Co-authored by Oliver Grohmann, Executive Vice President, Human Resources and Thomas Ney, Divisional Senior Vice President, Service Delivery at Emirates.
This article was featured in our October 2024 edition of WorkLife Business News which you can read here.
The next time you fly Emirates, or any other airline, be conscious of every touchpoint in your journey from the moment you arrive at the airport. Perhaps even before – when you talk to our contact centre team or are driven by Emirates’ chauffeur drive service for instance.
You will be amazed by the levels of operational orchestration that surrounds you at the airport. From check-in, lounges, safety, security and boarding to sparkling seats, welcoming cabin crew, preparing for take-off, onboard food, drink, entertainment and more. Everything seems to appear magically and come together flawlessly.
As you can imagine, behind-the-scenes, thousands of employees, countless hours of training, finely tuned collaboration, SOPs, guidelines, regulations – they all have a big part to play in every customer journey. And there are those bits – from fuelling to loading food, baggage and cargo – that you don’t see.
In aviation, training is everything. More so at Emirates. Because the airline flies to more than 140 destinations in 77 countries, our customers come from every corner of the planet. They represent all age groups, from newborns to centenarians, race, ethnicity, religious and socio-economic backgrounds, and differing mobility levels. They step onboard for long-awaited holidays, honeymoons, to visit family and friends, close business deals, attend medical appointments or even funerals. On any given flight, there are hundreds of differing needs and even more opportunities for us to make a difference in our customers’ lives.
The ability to respond to diverse customer needs hinges on excellence and providing exceptional service to customers, which is especially interesting when you’re flying at over 30,000 feet.
All these factors and more present exciting challenges for us.
Our cabin crew are not just our brand ambassadors, they are central to our onboard customer experience. As the largest international airline, Emirates has a complex operation. Our crew serve on Emirates’ all wide-body fleet of A380s and Boeing 777s, which means they work in twin-aisle configurations on short-, medium- and long-haul flights with our signature First, Business, Premium Economy and Economy Class.
Given our global footprint and our size, we proactively recruit cabin crew from every country big and small. In 2023-24, our recruiters visited over 200 cities, and this year we are scheduled to visit 460 cities globally. At the time of writing this article, Emirates has more than 22,700 cabin crew from 140+ nationalities around the world. This diversity ensures our onboard service strikes the right notes, is nuanced and culturally sensitive. Ultimately, it means our customers feel right at home onboard.
As Emirates continues to ramp up operations and plans to recruit 5,000 cabin crew this year with the aim to have a community of 30,000 by 2030, the airline is meeting the challenge by investing continuously in the latest technology to enhance and personalize the learning experience.
Our onboard signature services are underpinned by rigorous training that helps deliver a memorable customer experience and a rewarding career journey for our cabin crew. They are trained not just in safety, security, hospitality and delivering personalised service, but also in developing life skills that will enhance their personal and professional lives.
State-of-the-art training facility
At our Crew Training Centre, our cabin crew undergo an intense seven and a half weeks of training to deliver the highest standards of hospitality, safety, and service that its customers have come to expect over the years. Full motion simulators, as well as visual and audio displays, makes the learning experience as realistic as possible. The centre is also equipped with a swimming pool test environment to train crew on all possible scenarios in the air or on-ground.
It’s not just boring theory or online training, either. New recruits learn innovative techniques to solve scenarios they would most likely encounter on board, providing an all-round practical experience. They develop the ability to work effectively in a multicultural team, how to stay mentally strong and calm under pressure, becoming bastions of hospitality and exceptional service, and ambassadors of an iconic brand.
Delivering safety and security at 40,000 feet
The aviation industry is synonymous with safety standards. Cabin crew are equipped with the ultimate levels of safety, emergency, and security training. They are trained to abide by international aviation security laws and perform necessary security checks as well as threat and risks assessments. They actively handle various technical devices, prevent disruptions and manage potential situations, including unruly behaviour.
Cabin crew and medical professionals in one
Our cabin crew learn more life skills than most professionals. They learn all forms of first aid to address any emergency medical conditions that may pose a risk onboard. This includes learning how to perform CPR, assist in emergency childbirth, use an Automated External Defibrillator (AED) machine, and handle situations like collapsed customers, sudden illnesses, and injuries.
But beyond hard skills and knowledge, Emirates cabin crew are also trained on soft skills to empower them to use their judgement and act calmly in any situation. Cabin crew learn how to gain consent to assist passengers, show empathy to the sick and their families, new mothers or mothers of newborns, keep passengers informed, and break difficult news if required.
Customer experience, not just customer service
We foster customer loyalty because we go above and beyond. Our cabin crew are trained to consistently deliver their award-winning service on every flight across the network.
In fact, the Emirates Hospitality principles which underpin the strategy, were created in partnership with the Ecole hôtelière de Lausanne (EHL), one of the world’s top hospitality management schools. The bespoke programme is specifically built around the unique DNA of Emirates – ensuring cabin crew not only provide a world-leading service, but one that is specifically tailored to our principles of simplicity, excellence, innovation, and passion.
These responsibilities are significant, with cabin crew learning to undertake food preparation, plating and presentation, mixing signature cocktails and delivering a fine dining service that is personal to the customer. In training, these responsibilities are simulated across the four different cabin classes.
In June this year, we also launched L’art du vin – bespoke courses for cabin crew to enhance Emirates’ unparalleled wine in the sky experience, where they invite customers to savour a collection of acclaimed and rare vintages.
Our cabin crew are empowered to create spontaneous magical moments – if you’re a frequent flyer with us you are likely to have heard the joyous celebrations of birthdays, anniversaries, even marriage proposals!
Ultimately, it’s about delivering a memorable customer experience, not just customer service.
Representing the brand
As the face of the airline and brand, all cabin crew must have an impeccable appearance when interacting with customers. Uniform, hair, make-up, skin and nail care and all aspects of grooming are covered in depth during training and set in the context of the Emirates brand.
Emirates has a learning culture. All our professionals, including our cabin crew, have access to the latest training programmes – both online and classroom-based, and LinkedIn courses. In 2023-24, our Future Skills Portal attracted over 200,000 visits and LinkedIn Learning videos received over 1 million views on the platform. Across the Emirates Group in all job roles, more than 5,000 employees attended workshops, professional and leadership courses – a 95% increase.
Recruitment drive
As Emirates begins to take delivery of its eagerly anticipated A350s and Boeing 777-Xs, the airline is looking to recruit cabin crew who have at least one year’s experience in the hospitality or customer service experience.
Emirates’ cabin crew enjoy a competitive, tax-free salary, flying pay, hotel stays and layover expenses. They are eligible for profit-share, concessional travel and cargo, annual leave and annual leave ticket. Furnished accommodation, transportation to and from work, excellent medical, life and dental insurance coverage, laundry services and other benefits are all part of the compensation package.
Friends and family enjoy deeply discounted flight tickets, which help crew travel with their loved ones to create lasting memories. Special employee discount cards provide amazing benefits and concessions across Dubai and globally.
This article was featured in our October 2024 edition of WorkLife Business News which you can read here.
