WestJet Placement

[khushi1902]

Last shift, CTV News.... PART 2

After break, I saw that news reporter were there to get passengers reaction to the flights cancelled and how it frustrated them.

I got excited seeing them shoot.

When I saw them, I just had one thing on my mind. To approach and ask for an email address that was needed for my friend's project who is in Television broadcasting and needed a studio tour. I went to one of the reporters who was not shooting at that time and asked him if I could get an email id to have an appointment for my friend for his project. He kindly gave me the email with which I can approach the channel. I was so happy because me and my friend were working on getting the appointment from past month and we finally had hope of receiving a response.

We later met Kami and she asked if we wanted to leave early at 7pm and then she can adjust the hours in the next shifts because the weather was supposed to get worse. I told them that it is my last shift and that will I come for just 2 hours and she was kind enough to let me go and add the total hours to my placement. So, I left and the weather actually became very bad on my way back home but I reached safely.

That was all about my last day. I had so much fun doing the placement and I am so grateful to have had the opportunity of becoming a WestJetter.

[khushi1902]

Last shift, bad weather and much more.. PART 1

It was my last day and had mixed emotions. I was happy that I came so far learning so much by being a WestJet placement student. I didn't imagine so much growth. I literally feel the improvement in customer service skills in me. I became far more confident than I was ever before. I know how to deal with disturbed passengers and how to make them feel that they matter to us as a passenger of our airline.

I was sad that I would no longer be coming to the airport because I loved being there. I will have to wait to apply for the job after I finish my studies and get a work permit.

I wanted the day to be exciting but it turned out to be boring as there were very less flights because of the bad weather. The airport was filled with no passengers and I was getting irritated because I wanted to help passengers and do what I loved doing so far.

So many flights cancelled because of which passengers were angry and the agents at check-in counters were booking them for next available flights.

I went for my break and chilled for a bit.

[khushi1902]

Sneak peak to a unique day

It was a busy morning, helped over 20 passengers in the first hour. I was going for my break at 10am but suddenly a bunch of passengers came in and I delayed my break timing. A couple of passengers were going to Punta Cana who didn't know about the e-ticket, so I explained the process after having them scan the code. Passengers for other destinations were also at the kiosk and I was the only one helping at that time. For straight 30 minutes, it was so busy that I was going from passenger to passenger to help them. After that, I went for my break.

Returning from the break, I had a Ukrainian passenger who had some questions about check-in, bag tags, and gate number. We spoke to each other through an app that translated Ukrainian into English and vice-versa.

There was one major thing happening for the past week. At the baggage drop-off area, there is one counter for WestJet and one for a porter. Passengers keep going to porter for WestJet and the other way around. And every time this happens agents from both airlines have a good laugh because the counters have screens above them that clearly state the airline's name still passengers get confused.

[khushi1902]

First encounter to rude passengers

It was the very first time when a passenger was so rude to me. Usually, everyone is very nice even though my other placement friends have faced such situations where they were not treated well. It was because a passenger was not able to print their bag tags even though he have checked his bag online. I couldn't have helped him any other way instead of just telling him to stand in check in assistance line but he became angry with me telling, 'I am not gonna wait in line, I have checked in online to avoid going in the line'. I acknowledged his problem politely then told him to go to the baggage counter agent and she can help me quickly with the bag tag. He calmed down and got his tags within next 5 minutes. At the end, he was thankful to me.

After about 10 minutes, a passenger came to me in anger who was having same issue of printing bag tags, I sent him to baggage counter and problem was solved.

At the end of my shift, a passenger was having difficulty scanning her passport, I tried scanning it several times at different kiosks but it was not being scanned. Then I had to direct her to the queue for document verification and she started screaming, I am not going to wait in there, you have to help me. I explained to her I don't have access to the pc otherwise I would have been more than happy to help her scan it, but she was not in the mood to listen. So, I told her to ask if the agent at the baggage counter can help her scan the document or if she can get it verified at the check-in counters from the back. But I wouldn't be able to help her after this point. Fortunately, the agent at the baggage counter scanned her passport from the check-in counters.

Overall, it was new thing for me to deal with angry passengers but I think I handled it pretty well as everyone went away with their problem solved.

[khushi1902]

Two Hectic shifts

Shift Schedule

Sunday 2pm-9pm

Monday 7am-2pm

I had my shift on Sunday back to the evenings because of the transportation issue and got my make-up shift on Monday for last Sunday.

I knew the Sunday was going to be relaxing because it started at the noon and it is usually dead that time. I helped about 15-20 customers and was at check-in counters for an hour.

Reached home at 11pm.

Woke up at 4am to leave at 5am

The airport was busy and I was tired. I helped a number of customers till 8:30am but after that, it was not that busy.

In the evening, a approached a couple to help them in checking in and they were quite surprised by my approach. They were like its been 50 years coming to this airport and nobody ever came to us to help as you did. They never felt someone actually wants to help them ever. I was surprised too but most importantly It felt so good to hear it.

Overall, these two days disturbed my sleep cycle but it was good to work in that schedule.

[khushi1902]

Busy and Knowledgeable shift

It was an early morning shift. The airport was occupied by a number of passengers. I was able to help most of them that came to me.

Something different I did was filling the e-ticket form for a couple going to the Dominican Republic. They were old and did not know how to fill that out online so I helped them do it all. I gathered the information from their boarding pass and passports. The whole process took me about 20 minutes as it had several steps. They were glad that I did it for them and they made it on time.

Then I also helped some people check in online who were facing difficulty doing it. I explored that for the first time and it was really good. I went to check in counters for a while too.

Overall, I loved the shift as there were some new things that I became familiar with.

[khushi1902]

My first morning shift

Woke up at 4:30am

Took bus at 5:27am

Set alarm for 40minutes

And slept.... lol

Took another bus and reached at the airport on time.

It was -17°C and feels like -30°C in the morning.

As soon as I entered the airport, there were so many passengers that I never ever saw in the evening. I was so excited to start my shift and come to the kiosk to help and assist passengers. For straight one hour, the place was so busy and I helped many passengers but after that it was dead. There were very less passengers seeking help.

After my break, I was at the check-in counters seeing the process for about an hour and a half. Then we got to know that one of the CSA was talking about our hands-on practice on Sabre for the check-in process. We were so excited. Finally, I got the chance that I was waiting for for the past two weeks i.e., to use Sabre. I helped check in over 12 customers and printed their boarding passes, and bag tags, and dropped them off on the side.

Overall, it was an amazing day at the kiosks and at check-in counters.

[khushi1902]

Progress meeting...

I had my shift on Monday because of progress meeting 2 scheduled on that day. My meeting started around 20 minutes late but it went quite well. I was able to change my schedule and got my shift timing moved to mornings i.e., from 7am to 2pm. I also presented the learning objectives that I wish to accomplish by the end of my placement. At the end, I also got a cookie.

It was also not that busy so I was just roaming around. I was literally going to the customers to help even if they didn't ask for it because there was nothing to do.

Miss Jennifer came to us a little later after our meeting, we talked for a bit.

I also went to the very end of terminal 3 where I could see many planes and I was there just chasing and admiring aircraft.

By the end of the shift, I was excited to come for mornings and excited to see what is different in morning shifts but deep down I was a little worried because for the 7am shift, I would have to take my bus at about 5am and wake up at 4am but I am a night owl and I usually sleep late and my sleep cycle is gonna get disturbed. But that was okay as I will be learning in the morning shifts.

[khushi1902]

A not so busy day at airport

Free time is when I do the weird things.

It was not at all busy at the airport and I barely interacted with and helped around 15 passengers and was bored the whole time. We all were just talking and playing different games. I also created some stuff.

I also decided to change my evening shifts to the mornings as I was not able to learn much. There was nothing to learn at check-in counters too as there were hardly any customers.

But I was able to have fun and interact with colleagues.

[khushi1902]

First Week into Co-Op

Was excited for the fit..

And absolutely loved it with the ID and WestJet tie.

The First Day, 11 January was my training day. It was all about introduction to the GSA and GSLs and then we went for an awesome airport tour. Learned various spots at terminal 3 and till the tour lasted, I was dying to sit and relax because I had my heels and it was giving me tremendous pain. Anyway, got a break and rejuvenated and went for our spot to experience what it will be like working at kiosks, helped several passengers, and then it was time for our learning through ppts, and ended the day perfectly with lot of enthusiasm.

All set for placement day 1, I was excited and felt like a WestJetter. It was new and exciting to help passengers at kiosks. The position was changing me to be a helpful person and I absolutely loved the feeling to assist when someone struggles to get their boarding pass or bag tags at kiosks.

By the time, I learned several things and the most fun thing is directing passengers when asking about airline counters other than WestJet. I also got to know about the issue of accepting bags from connecting flights at baggage drop-off. It was because the boarding pass was from a different airline and the machines won't accept those so we would drop it at the other side. Eventually, it became my favorite part during the whole shift, as this was the time I am properly doing all the things on my own which was checking destination, ETD and flight no. to direct them to their gates.

I explained this procedure to two of my classmates in my last shift.

Overall, loving the journey of being a WestJetter, and also I learned the basics of printing boarding passes and adding baggage and baggage tags at check-in counters. I usually observe this when it is not busy at the kiosks. The process seems interesting as I had a course where we use to book flights and add the services at Amadeus and it was my favorite course.