So the KPIs did get paid out. Miracle of miracles! I don't like being so cynical about my work, especially when it's the best job I've had and the perks are pretty good, but honestly I'm so surprised they paid us out before the end of September. Want to know the payment? Before I spill, let it be known that the Team Managers got a $7000 bonus and the lounge concierges, who do shit all, got $5000. So...us customer service agents got the following figure:
$337. Before tax. Appalled much?
Apparently we are not worth a fragment of a guy that sits in the lounge all day pandering to our high value customers. The fact that we deal with all their shit when things go wrong is nothing so we get 300 bucks and a pat on the back. Keep up the good work. Ha!
Oh how I wish I could be more honest with my bosses about the unfairness and general low morale around the place. Not many people stay there anymore for the love of the job, it's more a stay and deal with it or go and don't get an inkling or recognition for your hard work. Not that we're getting much anyways but yeah. The team managers think there's great morale around the place but all I hear is bitch bitch moan. It's horrible and after a while it really starts to rub off on you.
Tomorrow will be my three year anniversary at my work. I've never held a job that long. Before now my record was a year. I should be grateful for the opportunity to work in a world-class airline and company and don't get me wrong, I am. Just a little more recognition than 300 bucks once a year would be nice.
God bless my airline but honestly, we are worth so much more than what you say and I'm telling you now, if we could strike I don't doubt it would happen.
Thursday, September 24, 2009
Sunday, August 30, 2009
KPIs? They actually exist?
I wish I actually took the time to make this blog look pretty or something but I guess in the end it's the words that count, right? Besides I'm the only one reading this so it shouldn't matter. Still...I feel a little lazy to that end.
Anyway, I'm currently on a day off but about to embark on a seven-day working week of which half will be 4am starts. This seems cruelly unjust, particularly as my flatmate doesn't seem to be racking up half the early starts I am despite being at the same "skill level" as me, but there you go. No point kicking up a fuss when the roster's already published and they dare not touch it for fear of...I don't know, fear of it biting them??
Admittedly, part of it is my fault for accepting the overtime but again the glorious catch-22 raises its ugly head because without the overtime there are no hours to be had. So instead of being broke I'll run myself into the ground at the prospect of a marginally normal pay which I can't enjoy anyway because I then have to spend my days off sleeping.
And I still love my job? Go figure.
The most recent dramas at work revolve around the yay or nay of our KPI payments. KPI = Key Performance Indicators. Which, for the record, are pretty much impossible to meet. How are we meant to turn around 85% of our planes on time when we live in one of the most disrupted cities in the world, or have such and such sick leave when there's swine flu and glandular fever going around?? Jesus...
We're meant to be getting these paid out sometime soon but, surprise surprise, they keep pushing it back and promising new dates which never happens. Our next payday is in three days and I'm not exactly holding my breath. Maybe by the end of the month? Is that wishful thinking?
Anyway, I'm currently on a day off but about to embark on a seven-day working week of which half will be 4am starts. This seems cruelly unjust, particularly as my flatmate doesn't seem to be racking up half the early starts I am despite being at the same "skill level" as me, but there you go. No point kicking up a fuss when the roster's already published and they dare not touch it for fear of...I don't know, fear of it biting them??
Admittedly, part of it is my fault for accepting the overtime but again the glorious catch-22 raises its ugly head because without the overtime there are no hours to be had. So instead of being broke I'll run myself into the ground at the prospect of a marginally normal pay which I can't enjoy anyway because I then have to spend my days off sleeping.
And I still love my job? Go figure.
The most recent dramas at work revolve around the yay or nay of our KPI payments. KPI = Key Performance Indicators. Which, for the record, are pretty much impossible to meet. How are we meant to turn around 85% of our planes on time when we live in one of the most disrupted cities in the world, or have such and such sick leave when there's swine flu and glandular fever going around?? Jesus...
We're meant to be getting these paid out sometime soon but, surprise surprise, they keep pushing it back and promising new dates which never happens. Our next payday is in three days and I'm not exactly holding my breath. Maybe by the end of the month? Is that wishful thinking?
Thursday, June 4, 2009
Another long delay but I'm back
I really am going to make an effort to keep this more up to date. Not because people are reading it and clawing for the next thrilling installment in my professional life, but because it's a record for me - kind of like my journal but without all the emotional bullshit.
99% of my time these days is spent down at Qantas, even though in 5 days the domestic flights with them will no longer exist. Subsequently, and thanks to the brilliant idea of over-recruiting, my hours have been cut back considerably. I've just passed the two-and-a-half year mark with this company and this is how they repay me. My manager informed me the other day that I'm considered "senior staff" which sounds overly ridiculous. But it's true. High turnover much?
This airline really needs to take a long, hard look at itself and think about what it's planning here. Experienced staff are only going to move on to better and bigger things - outside the company - if the hours are cut back. Yes, we love our staff travel, but that can't be an incentive forever. What use is it when you're working 20 hours a week and can barely pay your bills? It's more like a carrot dangling in front of my pig of a rabbit.
I used to have real, honest respect for this airline. And they are still the best employers I've ever had (at the wise old age of 24). It just wouldn't hurt, once in a while, to be acknowledged for the positives instead of constantly being reminded of my short comings. Apparently I don't make my presence felt, which I do on purpose to avoid being labelled a try-hard or know-it-all. You can't win.
So recently I got a semi "promotion" after being approached for the position of Qantas service control. I was genuinely and pleasantly shocked. Never in a million years did I myself think I was capable of that role, let alone thinking the managers would look at me in that way. Yet they pulled me aside and asked me directly after everyone else had been hired in the normal apply-and-be-interviewed process. I've got to give credit to the company for that. My confidence has really boosted in this role and I feel like I'm not actually as mediocre as I thought. Which just makes the idea of losing more hours even harder to bear.
It's such a catch-22. Love the job, love the people. Hate the hours, hate the uncertainty surrounding the place right now. Anyway, another 4am shift tomorrow so should be off to bed. Keep smiling, it's free :)
99% of my time these days is spent down at Qantas, even though in 5 days the domestic flights with them will no longer exist. Subsequently, and thanks to the brilliant idea of over-recruiting, my hours have been cut back considerably. I've just passed the two-and-a-half year mark with this company and this is how they repay me. My manager informed me the other day that I'm considered "senior staff" which sounds overly ridiculous. But it's true. High turnover much?
This airline really needs to take a long, hard look at itself and think about what it's planning here. Experienced staff are only going to move on to better and bigger things - outside the company - if the hours are cut back. Yes, we love our staff travel, but that can't be an incentive forever. What use is it when you're working 20 hours a week and can barely pay your bills? It's more like a carrot dangling in front of my pig of a rabbit.
I used to have real, honest respect for this airline. And they are still the best employers I've ever had (at the wise old age of 24). It just wouldn't hurt, once in a while, to be acknowledged for the positives instead of constantly being reminded of my short comings. Apparently I don't make my presence felt, which I do on purpose to avoid being labelled a try-hard or know-it-all. You can't win.
So recently I got a semi "promotion" after being approached for the position of Qantas service control. I was genuinely and pleasantly shocked. Never in a million years did I myself think I was capable of that role, let alone thinking the managers would look at me in that way. Yet they pulled me aside and asked me directly after everyone else had been hired in the normal apply-and-be-interviewed process. I've got to give credit to the company for that. My confidence has really boosted in this role and I feel like I'm not actually as mediocre as I thought. Which just makes the idea of losing more hours even harder to bear.
It's such a catch-22. Love the job, love the people. Hate the hours, hate the uncertainty surrounding the place right now. Anyway, another 4am shift tomorrow so should be off to bed. Keep smiling, it's free :)
Wednesday, December 17, 2008
Patience wearing thin
I used to be a fairly empathetic person. I'd still like to think I am but there are seriously days when this is tested to the utmost extreme. Customer service will do that to you. It's crazy. A few late passengers and you can actually feel your entire personality shifting.
It's becoming a trend for people to rock up to our international flights with barely a half hour to spare. I have no sympathy for late runners - even my own family nearly missed their flight home from Melbourne earlier this year thanks to Dad's genius idea of taking a shortcut, and I could only laugh. You should be at the airport eons before your flight and if you're not then sorry but cry me a river. Even before I got this job I would be camped out in the check-in at least an hour before a domestic flight. Nerdy? Maybe, but better than being that passenger everyone glares at as you shuffle down the aisle fully aware you've held 130 other people up.
Today I had the pleasure of dealing with a woman on a Singapore passport who wanted to convince me that she did not need a visa to get into Australia. "I travel lots, I never need visa." Oh right, sorry! My mistake - so because you travel heaps I'll totally bypass the Australian customs regulations and get my ass in trouble when the fines come through. Duh! Stupid me. She made the wise idea of turning up for this flight 45 minutes before departure. Feel the blood boiling already? Oh yes.
After arguing for five minutes that she didn't need a passport and that I was obviously wrong despite the fact I do this every day for a living, she finally trudged into the ticketing office to get a visa. The queue was a mile long. YET WE HELD THE FLIGHT FOR HER.
This pisses me off. People who are disorganised enough to turn up late to check-in and then have the gall to dispute an international law should be bumped so that the other 150 law-abiding, organised passengers can go on time. I don't understand why my supervisor didn't just tell her it was too late and that she'd have to go on the next flight. I swear if I were a supervisor or had the authority to take people off flights, a lot more people would be learning a harsh lesson in punctuality.
Alas, I'm not a supervisor. I don't particularly want to be one either. I deal with enough crap as it is, let alone having to have the buck passed on to me when the CSAs find it beyond their control. You'd think after two and a half years in this job I'd maybe want to "climb the ladder" a bit...but it's never really been a goal of mine. I know my parents would be thrilled to see me get promoted or put into a "stable" department in the company (e.g. boring droll "same-shit-different-day" locked in a box admin). They don't say it outright, just little hints here and there. And it's like, you know what? I have never had a more fun, diverse and interesting job. Never has a position riveted me so. So why don't they just accept that this is what I love?
A lot of our passengers look down on us but in the end we do have the power and the right to refuse to check them in. It's not like my job is completely thankless and menial. I get paid well, get plenty of perks, flexible shifts (although the 4ams still kill me) and the people I work with are awesome. Why would I want to give that up so I can wear a little badge that says "Team Manager" and exercise just a little more power? Flag that.
One more week until Christmas. The loads are full and will be swelling to oversold tomorrow with the end of the school year. Unaccompanied minors and families galore. Can't wait...hahaha.
It's becoming a trend for people to rock up to our international flights with barely a half hour to spare. I have no sympathy for late runners - even my own family nearly missed their flight home from Melbourne earlier this year thanks to Dad's genius idea of taking a shortcut, and I could only laugh. You should be at the airport eons before your flight and if you're not then sorry but cry me a river. Even before I got this job I would be camped out in the check-in at least an hour before a domestic flight. Nerdy? Maybe, but better than being that passenger everyone glares at as you shuffle down the aisle fully aware you've held 130 other people up.
Today I had the pleasure of dealing with a woman on a Singapore passport who wanted to convince me that she did not need a visa to get into Australia. "I travel lots, I never need visa." Oh right, sorry! My mistake - so because you travel heaps I'll totally bypass the Australian customs regulations and get my ass in trouble when the fines come through. Duh! Stupid me. She made the wise idea of turning up for this flight 45 minutes before departure. Feel the blood boiling already? Oh yes.
After arguing for five minutes that she didn't need a passport and that I was obviously wrong despite the fact I do this every day for a living, she finally trudged into the ticketing office to get a visa. The queue was a mile long. YET WE HELD THE FLIGHT FOR HER.
This pisses me off. People who are disorganised enough to turn up late to check-in and then have the gall to dispute an international law should be bumped so that the other 150 law-abiding, organised passengers can go on time. I don't understand why my supervisor didn't just tell her it was too late and that she'd have to go on the next flight. I swear if I were a supervisor or had the authority to take people off flights, a lot more people would be learning a harsh lesson in punctuality.
Alas, I'm not a supervisor. I don't particularly want to be one either. I deal with enough crap as it is, let alone having to have the buck passed on to me when the CSAs find it beyond their control. You'd think after two and a half years in this job I'd maybe want to "climb the ladder" a bit...but it's never really been a goal of mine. I know my parents would be thrilled to see me get promoted or put into a "stable" department in the company (e.g. boring droll "same-shit-different-day" locked in a box admin). They don't say it outright, just little hints here and there. And it's like, you know what? I have never had a more fun, diverse and interesting job. Never has a position riveted me so. So why don't they just accept that this is what I love?
A lot of our passengers look down on us but in the end we do have the power and the right to refuse to check them in. It's not like my job is completely thankless and menial. I get paid well, get plenty of perks, flexible shifts (although the 4ams still kill me) and the people I work with are awesome. Why would I want to give that up so I can wear a little badge that says "Team Manager" and exercise just a little more power? Flag that.
One more week until Christmas. The loads are full and will be swelling to oversold tomorrow with the end of the school year. Unaccompanied minors and families galore. Can't wait...hahaha.
Tuesday, November 25, 2008
Restarting after 18 months!
Oops...I guess I let this slide in a big way. And that's not because my job has become boring - the complete opposite, actually. A lot has changed. My pay rate has gone up but so has the staff travel, which I suppose had to happen. The company has started hiring a whole lot of dimwits, mostly aged around 18-20 years old, and separated those of us who are trained and those of us who only have limited skills into what they call a cluster system. It's stupid and I knew from the get-go it wouldn't work and has only made me resent working for my actual employer.
So I joined the Qantas pool. Now this airline I can mention because I'm not actually employed by them, we're just contracted to do their ground handling (check-in, boarding etc). This has given me a sense of working for a proper airline where people still check-in face-to-face instead of solely through a machine, and that those working there are properly trained and know what they're doing.
Well...for the most part. Some people in my job are really starting to grate on me, to the point that if I see I'm working for them I can feel a headache coming on before I even start. Now obviously I'm not going to name names, but there is definitely a group who are "in" with the managerial side of things and therefore get away with murder. I can only imagine the unbelievable trouble I would be in if I refused to do anything but sit on my ass making the boarding calls, or chatting to my mates non-stop. Yet this select group get to do whatever they want and management turn a blind eye to it.
Hmm. But I get a talking to for calling a manager a bitch after she humiliated me in front of dozens of passengers? Yeah, fair call. To be honest I thought I let her off lightly, I could have called her a lot worse - that's not the first time she's gone out of her way to make me feel 2 inches tall.
Then there's two particular drama queens who are nothing short of rude and in love with themselves. I've been called fat and ugly TO MY FACE by one. I didn't think she was much to look at but still, she had the gall to point out that a group of rugby boys didn't want to be checked in by me because of how I look. Thanks, my tiny ego just DIED right there. Then there's the constant talk talk talk about "me me me" that you personally just don't care about or want to know.
Now don't get me wrong, there are a lot of people at my work that I do get on with and a lot I am lucky to call friends. I've actually hit the jackpot in that department and made some of the best friends I think I'll ever have, solely through this job. But still! I thought this company had some sort of integrity when it came to their recruitment, that the reason we went through so many interviews and checks was to ensure we made a good name for this airline. I got told that only 2% of applicants actually successfully gained employment with this company, which would make you think they're very picky.
They're having trouble proving that right now. Nearly every week another group of sullen-eyed, disinterested, gum-chewing school leavers put on that uniform and are somehow expected to show the world that we are a world-class airline. Go figure.
I know people think that I joined the Qantas pool either because it's a lot less work or because my best mate pretty much solely works down there, which means we have a lot of fun if we're working together. But actually it was neither of those reasons. I wanted to be in the Qantas pool because inevitably one day I'm going to leave New Zealand - the goal is 2010. I still want to work in the airline industry and at the rate my current employer is going, I think it's going to look far more impressive if I have Qantas behind me. They are the second oldest airline in the world and one of the biggest, and despite the fact that they are...ugh...Australian, I can't help but feel a little bit proud when I'm working for them.
Even though the disrupts, cancellations and general mayhem is about ten-fold what I get down the other end. Seriously Qantas, time to start buying some new planes...
It's like working for a proper airline, which is how I used to feel about my employers. Even the uniform is a million times more professional. It doesn't feel like a hideous bland sack. It's actually nice and flattering and stands out.
Anyway. My employers have a lot to answer for at the moment. I'm not going anywhere and I still feel extremely lucky to have my job but that doesn't mean I'm hugely impressed with what they're doing. We're pretty much going to be replaced by machines and the people they're hiring are nothing to be desired. Lazy, arrogant, rude and totally clueless about the aviation industry. "Um...what's a 737?" How do you not roll your eyes at that?
I think this rant is coming to a close, particularly as it's my day off so I have no real specific incidents to report. I managed to have the manager of the Wellington Phoenix abuse me over a cellphone yesterday which was exciting, because I pretty much told his friend who had passed him over to me that he would not be travelling if he kept that attitude up, and that I had told my manager who was looking out for him. Hahaha, BURN.
Fingers crossed we keep our jobs. Don't keep hiring losers when they're all going to be replaced anyway!
So I joined the Qantas pool. Now this airline I can mention because I'm not actually employed by them, we're just contracted to do their ground handling (check-in, boarding etc). This has given me a sense of working for a proper airline where people still check-in face-to-face instead of solely through a machine, and that those working there are properly trained and know what they're doing.
Well...for the most part. Some people in my job are really starting to grate on me, to the point that if I see I'm working for them I can feel a headache coming on before I even start. Now obviously I'm not going to name names, but there is definitely a group who are "in" with the managerial side of things and therefore get away with murder. I can only imagine the unbelievable trouble I would be in if I refused to do anything but sit on my ass making the boarding calls, or chatting to my mates non-stop. Yet this select group get to do whatever they want and management turn a blind eye to it.
Hmm. But I get a talking to for calling a manager a bitch after she humiliated me in front of dozens of passengers? Yeah, fair call. To be honest I thought I let her off lightly, I could have called her a lot worse - that's not the first time she's gone out of her way to make me feel 2 inches tall.
Then there's two particular drama queens who are nothing short of rude and in love with themselves. I've been called fat and ugly TO MY FACE by one. I didn't think she was much to look at but still, she had the gall to point out that a group of rugby boys didn't want to be checked in by me because of how I look. Thanks, my tiny ego just DIED right there. Then there's the constant talk talk talk about "me me me" that you personally just don't care about or want to know.
Now don't get me wrong, there are a lot of people at my work that I do get on with and a lot I am lucky to call friends. I've actually hit the jackpot in that department and made some of the best friends I think I'll ever have, solely through this job. But still! I thought this company had some sort of integrity when it came to their recruitment, that the reason we went through so many interviews and checks was to ensure we made a good name for this airline. I got told that only 2% of applicants actually successfully gained employment with this company, which would make you think they're very picky.
They're having trouble proving that right now. Nearly every week another group of sullen-eyed, disinterested, gum-chewing school leavers put on that uniform and are somehow expected to show the world that we are a world-class airline. Go figure.
I know people think that I joined the Qantas pool either because it's a lot less work or because my best mate pretty much solely works down there, which means we have a lot of fun if we're working together. But actually it was neither of those reasons. I wanted to be in the Qantas pool because inevitably one day I'm going to leave New Zealand - the goal is 2010. I still want to work in the airline industry and at the rate my current employer is going, I think it's going to look far more impressive if I have Qantas behind me. They are the second oldest airline in the world and one of the biggest, and despite the fact that they are...ugh...Australian, I can't help but feel a little bit proud when I'm working for them.
Even though the disrupts, cancellations and general mayhem is about ten-fold what I get down the other end. Seriously Qantas, time to start buying some new planes...
It's like working for a proper airline, which is how I used to feel about my employers. Even the uniform is a million times more professional. It doesn't feel like a hideous bland sack. It's actually nice and flattering and stands out.
Anyway. My employers have a lot to answer for at the moment. I'm not going anywhere and I still feel extremely lucky to have my job but that doesn't mean I'm hugely impressed with what they're doing. We're pretty much going to be replaced by machines and the people they're hiring are nothing to be desired. Lazy, arrogant, rude and totally clueless about the aviation industry. "Um...what's a 737?" How do you not roll your eyes at that?
I think this rant is coming to a close, particularly as it's my day off so I have no real specific incidents to report. I managed to have the manager of the Wellington Phoenix abuse me over a cellphone yesterday which was exciting, because I pretty much told his friend who had passed him over to me that he would not be travelling if he kept that attitude up, and that I had told my manager who was looking out for him. Hahaha, BURN.
Fingers crossed we keep our jobs. Don't keep hiring losers when they're all going to be replaced anyway!
Monday, April 9, 2007
It's that time of year (and the month, grr)
School holidays. Oh how I loathe them. Kids running rampant around the terminal, stressed parents giving themselves hernias over seating arrangements, buggies and car seats and booster seats and bassinettes - all of which have to go in massive plastic bags - making any check-in agent break into a Zambesi induced sweat. Arghh.
Now to be fair to parents, I realise it must be a mission travelling with ankle biters. But if there are two of you, for God's sake you ARE capable of putting your baby necessities into the plastic bags. Do you think I have time to do it while I'm calculating the mountains of luggage you keep piling onto my belt and ensuring little Johnny is safely cornered into a window seat? Oh and it's real considerate of you to turn up 20 minutes before the flight's due to leave, giving me a whopping five minutes to get all this done. Thanks for that.
My rant tonight is probably compounded by a lethal dose of PMS (any poor service assistant asking me how my day is going has been given a mumble and narrowed eyes as a response) and my own stupid personal problems. There is either something seriously wrong with my phone or the few friends I have left are totally ignoring me. So obviously I committed some massive faux pas when I was home last week and am now paying the price for it. Whatever that was.
Fingers crossed it's Telecom stuffing up and not my friends retreating into the distance. Once again. Let's cue some violins, shall we?
Some good news, the in-house proposal went through with a whopping 76% majority so in a few weeks I'll be on a higher pay rate. Joy! God knows why I want to be a journalist because the media has totally manipulated it, saying we're ALL suffering and that the head honchos are being completely selfish. Um, hello, at least we got some notice...there are some people who turn up to work only to be told the company's gone under and there's no job left for them anymore. I know which scenario I'd prefer to be in...
Apparently we are also getting a new piece of uniform, namely a cardigan. I ask you - a cardigan?! I haven't worn one of those since primary school! And it's obviously incredibly elusive as no one has seen it, worn it or knows what it looks like. Yet we're expected to get one. Hmm. Be interesting to see what size I am, since my whole uniform is a complete jumble of sizes. Silk shirts are 14, skirts are 14, pants are 16, jacket is 16, merino top is a medium. WTF? Medium is, like, a 12. I haven't been a 12 in years. Go figure.
Alright I think I will go to bed. This PMS is making me far too emotional and I'm seriously tempted to start venturing into my personal life, which is NOT what this blog is for. Been there and done that with horrendous results. Leaving it at this for now - will update with some ground training reports. Woo.
Now to be fair to parents, I realise it must be a mission travelling with ankle biters. But if there are two of you, for God's sake you ARE capable of putting your baby necessities into the plastic bags. Do you think I have time to do it while I'm calculating the mountains of luggage you keep piling onto my belt and ensuring little Johnny is safely cornered into a window seat? Oh and it's real considerate of you to turn up 20 minutes before the flight's due to leave, giving me a whopping five minutes to get all this done. Thanks for that.
My rant tonight is probably compounded by a lethal dose of PMS (any poor service assistant asking me how my day is going has been given a mumble and narrowed eyes as a response) and my own stupid personal problems. There is either something seriously wrong with my phone or the few friends I have left are totally ignoring me. So obviously I committed some massive faux pas when I was home last week and am now paying the price for it. Whatever that was.
Fingers crossed it's Telecom stuffing up and not my friends retreating into the distance. Once again. Let's cue some violins, shall we?
Some good news, the in-house proposal went through with a whopping 76% majority so in a few weeks I'll be on a higher pay rate. Joy! God knows why I want to be a journalist because the media has totally manipulated it, saying we're ALL suffering and that the head honchos are being completely selfish. Um, hello, at least we got some notice...there are some people who turn up to work only to be told the company's gone under and there's no job left for them anymore. I know which scenario I'd prefer to be in...
Apparently we are also getting a new piece of uniform, namely a cardigan. I ask you - a cardigan?! I haven't worn one of those since primary school! And it's obviously incredibly elusive as no one has seen it, worn it or knows what it looks like. Yet we're expected to get one. Hmm. Be interesting to see what size I am, since my whole uniform is a complete jumble of sizes. Silk shirts are 14, skirts are 14, pants are 16, jacket is 16, merino top is a medium. WTF? Medium is, like, a 12. I haven't been a 12 in years. Go figure.
Alright I think I will go to bed. This PMS is making me far too emotional and I'm seriously tempted to start venturing into my personal life, which is NOT what this blog is for. Been there and done that with horrendous results. Leaving it at this for now - will update with some ground training reports. Woo.
Tuesday, March 27, 2007
You love me, you really love me!
It would be easy in a job as low as mine to be swept aside or taken advantage of in terms of being appreciated. Actually, to hopefully not sound too emo, there are very few times in my entire life I've ever felt appreciated or wanted (cue violins). Two days ago, after struggling out of bed at 4am to do international departures, my supervisor for the shift pulled me aside and told me, straight out, that she loved working with me because I was so easy to get along with and did a damn good job.
I was flabbergasted. I really was. How many times does a superior admit to enjoying working with you? I can't recall it ever happening in any other job I've had. So wow. I'm pleasantly shocked.
Sunday marked my 6-month anniversary as an employee (and don't diss - my 6-month anniversary with my ex was, like, a big deal. Romantic writings in the beach and all. Oh to be 18 and in love again...I digress and apologise). 6 months at this company is kinda major because it means you're suddenly entitled to a lot of cool stuff, including pension plans and - BLISS! - staff travel.
The two sweetest words you will ever hear when you work for an airline. Staff travel. How wonderfully bizarre it was to book a flight to Christchurch for a fraction what I'd normally pay, then have to change it to a later flight for NOTHING. When I went to Dunedin last year on full fare and had to change my flight, it cost me over $150 just for the change! Now I can chop, change and cancel all for nada. Brill.
The reason I had to change my flight is because on Friday we finally get to vote on the big cost-reducing strategy. At first this looked destined to mean we were going to be outsourced to a foreign company, which would have been the pits, but it seems they have come up with an in-house solution. Now the vote just needs to pass and we're all good.
I'm voting yes because I'm a selfish bitch. My pay is going to go up on this new scheme. Many others' are going to go down. I also don't want to be outsourced and the new proposal is very fair, and the people losing money know that they can take redundancy in a very good package. Some of those people have been there 20 or 30 years and are ready to just take the nest egg and go. Plus they get to keep staff travel for a year after they leave. High five.
Everyone at work seems to hate our CEO but I guess as a boss's daughter I feel sorry for him. He must have the hardest job in the world, particuarly with aviation the crazy world it is today, and I'm sure he doesn't want to let staff go. But what choice does he have? It's a business. It has to make a profit. And everyone makes him out to be the bad guy because of it.
I hate the way everyone says "Oh yes, he's sitting up there in his Armani suit, writing with his Parker pen while his BMW gets polished by some $10/hr immigrant." I imagine this is miles away from the truth. Because people say the same things about my dad and he's the most down-to-earth, hard working person I know. So I wish people would just shut up, they don't know the guy and what he has to do to keep the company afloat.
Despite over 7 hours checking people in, I didn't have many dimwitted customers today. A rarity, I can assure you. My latest roster shows I'm doing ground training in a couple of weeks, SCORE! I thought it would never happen!
Actually I'm kinda nervous about doing the public announcements, even though I love public speaking. My friend stuffed up yesterday by requesting a passenger "travelling to Paraparam" return to the counter, when really this passenger was heading for Palmerston North. But we both laughed about it for ages afterwards.
I've fricken hurt my back but it doesn't feel like I've pulled it so I don't know if I can pin this one on work and the tons of bags we end up lifting every day. It feels more like I've trapped a nerve or something. It comes and goes but when it comes, bloody oath it hurts. If it's still playing up when I get back from CHC next week I'll have it looked at. Bring on ACC.
Well this was rather meaningless and drawn out so I might head off now. 4am start tomorrow, choice, I get to wake up at 3am! But at least it's not a completely thankless task.
I was flabbergasted. I really was. How many times does a superior admit to enjoying working with you? I can't recall it ever happening in any other job I've had. So wow. I'm pleasantly shocked.
Sunday marked my 6-month anniversary as an employee (and don't diss - my 6-month anniversary with my ex was, like, a big deal. Romantic writings in the beach and all. Oh to be 18 and in love again...I digress and apologise). 6 months at this company is kinda major because it means you're suddenly entitled to a lot of cool stuff, including pension plans and - BLISS! - staff travel.
The two sweetest words you will ever hear when you work for an airline. Staff travel. How wonderfully bizarre it was to book a flight to Christchurch for a fraction what I'd normally pay, then have to change it to a later flight for NOTHING. When I went to Dunedin last year on full fare and had to change my flight, it cost me over $150 just for the change! Now I can chop, change and cancel all for nada. Brill.
The reason I had to change my flight is because on Friday we finally get to vote on the big cost-reducing strategy. At first this looked destined to mean we were going to be outsourced to a foreign company, which would have been the pits, but it seems they have come up with an in-house solution. Now the vote just needs to pass and we're all good.
I'm voting yes because I'm a selfish bitch. My pay is going to go up on this new scheme. Many others' are going to go down. I also don't want to be outsourced and the new proposal is very fair, and the people losing money know that they can take redundancy in a very good package. Some of those people have been there 20 or 30 years and are ready to just take the nest egg and go. Plus they get to keep staff travel for a year after they leave. High five.
Everyone at work seems to hate our CEO but I guess as a boss's daughter I feel sorry for him. He must have the hardest job in the world, particuarly with aviation the crazy world it is today, and I'm sure he doesn't want to let staff go. But what choice does he have? It's a business. It has to make a profit. And everyone makes him out to be the bad guy because of it.
I hate the way everyone says "Oh yes, he's sitting up there in his Armani suit, writing with his Parker pen while his BMW gets polished by some $10/hr immigrant." I imagine this is miles away from the truth. Because people say the same things about my dad and he's the most down-to-earth, hard working person I know. So I wish people would just shut up, they don't know the guy and what he has to do to keep the company afloat.
Despite over 7 hours checking people in, I didn't have many dimwitted customers today. A rarity, I can assure you. My latest roster shows I'm doing ground training in a couple of weeks, SCORE! I thought it would never happen!
Actually I'm kinda nervous about doing the public announcements, even though I love public speaking. My friend stuffed up yesterday by requesting a passenger "travelling to Paraparam" return to the counter, when really this passenger was heading for Palmerston North. But we both laughed about it for ages afterwards.
I've fricken hurt my back but it doesn't feel like I've pulled it so I don't know if I can pin this one on work and the tons of bags we end up lifting every day. It feels more like I've trapped a nerve or something. It comes and goes but when it comes, bloody oath it hurts. If it's still playing up when I get back from CHC next week I'll have it looked at. Bring on ACC.
Well this was rather meaningless and drawn out so I might head off now. 4am start tomorrow, choice, I get to wake up at 3am! But at least it's not a completely thankless task.
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