Last Updated on Thursday, 28 July, 2022 at 9:32 am by Andre Camilleri
The Malta Business Weekly caught up with Maltese-national Tiziana Mifsud who, for the past 15 years has been working with Emirates as a purser as well as a hospitality learning partner. Tiziana describes how her career with the airline developed over the years and she encourages others to consider making such a rewarding move.
What is your current role with Emirates?
I am an inflight purser and a part-time hospitality learning partner.
What made you choose a career with Emirates? What is so special about working as cabin crew for Emirates?
I joined Emirates in 2007. At the time I was 22 years old, I had just finished my studies and I wanted to travel as much as possible. I always loved engaging in experiences that take me out of my comfort zone and explore new beginnings. I wanted to work in a multicultural environment and Emirates was just the perfect combination of everything.
Working with Emirates widened my horizons on so many levels. It gave me the opportunity to do what I love while I travelled the world. I have learned so much from all the people I met along the way. Being part of the cabin crew team with Emirates gives you the opportunity to work in an organisation where standards are very high and where the customer is the centre of everything. In Emirates you learn from the best in order to deliver the best!
For how many years have you been employed with Emirates?
I have been employed with Emirates for 15 years. Throughout the years I worked my way up to purser and in 2016 I joined cabin crew training as a part-time trainer with the image and uniform division.
Where are you based? Describe the benefits of working with Emirates?
As all cabin crew in Emirates, I am based in Dubai. Working with Emirates gives you the benefit of living in a modern vibrant city with an attractive salary package. Travelling is definitely a perk. You can travel on your free time with great discounts on flights. From a professional angle working with Emirates equips you with the best hospitality training in the industry and with the opportunity to work in a leading airline where possibilities are limitless.
What was your previous work experience prior to joining Emirates?
Before joining Emirates I worked as a Geography teacher and held various part-time jobs in hospitality while I was studying.
What is your typical day/night like?
When going for a flight the day starts with a briefing. This is where all the crew meet each other. On every flight there is a different team and my role as a purser is to build the team, set goals and discuss ways and means of achieving those goals inflight. Once we go on board it is always a new experience. Every flight brings unique challenges, surprises and opportunities to delight customers in various ways. If the trip is a layover, one gets some time to rest and relax or go to excursions to discover the local culture and attractions.
In the training college life is relatively more structured.
How did you spend your time during the pandemic and when the airline was not flying?
During Covid when the airline was not flying, I spent all the time with my family in Dubai. My husband, who is also a purser with Emirates, was at home too and we spent the days together with our daughter. We had all the time to do everything we wanted and I have to admit I did enjoy this time at home.
I attempted baking with modest success, tried working out more consistently, read books, watched movies and documentaries and spent endless hours playing with my daughter.
Describe to us the recruitment process with Emirates?
There are currently ongoing open days and Invite only recruitments days that are being published on the emirates group careers website, www.emiratesgroupcareers.com. If you do not find any planned recruitment events for your country, you can apply online and will be contacted when the recruitment team will be coming to a city near you. The site also has information on the requirements for application and the steps that need to be taken.
Which routes do you fly to and which is your favourite route/ destination/city and why?
I fly any route on the Emirates network. It is very difficult for me to pick one city as I have a few favourites. I generally love to travel to any city in the United States as it is always a great holiday there! New York is one of my favourites for the simple reason that you can never get bored there. I love big cities where you can get to do anything you want and where I can engage in one of my greatest hobbies – shopping. I also love Asian destinations especially Bangkok. The Thai cuisine and the vibrant street life are simply amazing.
As a trainer and purser, what are the main challenges but also sources of satisfaction in your job?
Keeping up to date with both can sometimes be quite a challenge! After a long period in training sometimes it feels like I need to spend whole days refreshing my knowledge before I can go back online. However, the balance of both keeps it very interesting.
I love being able to make a difference in someone’s day, whether it is helping a mum travelling alone with children or an elderly person who might need assistance. However my biggest source of satisfaction is leading my team through any challenge, motivating them and supporting them so that together we deliver the world’s best inflight experience. Life can be very interesting at 38,000 feet!
How often do you fly back to Malta? What do you miss mostly from not being in Malta?
This mostly depends on my roster and whether I am on flying or training duties. I love to go to Malta as often as I can. I normally start to feel homesick if I do not visit the island for four consecutive months. Undoubtedly I miss mostly my family and I never got used being away from them.
What would you say to those who are passionate about travel and aviation and want to apply to join Emirates?
I would say to definitely go for it! Few experiences can enrich your life at this level. At first it may feel like it’s a huge step or a huge change but it’s worth it. When I think of the best decisions I made in my life I always think that joining Emirates was definitely one of them. What I have learned through this experience I would have never learned in any other way! As the proverb says – choose a job you love so you will never have to work a day in your life.
