Career profile
Published:
Name: Carly Matheson
Age: 25
Job Title: Cabin attendant and line trainer for cabin crew, based in Aberdeen
Organisation: Eastern Airways, which flies to 11 destinations from Aberdeen Airport, including Stavanger in Norway, Newcastle, Southampton, Leeds Bradford, Wick and Stornoway.
Qualifications: I studied travel and tourism at college in Lincoln and after joining Eastern Airways in 2003, I soon qualified as a cabin attendant after completing their intensive training course.
Getting there: After leaving college, I decided to go abroad to get some life experience. I worked with MyTravel as a holiday rep and a ski guide, then came home and worked at East Midlands airport as a dispatcher, ensuring aircraft departed on time.
Coming from a customer service background, I was interested in becoming a cabin attendant and I found out that Eastern Airways prides itself on excellent standards and provides a quality experience for all customers. It was this which helped me make my mind up about which airline I wanted to work for.
Eastern Airways’ training course is rigorous and covers everything from first aid to simulated emergency scenarios to ensure we are fully prepared for any eventuality. The importance of the customer’s needs is reiterated to us, as is the level and order of in-flight service.
We are also taught how to deal with disruptive passengers, although thankfully that’s rarely an issue for Eastern Airways. Each year we undergo refresher training at our headquarters at Humberside Airport, which also allows us to renew our first aid cover and further enhance our customer service skills.
Job spec: My role is to look after the safety and comfort of our passengers in the aircraft cabin and deliver a high quality on board service. After a briefing with the pilots, I board the aircraft and carry out my security checks. Then I welcome every passenger on board and show them to their seats, making sure they are comfortable and have their seatbelts fastened.
Prior to take-off I provide a safety demonstration highlighting the procedures in the event of an emergency, then offer passengers a sweet for take-off, which is a nice touch and one that they appreciate.
Once we are airborne I serve a range of complimentary snacks and hot and cold drinks, which includes a glass of champagne.
After we have landed at our destination and the passengers have left the aircraft I do more security checks ensuring nothing has been left behind. I then go through the seat pockets to make sure all contain copies of our timetable, the Eastern Airways inflight magazine and The Spectator magazine.
I then check the catering and restock for the next flight, which can be anywhere on the Eastern Airways network, so I might be flying to Stavanger then back to Aberdeen and onwards to Newcastle or Southampton.
Best bits: We pride ourselves on offering exemplary customer service standards and I am proud to wear my uniform and to be a key part of the Eastern Airways team.
I enjoy welcoming on board regular passengers and getting to know our frequent fliers – we know many passengers’ names and they appreciate that personal touch which they don’t necessarily receive with other airlines.
Eastern Airways’ flights are timed to be convenient for business travellers so that means the shifts are good and I get to go home at night rather than flying overnight.
Worst bits: We don’t suffer many delays, but it can be frustrating, both for ourselves and passengers, if we get diverted to another airport due to bad weather. Fortunately this doesn’t happen very often and we always make sure customers reach their end destination.
For more information, visit www.easternairways.com
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