THELMA DAKIN-DAVIS

Thelma Dakin- Davis has always been a people’s person. As Customer Operations Manager at Heathrow’s Terminal 5, she thrives in the buzz of the airport. The steady hum of journeys beginning, reunions unfolding, lives in motion. For her, customer service is not just a job. It is a calling, rooted in her own journey from Sierra Leone to the UK, and carried by her belief that every single person deserves to feel seen, respected, and valued.

Thelma’s path was anything but straightforward. Born in Sierra Leone, she came of age during the civil war, a time when dreams of university were interrupted by survival. She fled from one country to another, Guinea, The Gambia, before finally joining family in the UK. Education and stability had been disrupted, but resilience became her foundation. “I’ve gone through a lot in my life,” she says. “But I never let it bring me down. It just made me stronger.”

That strength carried her into her career. She worked her way up at Marks & Spencer before seizing an opportunity she spotted one day on Facebook: a role at British Airways. It had been her childhood dream to work in travel, and in 2018 she made it a reality. Since then, she has climbed step by step, each role a testament to her courage to keep pushing forward.

Thelma speaks openly about the challenges of being a Black woman in customer-facing work. Racial discrimination from customers has been a reality, but she refuses to let it crush her spirit. Instead, she channels those experiences into action, volunteering for new projects, seeking guidance from mentors, and throwing herself into opportunities to grow. “I’ve always stayed resilient,” she says. “If I want something, I work hard for it and make sure I get there.”

Last year, she brought that determination into organising one of BA’s most memorable Black History Month celebrations at T5. It wasn’t easy. She faced resistance at every step, being told “no” more often than “yes.” But she persevered, determined that Black colleagues and African-Caribbean customers alike should feel truly celebrated. On the day, there were drummers, dancers, live music, and an atmosphere so electric that even passengers from other flights wanted to join. Customers left in tears of joy, overwhelmed by an experience they had never expected to see in a UK airport. Senior leaders praised it as the biggest and most powerful Black History Month event they had ever witnessed at BA. For Thelma, it remains one of her proudest achievements.

Her resilience has been tested in other ways too. A cancer diagnosis forced her to pause her progression on BA’s Aspire leadership programme. But she refused to let illness end her dreams. After rounds of surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation, she came back determined. Within months, she applied for and secured a leadership role, proof that no setback could keep her from her path. This year, she became the first Black female manager to win “Team of the Month,” not once but twice in four months. “You just need to keep going,” she says. “Don’t let anything stop you.”

For Thelma, standing firm in power and pride is about identity, integrity, and intentionality. It is about showing up for customers who are too often dismissed, about making herself visible in the terminal so that respect is non-negotiable, and about treating everyone equally. “When I take off my uniform, I’m just Thelma,” she says. “But when I’m here, I want to make sure every single person is treated with the dignity they deserve.”

She draws inspiration from her family, especially her aunt, Cllr Edith Macauley MBE, who became a councillor and later Mayor of Merton, following in the footsteps of their great-grandfather, once nine times Mayor of Freetown. That legacy of public service and leadership fuels her own belief that progress is possible, even when the odds seem stacked.

Her advice to the next generation is simple but powerful: put yourself forward, seek mentors, stay curious, and support one another. “Celebrate your wins, big or small,” she says. “Leadership is about lifting others as you grow.” To her younger self, she would add: believe in yourself, be kind, and keep your head up.

Thelma is clear about her future. “I want to finish my career here at BA,” she says with a smile. “I love what I do. I love the people. No two days are the same. And I can’t see myself anywhere else.”

For her, standing firm in power and pride is not about titles or recognition. It is about respect, resilience, and joy. It is about showing up every day with courage, integrity, and heart and knowing that in doing so, she is making history too.