Coop Placement - Journey ✈️

Hello everyone! I am Michaela and I am here to share to you my Coop - Placement journey with Cathay Pacific.

[mikmakersss]

Few more days until the end of my Coop.

At first, It was hard to know stuffs that I am not familiar but through my colleagues and by doing same things every other day, I was able to get things done easily.

Thank you so much to Seneca Polytechnic for the opportunity to be partnered with Cathay Pacific. Having these experiences is a great start for me in my preparation of my aviation dream to become a flight attendant.

I will forever cherish the fond memories, new friends and learnings from my coop with Cathay.

Flying with you soon! ✈️ 💜

[mikmakersss]

Happy to help!

Today's shift is a memorable one for me. I was at the kiosk waiting for passengers to come in to check-in when Thomas came and asked us students if anyone of us knows how to speak in Tagalog. I then raised my hand cause I am the only filipino on that shift.

He asked for my help to talk to the old lady on a wheelchair in the assistance line. The lady seemed very hard to understand because of her age and also she is I think suffering from a condition somewhat like schizophrenia. At first, Thomas is asking for her old passport just to verify her identification aside from her new passport. She told me that she already shredded her old passport because she have a new one. So I asked if she has any identification card or birth certificate in her bag. She said she have it so then she gave me the permission to open her bag. Until I found that she still have her old passport with her which she told awhile ago that she already shredded. I totally understand that things and statements like this might happen especially if the passenger is on their grey years. they might potentially forget things which is out of their control.

After that, Thomas asked me to stay a bit longer since the old lady does not have the e-travel. (E-travel is a form that needs to be answered online from passengers who will be travelling to Philippines). The old lady gave me the permission to hold her phone and scan the e-travel form. I asked her personal details but she does not have any email. Since the old lady does not have any companion, Thomas asked her if there is anyone that we can contact to help us answer the e-travel form. She gave us the phone number of her grest grand niece and Thomas asked the details he needed to finish the e-travel.

Few minutes after, we successfully registered her for the e-travel. Now it's time for her to check-in. The thing is that, she only paid for the bag fee from Sault St. Marie to Toronto for 2 luggages but her Toronto to Hongkong - Hongkong to Manila is just booked for economy light which means, she can only bring 1 pc of 23kg luggage with her. The lady keeps on insisting that she paid 3,000cad for the whole trip. We called her great grand niece and asked her if she can help her great grand mom to pay for the other luggage. She seemed off because she told to me and Thomas that she will not help because her great grand mom has money.

On that point, I felt very sad for the old lady. She opened her wallet and showed me that she only have few money with her. One lugggge from Toronto to Manila costs 285 cad. The thing is that, she needs to check in again from Manila to Bacolod which is her final destination with Philippine Airlines and we are not sure if she still needs to pay for one extra luggage.

This is the time that I became emotional.. but I didnt show it to the old lady. I talked to Thomas and I said I will just pay for the other luggage of the old lady. Thomas said No for some reason that he explained which I understand. I just really feel bad for her because we've been there dealing with it for around 40 - 50 mins.

Boris came and asked for my help to translate his explanation on why she needs to pay for another luggage. The old lady got nothing to do but pay the 285 cad with her own last money. I really feel bad because I am thinking if she needs to still pay for her lugagge with her connecting flight with Philippine Airlines she does not have any money anymore.

I am just emotional when it comes to seniors. Eventually, the old lady keeps on saying Thank you. Thomas told her, "don't thank me.. Thank her (pointing me) because she helped you a lot. (with a smiling face)". 😊

[mikmakersss]

Looking forward on working with Cathay!

We were at the Kiosk waiting for economy passengers to check-in when a flight attendant from WestJet approached us and asked us how we are doing at work and we told him that we are students and we are just doing our co-op with Cathay Pacific. He told us that he is thinking of applying with Cathay Pacific because he is always looking up to the flight attendants of Cathay who looks very professional on their uniforms.

I then agreed that the flight attendants of Cathay looks very professional with their uniforms! 😉❤️

[mikmakersss]

Picture at the counter!

Sharing with you a picture of mine while sitting in the counter area. Day by day, I am getting used of the routine that we need to do every single shift. Hence, my learning doesn't just stop there. Every shift, I always have a take away from either my colleagues or the people from Cathay and sometimes I also learn from passengers. Whenever there is a time to chit chat with them like asking where would they be going, some of them will answer like, they're having their vacation on that specific place and enjoy for a while. I am happy that I was able to be part of their journey to visit places for them to relax and be with their family.

Can't believe that I am already half way done with my co-op. 🫶

[mikmakersss]

Free foods after shift!

Today, I was assigned to handle the Queue for the Bag Drop area. My responsibility is to welcome the passengers if they are already on the last part of the process of checking-in. They need to drop their bag at the counter and I need to make sure that the passengers that will be on the Bag Drop Queue are the passengers who have already checked in using the kiosk. There should always be someone infront of the line for the Bag Drop Queue and Assistance so that passengers will be guided on which line should they will be going.

Afrer our shift there are pizza, cookies, oranges and egg tarts in the office. Hana told us that we can eat those foods and just make sure that we would heat it up in the oven. 😉

We then ended the night with a happy tummy! 😋

[mikmakersss]

Self - Service Bag Drop

I usually go to the aiport ready for my shift at the Kiosk but this time, during our briefing in the office, Eagle asked who is Michaela and I raised my hand. He then told me that I have a very special task that night.

I started to have a cold feet. I am overthinking to where he will assign me because our task is usually just in the Kiosk area. After talking about how many pax we have that night, Frances started to explain where I will be assigned for that night. She then told me that I am assigned to handle the Self - Service Bag Drop. She told in the briefing that it's been a while since they opened the SSBD for the pax and tonight they want to have a trial if it would be successful and would help other agents to make the Bag Drop faster.

At first, I don't have any idea what is the first step for this but Frances was very helpful and explained to me how it works. I am so scared and overthinking at that time. I am scared of doing things on the first time but as time passes by, I was able to cope up with the process and ended up loving this area. The lines were empty not unlike when we don't use the SSBD and I felt happy that time because I was able to be a big part of a difference.

I was praised by Eagle after my shift and told me that I did a very job well done that night. He told other students that my performance is the barometer of how they should do and assist pax in the Self Service Bag Drop the next time they will be assigned in that area. (That statement of Eagle gave me butterflies 🙈)

I felt honored to be the first student to assist and do the Self Service Bag Drop trial since it opened.

I realized that I can gain strength, courage and confidence by doing things that I think I cannot do. 😅

[mikmakersss]

Kiosk Machine

Usually, when we see passengers coming near the Cathay Pacific counter, we ask first if they are flying with Cathay Pacific. If they said yes, we will ask them which class are they. If it is Economy, Premium Economy or Business Class.

If they are in Premium Economy and Business Class, they have a special line in the counter. Now if they are i Exonomy Class, we then assist them to checked in in the kiosk.

This is the place where we are assigned to help passengers to check in for their flight. We ask first for their passport and verify their personal details. We also asked them how many baggages will they be checking in and the Kiosk Machine will print the tag and the boarding pass.

This picture of mine was taken after all the passengers were checked in already that is why there's no people around. It was a tiring shift for me because this night was a full flight!

Exhausted but happy! I was able to help a lot of passengers to checked in for their flight going to Hong Kong. 😁

[mikmakersss]

Picture with the Captain!

After a long tiring night, all the passengers have already checked in. Crew already came to the Cathay Pacific counter to checked in their crew bags. It took them a while because they are waiting for some of the crew members to have their bags tagged.

Luckily, I was able to take a picture with the Captain of the flight! I feel shy at first to ask a picture with him but he was very nice to say it's his pleasure!

I then gave my sweetest smile for the picture and I guess the Captain did too! 😉

[mikmakersss]

First duty!

January 10, 2024

OH MY GOD! I am so so so scared today because it is my first duty as a Customer Service Ambassador with Cathay Pacific. When I first entered the office I saw Tina and I felt relieved because I knew I can ask questions about what to do during that night. Tina and other students who has also shift that night told me that everything will be alright. We went to the room to get the dim sum cart to fill out the tags that is needed in every counter. Tina taught us on how many pieces to put in every basket and she reminded us to always have the tag that needs to be in every luggage. It is where passengers should write their name and contact number and must be placed on their luggage.

Here's a picture of mine holding the dim sum cart. :)

[mikmakersss]

Orientation Day!

January 08, 2024!

Today is our orientation day with Cathay Pacific.

We talked about our responsibilities as a Customer Service Ambassador. They also showed us on how to use the kiosk and how can we put the bag tags in to the luggages. They also gave us a teddy bear and our name tags this day. This day was full of excitement because I was able to make friends with other students who is also having their coop.

I'm excited to start this journey as a Customer Service Ambassador with Cathay Pacific. :)