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Subscribe to RSS FeedFlight Attendants make the experience.
Several of you have brought up the topic of flight attendants and have offered suggestions on what we should look for when hiring. Mark and PS even suggested what nationality they should be! Safe to say, we understand the importance of flight attendants. A great cabin means little if the service doesn’t match.
So what makes our flight attendants different? For starters, we will only hire enthusiastic, talented people. Not only will they have experience working in the service industry, but they’ll also have a passion for customer satisfaction.
We expect a lot from our cabin crew, but we will offer a lot in return: competitive pay, generous vacation and retirement plans. All attendants will participate in our rigorous OpenSkies training program. That means that they’ll be highly qualified in everything from cabin safety to the finer touches of hospitality. They’ll accommodate each passenger’s individual comfort and needs to ensure the overall experience is exceptional. They’ll even be able to recommend which wine goes best with your excellent OpenSkies meal! But the biggest perk of working with us will be the opportunity to actively contribute to something new and exciting in premium international air travel. So to Henry, rest assured, we have the same British Airways standards—we’re bringing you the most qualified, skilled, and welcoming cabin crew flying.
I’ve always believed that people make the experience. We’re looking for unique people to join us in creating the OpenSkies experience. So if you know of anyone who would make a good fit, please encourage them to apply here.
We’re always looking for great people!
Dale
January 25th, 2008 at 2:28 am
Sounds great Dale. What sort of previous experience will Open Skies be looking for? Flight or general service industry?
January 25th, 2008 at 6:55 am
Perhaps it is true that flight attendants matter, but most of the time I’m more worried about leg room. Haha.
I’m surprised that even an airline has taken to blogging. Its a good thing, keep it up!
January 25th, 2008 at 10:35 am
I’m really excited about this venture and glad to see it come. I hope it does really well.
I gather that Cabin crew will be US based, but Pilots EU based and JAA licensed. I was wondering if in the future you could accommodate any NY based pilots if they have a JAA licence and appropriate visas for Europe? I am a dual national US/UK, currently flying in Europe. Sorry to drag the thread on to pilots by the way.
January 25th, 2008 at 2:44 pm
Thank you Dale for your personal response!
I think that language skills are very important when dealing with passengers of different nationalities! It could be an asset for your new company if there will be Flight Attendants on board who fluently speak the language of the country they are flying to.
January 25th, 2008 at 5:17 pm
Will Open Skies fly out of EWR or JFK, I would love the opportunity to work for Open Skies and I noticed that Flight Attendant interviews are being held in Newark. Anyone have ideas?
January 26th, 2008 at 4:19 am
I am so excited about my interview with Open Skies. I too started out in Resevations in the Travel Industry some 20 years ago and have dreamed of working for an airline just like Open Skies, an airline that brings the Art of Travel back to the Airline Industry.
January 28th, 2008 at 6:13 pm
Would also be great if you hired one member of the cabin crew from each city you fly to. That way we,(the passenger), get access to local knowledge
January 29th, 2008 at 3:06 am
Yes, I have flown with BA once and there was a huge difference between the European staff and the American staff. I’m American and I’m ashamed of our service! I speak 2 languages so yes, having more than one language as a requirement for flight attendants would be an excellent skill.
January 29th, 2008 at 7:11 am
Hi Dale,
I am no big fan of British Airways but I have to say I have been impressed with your blog here and your openness here.
Best Wishes,
Kempton
P.S. It is probably too soon to say this but of the three blog entries so far, “Flight Attendants make the experience” is the one that reads like standard PR materials.
Just be passionate and open to learn from your customers, I think your customers will be happy of the results.
January 30th, 2008 at 7:34 pm
When is the first flight planned to take off?
January 31st, 2008 at 7:14 pm
hi there im a uk resedent and was wondering if there was any plans for a uk base ?
February 1st, 2008 at 5:41 pm
I am very excited about Open SkiesBA flying from New York connecting European Cities and I am interested in a cabin crew position but not sure I can relocate from Denver to NewYork, there is a great expense differance. I think this airline will add great CLASS to the industry here which is in great need of some changes. I hope OSKIES considers Denver Colorado as a future destination.
February 20th, 2008 at 11:54 pm
As a naturalized American citizen, I am very disappointed to see that some bloggers do not appreciate that Americans can be capable & professional cabin crew as their British counterparts. Can it be because we as “men” (I mean all men/women/children) tend to disrespect our own, give more credit to a forgein accent and allow more leeway to anyone from a different culture from ours.
I say let open skies do their job and you do yours and be nice to people everywhere irregardless of colour, creed, religion or nationality.
February 23rd, 2008 at 4:06 pm
If you’ve ever flown Continental, Eos, or the now defunct MAXjet; then you’d already know that GREAT service can exist from U.S. cabin crews.
The majority of the U.S. legacy carriers don’t put cabin crews high on the list of priority, and are only pleased to recruit the most mundane and unresponsive, keeping inline with their “get them on, and get them off” mentality.
Openskies is fortunate to come at a time when the “best of the best” as far as professional cabin crew is concerned are aching for more opportunities to give only the best and most professional service to the traveling public. These eager to please flight attendants are overwhelmingly interested in Openskies, and O/S will have the benefit of selecting only the cream of the crop.
For the naysayers, I personally say they will be proven wrong, to their own delight!
February 24th, 2008 at 9:31 pm
Why have Cabin Crew, Stewardesses and Air Hostesses been suddenly rebranded as ‘Flight Attendants’? It seems like OpenSkies is looking to replicate US airlines, including the use of terms (which are contrary to those used by BA in the UK).
Why even differentiate your crews so significantly from those with BA? I would expect a similar level of service as received on flights ex-UK, which would probably be best achieved by maintaining similar standards as those on BA mainline.
February 27th, 2008 at 9:14 pm
Is it possible that you will be offering relaxation services in flight such as massage, stretching, guided meditation? I am curious if regular guests would/do enjoy these increasingly popular amenities during their flight?
I am also a Licensed Massage Therapist with extensive studies, and applications in relaxation techniques found in yoga,breath,and meditation practices. I am very interested in applying my skills to assist in the reduction of stress that travel imposes on our daily balance.
Personally I have not had the opportunity to receive this luxury during flight. I am curious about the quality, and benefits of an in flight massage from any one who has had the opportunity of this experience.
Namaste
Karin Koepcke
March 22nd, 2008 at 9:38 pm
Hi Dale,
It’s not just flight attendants that make the experience. It’s everyone that touches the customer, from call centre to check-in then through the gate and on-board.
Think about when you were last given really good service, I would challenge you to be really honest with yourself. Great service is rare in any industry, and airlines provide no exception.
It’s one thing to look great in sharp designer uniforms (I am sure the staff will), smile at the right time and do things efficiently but beyond that, service needs to be ingrained in the culture of the business and those charged with immense responsibility of delivering it on the front line.
For good service to really work, it needs to feel genuine, with warmth and above all a personality rather than just the fake fixed smiles on the bar and food drill.
Deliver the service quickly, efficiently and with a personal touch, take people’s cultural needs into account without stereotyping.
Clear rubbish quickly and make time in the schedule to chat with those passengers that want to, and when the flight attendant asks if everything is OK, do it in a real way. Let everyone leave feeling that they have been taken care of and they will always come back for more.