Cathay Pacific Airways has long been known for its friendly and professional cabin crew, and in a few weeks, it will be offering Malaysians a chance to join its team of flight attendants.
There, candidates will be equipped with the knowledge and skills required to deliver the standards of service for which the airline is renowned.
Recently, two Malaysian Cathay Pacific flight attendants came to KL to talk about their experiences and give an insight into what future candidates can expect from a career with the airline.Patrick Ng, a 15-year veteran with Cathay Pacific, first started out as part of the cabin crew before becoming a cabin crew trainer. He recently returned to work in the cabin, out of sheer passion for the job.
"One of the best perks of the job is that it allows me to travel around the world to all my favourite destinations, where I can look for the best places to eat," Ng said. "You really have to love the job, and love meeting people from all cultures to be able to do it for almost every day of the year."
The passion is also obvious in Suzanne Saw, who was recruited when Cathay Pacific last held its recruitment drive in Malaysia in 2008. "The whole job is about passion," she said. "There’s the old perception that the job is all about looks, but it’s more about your personality than your physical appearance. You have to love talking to people."
Cathay Pacific staff come from all over the world, making it a veritable United Nations on each flight. Besides being thrown into a multinational environment, prospective Cathay Pacific flight attendants have to undergo a rigorous and gruelling six-week training course.
As Ng explains, the first two weeks will focus on service, language and etiquette. The next two weeks will see the candidates go through safety school, where they will learn first aid skills and how to handle safety equipment. They also pick up cabin skills during the final two weeks.
While the course might sound simple, the candidates have to get through several modules or they will be sent home. "For one, safety is extremely important. If you fail anywhere there, it’s a sure ticket home," Ng said.
Safety is so crucial that Cathay Pacific has become the first airline to use equipment similar to professional healthcare workers in the medical field. Some of the equipment is used to assist passengers on wheelchairs.
Once candidates become full-fledged Cathay Pacific flight attendants, literally, the sky’s the limit. Unlike other airlines which make new staff serve domestic routes first before moving on to international routes, Cathay Pacific gives all flight attendants a chance to serve on all routes.
Flight attendants who have flawless service records are also rewarded with the option of choosing which routes they like to serve."What makes me so happy at Cathay is the fact that it rewards you for your good work," Saw said. "There’s also a real family atmosphere within the company, and everyone looks out for each other."
One key perk to the job is a programme called CXposure, which allows Cathay staff to work in other departments. "For example, you can be temporarily transferred to the training school if you want to gain some experience there," Ng said. "Being a cabin crew is just a stepping stone to so many other fascinating careers in Cathay Pacific."
Saw concurred, saying: "Joining Cathay Pacific has definitely made me grow as a person. For those who want to try for a career here, passion is the key. That, and the willingness to learn."
Article taken from Sun2Surf
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Article taken from Sun2Surf
Note : If you have questions that you would like to ask, go to Ask Me or simply add me in Facebook
