Fiji Airways Crew: Overwhelming to be Back in Air
Sun Business sat down with more Fiji Airways’ Cabin Crew who have returned to flying, following the return of a limited number of international repatriation flights by the National Airline.
They talked about how different their environment in now, along with the new, more rigorous cabin crew safety and service training they go through.
This week we feature the stories of Cabin Crew Amandeep Singh and Andrew Evening, and Pursers Aralai Waqatoga and Jade Wong.
Same question to you as your colleagues last week – how does it feel to be back? Jade Wong:
It feels overwhelming and wonderful! I thought it would have happened soon but those many months were worth the wait. I reminded myself that everything happens for a reason and I had to move forward so I strictly budgeted my last pay as I couldn’t depend on anyone financially and to avoid accessing my savings or FNPF.
I baked and sold pies at Vot City, Suva & online. While I also applied for jobs, I bartered on Facebook in Lautoka, Suva even Ba.
It was a great experience meeting from different walks of life.
That period was a struggle but it was definitely a blessing in disguise as I took control of my physical and mental health, spent more time with family, reconnected with close friends I had lost touch with and got to visit the beautiful island of Taveuni for the first time where I had an amazing trip with family. Despite the uncertainty, physical circumstances and negativity that came about in people 2020, I’m so thankful for my faith. God granted peace and I had hoped to return to the skies doing what I love.
Amandeep Singh: My re-employment with Fiji Airways has been an eye-opening journey. The travel and medical regulations now in place have played a huge role in molding my character.
I’m grateful and honored to have been re-selected by Fiji Airways.
Despite the circumstances around the pandemic leading to the terminations, I feel blessed and remain optimistic about my future with the company.
I’m overwhelmed by the fact that I’m still thought of as a valuable asset, and I’m willing to work to the best of my ability and look forward for my future here.
Andrew Evening: In a nutshell, the experience has been awesome and welcoming.
The new environment has made it easier to engage with all employees - from the trainers all the way up to management.
Before retuning, I had moved back home to Suva and back in with my parents.
For that period I tried applying for jobs in my recent line of work - as a chef.
This experience made me realise the important role Fiji Airways plays of creating employment for so many of us.
It all starts from us!
Our tourism industry relies on us, and it is responsible for 38 per cent of our GDP and creates employment for so many of us.
Aralai Waqatoga: Overwhelming feeling of Gratitude. Being offered another opportunity and a lifeline to be recruited back as Cabin Crew was a huge honor and a blessing.
There is so much passion to being a Cabin Crew and being offered the role again has been a privilege.
During the waiting period, I manageg to tap into a number of passions - farming, online learning and completing home projects that were left pending due to prior busy schedules. For me personally, it was a needed ‘reset’ because I managed to re-prioritise my life goals and also enter into a deeper and a more meaningful relationship with God.
What is different now compared to before, in terms of training and the new requirements of the job? Jade Wong:
I must say the training was very different, both safety and service.
We had been out of the system for about six months and the safety instructors were strict and thorough to ensure we were competent and confident (their hard work and late nights is commendable).
Service training on the other hand was quite interesting.
We normally would do service training when we first join so it was refreshing.
One week of learning how the airline had been adjusting, how service procedures onboard have changed due to COVID and the new Inflight Service Manual became much thicker.
I also loved the fact that we did away with any negative thinking or practices from the old culture which for the newbies joining the aviation family is great!
We now have the responsibility to set better examples, ensuring we are up to par with the standards and that we create and leave a better legacy behind for the next generation of cabin crew.
All in all the safety instructors and service trainers were amazing, and the training was thorough, informative and refreshing.
Amandeep Singh: The new requirements for Fiji Airways cabin crew members were very challenging, but totally worth it.
The Standard Operating Procedures have been updated, the Travel Ready programme is in place and the training is very detailed.
Andrew Evening: One of the requirements that are different now to that of over a year ago is the 14-day quarantine.
The first week is spent alone in your room finding ways to pass the time, whether its reading or just catching up on your favourite series which tend to finish in a couple of days (then you gotta find a new one, *laughs).
Many swab tests are done, which may not be pleasant time but are a necessary part of the process to show the world we are travel ready.
Aralai Waqatoga: The norms of drastically changed.
Most international Airports that we travel to have structured systems now that are similar to a hospital setting.
This include a more strict Customs formality and stringent measures of COVID -19 procedures.
How are you adapting to the new requirements, including requirements for fitness and health while the COVID pandemic persists?
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Jade Wong: I ensure that I am always positive, open minded and do whatever is required to put my best foot forward.
I love that there is a new culture and management is actually spearheading this. One of the ways is by encouraging us to give our insight and feedback about anything and regardless how long one has been with the company or how young one may be.
Amandeep Singh: Simple - I have been taking good care of my health to ensure that I’m within the BMI requirement Cabin Crew.
Andrew Evening:
I have always been into fitness.
One of the requirements now is we get a weight check every six months to a year and having been a cabin crew for five years before May
25th has taught me that it is not health friendly with so many fast food restaurants on overnights and eating at odd times of the night or morning.
Working out five to six times a week and doing simple body weight exercises or a 10 minute light jog while in quarantine has been a norm for me so on odd occasions I can still go out and have a burger or pizza at times... healthy mind, healthy body.
Aralai Waqatoga: Most of our crew go into quarantine once or twice a month.
The amazing thing is, there is this new breed of crew who are so disciplined and adaptable to the new standards.
Majority of our time spent in quarantine involve maintaining a healthy diet, following a regimented physical fitness programme and being committed to a duty of care for each other as a collective crew family.