sales representative

Etihad Airways

It was exciting going to work at Etihad, at first. Overall, I really enjoyed working with the Emirati people in the organization. Nearly 100% of the Emiratis that I interacted with were just genuinely good people. I felt like Etihad was bringing style and the cool factor back to flying. It was all just a facade. I suppose everyone's experience is subjective but this was mine:

1. Vast majority of Etihad management (all the Expats from AU, IN, UK, US, NZ) participate in a toxic form of management where they manage in a culture of fear, and concoct really idiotic things to discipline one for. This is especially true when its "your turn" to be the ire of your line manager. 

2. Change is constant yes, but change seemingly was because no one could ever agree on much corporately. Always too much influence from HDQ based on what airline the influencers had previously worked at. "At BA.we did X", "At Virgin, we did Y', "Qantas did it this way...." A lot of time and certainly money was wasted this way. 

3. There is zero quality of life. Granted, salary was good but any real semblance of a life is over. Is it really necessary to dump over 150-250 emails a day onto a person? It's insane to be held to a standard of constantly having to look at your phone when you are off like you are manning a damned helpdesk, just so you aren't drowning in some form of  email quick sand when you report for your shift, because heaven forbid, someone, somewhere in the world doesn't feel like you responded fast enough to their email. This of course is usually something they could have easily answered by looking up the answer to their question themselves or even by asking the SME sitting in the same office complex in Abu Dhabi, but that would be one less opportunity to send you another email. 

4. God forbid you put any trust in anyone you work with. 75% chance that anyone you are working with is looking for a leg up and you are one more obstacle in their way to achieving what they want. So you either wind up with someone sandbagging the team's performance, or completely taking advantage of your misplaced faith in them and sharing their version of your minute by minute activities with whomever they are attempting to curry favor. 

5. Last, while this is true at many companies, Etihad really takes the cake with this one: Regional Managers, VP's and up really run the table on playing favorites. As long as you go along to get along, the work-life can be tolerable. But once you fall out of favor, or it becomes your turn to be the fall guy, your personal life, or whats left of it, becomes non-existent. 

Etihad has been going through a perpetual right-sizing of staff since 2015. Anyone who has been let go and thought the process was fair was unfortunately mistaken. The process was rigged against that person before they ever stepped in the room. Everyone at-risk would go through a process of interviewing with a different manager and someone from HR through fairly standard STAR questions. The difference is that the 'neutral" manager usually had a list of people that the regional/area manager didn't want around anymore. Of course it was never sent in an email, because the regional/area manager would need deniability, but in the end nearly everyone on that list would be questioned tougher than their peers during their session and then a case would be made to the HR representative that that person had whatever given fault, and add them to the list of those not passing the interview. 

I am lucky to be a part of the ever changing dynamic business called -Travel. What I learn becomes a reference point very soon. What is new today turns obsolete within days and months. But I am lucky I am learning things continuously as the industry progressing that's the best part of what I like about my job,role, industry.. The first commercial flight I saw when I young was a focker. Last month I boarded the most luxurious flight in my life so far, Business class in airbus 380 that too in a top deck. It is a dream come true.

When I first visited the airport at a very young age to see how airlines fly in the sky, probably destiny was written to be a part of 
trade what we refer as Industry today - the giant travel industry.

I have made progressive changes in my career so far, started with a travel agency to understand the travel business. Moved into an airline airport office and to a international airline - learned commercial aviation primarily reservation, ticketing sales , cargo, check-in manifest etc etc. The concept was GDS (global Distribution System) was new and also IATA Billing Settlement Plan. I moved into a GDS to understand controlled business a bridge between the agency and airlines and BSP.

Landed into Sabre a aviation technology giant. To contribute with what I learned ,and to understand more, why travel is like travel  what are we trying to solve, what is the problem , why the business is  so dynamic - Why and the how . Worked with their E-Commerce product lucky me , learnt about a lot of interfaces and dependent system.

Moved into the most dynamic airline who is creating sensation in the aviation world by doing things differently....and the journey will continue till date the destination is undefined.

You are sold a pretty package when you are hired at EY, but when you start; the only truth is the salary.  Micro-management is the name of the game, feels like big brother is over your shoulder. You are expected to be available 24/7, rules are only enforced at certain stations by area management, rules do not apply to home staff working in your station, you can expect to be assigned projects and area management will credit it to the home staff as their goal is to advance them - not you.  Part of your objectives is to be there for the home staff, which any decent human being would.  However you are asked to tour them around your city, take them to doctor's, and cover for them as they tend to show up two-three hours after the shift start.  This will be part of your bonus criteria.  The company culture is extremely gossip driven in the U.S., as many of the employees have personal relationships with each other outside the workplace and regularly share information that is supposed to be confidential.  
You can expect confidential information that you share with someone in one department to be brought up to you by someone in another department who is friends/dating someone in the original department. 
Promotions and considerations are driven by favoritism  - nothing else.  Good luck!

A typical day at work is preparing for each flight information, documents needed  by the Ground handling agents, ordering/updating meals for each flight, charging and collecting excess baggage, overweight bags, upgrading to a higher cabin class of guests, extra leg room seats, selling tickets and resolving issues of tickets sold by travel agencies, depositing sales cash collected from each flight, escorting VIPs/CIPs. Responsible of Daily Sales reports, updating the station's statistics. Dealing with passengers directly. The most enjoyable part of the job is every after the flight departs on time. The hardest part, I must say is when you have done everything to help out a guest in getting their flights, the flights will be cancelled. You will feel the pain especially when the guest gets stranded in the airport, no hotel available and they have infant/kids with them. As a mother, I feel the pain as I always put myself in their situation so I could better understand them. 
The benefits are the best and there are more opportunities to step up.

Working at Etihad Airways was a valuable experience that helped me grow both professionally and personally. The company provides a fast-paced and multicultural environment where teamwork and customer service are highly valued. I gained strong communication, problem-solving, and time management skills while working with people from different backgrounds.

Management expectations are high, but this creates opportunities to learn and develop. The workplace culture encourages professionalism and maintaining high standards. Benefits and exposure to the aviation industry were also positive aspects of the role.

The most enjoyable part of the job was meeting new people and being part of a team that works together to deliver a great experience. The most challenging part was adapting to busy periods and maintaining service standards under pressure, but it helped build resilience and confidence.

•	Responsible accounting: tracking of Account Receivables and Accounts Payable 
•	Researched & responded to Guest complaints in Guest Affairs
•	Provided effective administrative support including calendar management, booking meetings, tracking and processing of expense claims, arranging special events
•	Managed daily correspondence, including drafting letters, memorandums, presentations
•	Answered enquiries from the public and promoted business services
•	Supported staff and covered as necessary in a busy working environment 
•	Maintained confidentiality, diplomacy, discretion exhibiting high level of professionalism at all times

Typical day expect to be on your own when problems come up
Expect to be micromanaged 
Expect a heavy workload and a ton of useless reports
If you are given a task do it right away!! wherever you may be, in the hospital with your family, your sons or daughter graduation, get to a computer and do the task or face the consequences
Don't worry about skills or experience. Just do your best to be liked by management and be a small target
Do not question any management instruction just say yes I will do it
The best part of the day is when you were not blamed for anything
Try to be in the group that is liked by management
If you are not a gossiper learn that skill right away it is essential to your survival

Flying has been my passion and Etihad airways,identfied my potential and recruited me from Gulf Air to join as a Purser and take responsibilty of handling a flight and crew.I love to interact with guests and take time in engaging with them,making them feel important and offering all the available resorces onboard to make sure they leave the aircraft happy.Being a leader your colleagues look upon you so i make it a point to update myself with all ompany procedures and work along with my crew to achieve good results.Hard part of my job is the jet lag and odd timings but try to deal with it overtime.

kinda pressure but in controlled when we start to do our task,no space for mistakes.
what i learned is that 1st you need to be 100% committed in your job then everything will follows..
I can say the management there is great. you can feel the unity inside the working place, people workhard as a one team striving for succes.
the hardest part of the job is that dealing with angry people.
Giving all of your self to your craft is really priceless.

it is a wonderful experience to work and learn new things to come accross people of diffirent cultures and values learning new systems and working in a stress free enviornemnet where your highest level manager is ever ready to help and assist whenever needed

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