use the helicopter to get home for my children's bath time.”

Bentall was able to fly home to her two children each night and more effectively balance her parental responsibilities with her busy role.

And Bentall wasn’t the only one to benefit from her company’s unique approach to assisting working parents.

“It's both mums and dads, the helicopter is there to get our teams from our head office in Hemel Hempstead to our sites, and to ensure that our teams can maintain a work-life balance,” she explained.

Studies have shown that allowing working mothers more flexible hours and the possibility to work from home can help them achieve a more positive work-life balance. Reducing hours - though not an option in every case – can significantly reduce women’s stress levels.

That includes a reduction in the time spent travelling to and from work each day be it by car, train, or helicopter.

Bentall added that as a working mum she often stressed about how best to balance her career and home life, and regularly felt nervous about taking breaks – even maternity leave – calling them “vulnerable times”.

“It usually feels a very vulnerable time to take a break, so it's thinking about: How do I manage my career pre, during and post the time when I will have a young family?”

Now working as a managing director for Haven Holidays, Bentall is one of the travel industry’s most senior executives, and her seniority unquestionably played a role in her unique work commute situation.

For most working mums a helicopter simply isn’t an option.

Her story also creates added frustration with the lack of work-life balance available to regular parents trying to work full time.

“We can't all call on the use of an expensive helicopter just to be home on time,” one irritated commenter wrote. “Some of us have to use normal means [like] buses, cars and trains.”

“Yeah thanks love I'll make sure I put in my request next week!” another snarked.

“I wonder if this concession was extended to all mothers, regardless of grade?” questioned a third.

Though Bentall’s situation is certainly enviable and represents a positive case of an employer supporting a working mother’s home responsibilities, it really is a one-off situation.

While Bentall’s story is a happy one, it also stands in stark contrast to the realities faced by millions of working mothers globally, especially those living below the poverty line, who leave their desks each day to start a long commute home with no helicopter in sight.