Diana Spanu, 28 years old and Maître de Cabine at SWISS, reveals what makes her job attractive and what her day-to-day routine looks like.
What do you like particularly about your job?
Every flight is different. You get to know new colleagues and passengers from all over the world, which is enriching from a cultural point of view. Our extensive route network enables one to fly to a different place every time and allows us to discover the world. The personal contact with people and the diversity make this job a real experience – you’ll never get bored.
What skills should you have, if you want to become a cabin crew member?
You should be an open and communicative person who loves travelling and show an interest for different cultures. Hospitality is at the core of what we do, which is why it’s important to enjoy assuming the role as a host, while ensuring the safety and comfort of our passengers. Our guests are very international, which is why proficiency in German and English is a must.
How often do you fly a month? And where?
As I work 50% in recruitment, I fly on short- and long-haul routes for two weeks a month to pretty much anywhere in the world. My favourite flights are to Asia – especially Hong Kong and Tokyo.
You travel a lot for business. What do you do in your spare time, when you’re on vacation?
Last month, I spent three weeks in the Philippines on holidays. Although I travel extensively for work, I never get tired of travelling for leisure. It’s quite the opposite actually: On vacation, you get the opportunity to travel as a passenger, get to experience your own airline and get pampered aboard. As an airline employee, I have the privilege of being able to purchase discounted tickets. Using these for an upcoming holiday is naturally very tempting.
What are your responsibilities onboard?
Together with my colleagues, I make sure that our passengers feel comfortable onboard. I welcome them aboard and help them with their hand baggage, so that they feel at home right from the start. Apart from providing service on board, such as serving meals, drinks and carrying out the duty-free sale, ensuring the safety onboard is part of my job as well. Most of that goes unnoticed by the passenger. I first meet with colleagues and discuss the upcoming flight. As Maître de Cabine (purser), I prepare the briefing and provide my colleagues with all crucial details. I raise awareness for emergency issues and form a team. The first thing we do when stepping onto the plane is to check the emergency kits. We make sure that all passengers are wearing their seatbelts, and that the hand-luggage is safely stowed away. As a special thank you, we provide our guests with something special: our SWISS chocolate, which comes from the finest Swiss chocolate.
What makes your job unique?
Diversity. In my opinion, the job as a cabin crew member joins all exciting professions. Further, one can make travelling their profession and widen one’s personal horizon. I find the idea of rotating teams fascinating. Even after 6 years of working for SWISS, I still don’t know each and every colleague personally. Nevertheless, working together works well on every flight, even if you’ve just met for the very first time an hour before departure.
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