‘People want me to tell them off for being late’

Jane Boulton, the no-nonsense star of hit 90s reality show Airline, has gained a new generation of fans as her hilarious catchphrases have gone viral on TikTok

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With her bright orange blouse and Victoria Beckham-style bob, not to mention her unique way of telling airport passengers it was their fault they'd missed their flight, EasyJet operations manager Jane Boulton was the breakout star of late 90s and Noughties hit TV show Airline.

And 27 years on from the premiere of ITV's fly-on-the-wall documentary series, which ran from 1998 to 2007 (it switched from Britannia Airways to Easyjet in series two), following staff at the airline's Liverpool and Luton hubs, fans are falling in love with the tough-talking boss all over again, thanks to social media.

The mum-of-three’s quick wit is perfect for TikTok clips dubbed to dance music, with her memorable Airline catchphrases including “It’s easier if you get here on time’, “It's a plane not a bus’ and the unforgettable, ‘A coffee shop is not departures’, going viral thanks to a whole new generation of fans.

Jane's quotes have been such a hit online she's selling mugs, bag tags and keyrings with her catchphrases on - the merch with “T****r!” on referring to the time she called a disgruntled passenger a very rude name as she walked away from him is currently sold out - and recording messages on Cameo, the site that offers personalised videos from your favourite celebrities.

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The most popular request she gets? Telling someone's loved one off for being late. The unstoppable reality TV show icon's next stop is an “Audience With” tour of the country, which starts in September, and a self-published book on customer service and conflict resolution.

"It's absolutely gone mad,” said Jane. “It’s funny because about a year-and-a-half ago one of my twins came home from school and said 'Oh my god, Mum, everyone's talking about you'. I thought what have I done? but they said: 'No, they're watching you on TikTok'. I didn't have a TikTok account, I didn't know what they were talking about.”