Good relations
Gulf Air hosts the cream of global airline customer services professionals this month
The annual conference for the Worldwide Airlines Customer Relations Association will be hosted by Gulf Air in Bahrain this month. The yearly event for WACRA – the global body for customer relations professionals in the air transport industry – is organised by one of the member airlines in their respective country.
Last year, Gulf Air won the pitch to host the event in Bahrain amid competition from 50 other airlines. The airline, which is the only carrier from the region on the board of directors of WACRA, also hosted the conference in 1998.
“Middle East airlines are now significant players in the global aviation market and, – being one of the most established carriers in the region – Gulf Air is proud to be able to host the event again and also proud to have a Bahraini woman on the board of this elite organisation,” says Gulf Air acting president and chief executive Björn Näf.
“The aviation business is a service industry and the main focus is on our customers; it is important for global airlines to come together and share their valuable experience, and discuss how best we can serve the customers,” he adds.
Representatives from more than 60 global and regional airlines are expected to attend the conference, which takes place 21-24 October.
Experts from governments, regulatory agencies, legal firms that specialise in air transport issues, and international and industry associations – as well as from consumer rights organisations – will address conference sessions and also conduct workshops.
“Gulf Air is proud to have the opportunity to host this global conference in Bahrain, which is the leading financial centre in the Middle East,” says Kavita Sharma Al Jassim, Gulf Air manager customer care and service monitoring, one of eight senior international airline executives who make up the WACRA board.
“WACRA is a non-political, non-business-competitive forum, so the conference will further strengthen the image of Gulf Air and regional carriers globally.”
High flyers
Gulf Air’s management trainees have a unique chance to get an insight into their bosses’ work
Gulf Air is giving its young Bahraini management trainees the opportunity of a lifetime – to run the airline for a day. “The key ingredient for a successful organisation is its people and these young Bahrainis are going to be the leaders who will fly Gulf Air into a promising future,” says acting president and chief executive Björn Näf, who devised the idea.
“Aviation is a very complex business and there is nothing better than letting the trainees
shadow the CEO for their national carrier for a day so they can experience what it is like to lead in such a challenging work environment,” he adds.
As part of the scheme, the young trainees will spend a full day with the CEO of the company, an opportunity that will allow them to shadow him in to meetings with senior management and staff.
The move is part of Gulf Air’s commitment to providing a nurturing, supportive environment in which individuals are recruited and trained to take up positions of leadership within the airline.
The trainees are part of Gulf Air’s two-year Graduate Entry Management Programme that rotates graduates through the business, giving them a real insight into the complexity of the aviation industry.
Throughout their training period, the young would-be leaders acquire practical and management skills through performance management and formal training intervention. On completion, graduates are placed in junior management positions as the first step on a structured career track.
CHOCS AWAY!
Gulf Air – which recently won the SkyTrax Best Onboard Catering Award for First Class, for the fifth time in a row – has introduced another delicacy to its First Class menu. Hand-made premium chocolates will be exclusively supplied by Ali and Marjo Rashid, Bahraini chocolatiers who did their training in Holland.
“Gulf Air has carved a niche for itself in onboard fine dining,” says Lee Shave, Gulf Air executive vice president marketing and sales.
First Class passengers can now enjoy chocolate taste combinations such as Caramel Delight, Muhallabiah, Zanzabil Ginger and Hazelnut Cream. “We are proud to be a supplier to Gulf Air’s First Class cabin service, which has set an industry standard for onboard
F1 CALENDAR
The Formula One Championship season is racing towards a narrow finish. Spain’s Fernando Alonso won the Italian Grand Prix in Monza on 9 September, narrowing the gap to three points on championship leader – and fellow McLaren driver – Lewis Hamilton, who came second.
Following September’s Belgian and Japanese Grands Prix, there are two races this month: in Shanghai on 7 October and Brazil on 21 October, the season finale. Fixtures for 2008 – including new events in Spain and Singapore – are confirmed, with the Bahrain Grand Prix from 4-6 April. |
