Etihad has been working hard in the months since COVID hit to ensure guests can fly with added comfort, security, and confidence. In June, a world-first Wellness Ambassador program was launched, providing the highest standards of cleanliness, health and hygiene at every stage of the customer journey. How does it work? We caught up with Wellness Ambassador Kiara Graham based in Abu Dhabi to find out more.
Etihad Airways is giving travellers the confidence to get back in the sky, with the help of its ‘Etihad Wellness’ program, championed by a team of specially trained Wellness Ambassadors.
These Wellness Ambassadors are a unique first for the aviation industry and are providing essential travel health information and care so guests can fly with greater peace of mind.
But what exactly does it mean to be an Etihad Wellness Ambassador, and what does a day in the life look like, both on the ground and in the air?
We’ve been lucky enough to have a chat with Kiara Graham.
Kiara became one of the first Etihad Wellness Ambassadors earlier this year and is keen to share her passion for this new program with you.
Where are you from and how long have you been working for Etihad?
I’m originally from the Gold Coast in Queensland and have been working for Etihad Airways since January of 2020.
This June, I took an exciting step forward in my career by becoming one of the first Etihad Wellness Ambassadors!
What does a Wellness Ambassador do? Can you give us a brief rundown of what a day/shift/flight looks like for you?
Every cabin crew member will say this, but it really is true that no one day is the same! As a Wellness Ambassador, it is my role to work alongside our incredible cabin crew team to ensure the health and safety of passengers while on board, so that they can go about their job as usual.
I’m stationed on board, but there are also various other roles within the team, with Wellness Ambassadors available at every stage of the passenger’s journey – from arrival at the airport, check-in, right the way through to landing safely at their destination, as well as a team who are available 24/7 to answer any questions passengers may have about their journey.
For me, my focus is on the inflight experience. Each flight, I go through the cabin and offer our Wellness Kits which we provide across all our cabins in Economy, Business and First. The wellness kit contains a face mask, gloves and hand sanitiser. In our premium cabins, we give our guests a unique ‘snood’ which they appreciate.. I’m also responsible for wiping down and disinfecting surfaces, and ensuring that everyone is maintaining and adhering to Etihad’s stringent hygiene standards. On boarding and deboarding flights, I make sure passengers get up one-by-one to maintain social distancing. We have to be clear in communicating these changes with passengers who are understandably used to getting up as soon as the seat belt sign goes off – it’s a learning curve, and we’re all getting used to these new changes.
Passengers are pretty inquisitive at this time, and I love interacting with them as the main point of contact to make sure they’re fully updated and informed about any processes or Government regulations that they need to know at their destination. Ultimately, my role is to focus on the health and safety of passengers and cabin crew members, so that everyone can travel with peace of mind knowing that we’re doing everything we can to protect their health and safety.
I’m really proud to be an Etihad Wellness Ambassador. As a newly created role, we’re constantly looking for ways to improve the experience and safeguard our passenger’s health and wellbeing.
What are people most concerned about when flying in these current times?
We recognise that it’s a challenging and constantly changing environment, where passengers are feeling stressed trying to navigate Government and border restrictions globally.
During these times, health and safety remain a primary concern for our passengers. A big part of what we’re doing is providing passengers with the reassurance that we’re taking every possible precaution to look after their health and safety, as we carefully reopen our global network.
All passengers are now required to take a COVID-19 test prior to flying with us and must prove they have a negative result to embark on their journey, so they know everyone around them is also taking the necessary precautions, but as well as feeling safe, they also want to feel the human connection. We want to go the extra mile to help bring some friendliness and warmth to the journey too.
Inflight, I’m protected by full PPE – gloves, facemask, face shield, gown, and of course, a smile – even if it’s concealed behind a mask!
Kiara Graham – Etihad Wellness Ambassador
While this may look strange at first, I really feel that this gives passengers peace of mind, as they can see we’re protected, and of course, we’re still able to interact with them and build connections.
What training did you have to undergo to become a Wellness Ambassador?
To qualify as a Wellness Ambassador, I had to undergo special training at Etihad’s training facilities in Abu Dhabi, and complete additional online training. It is a comprehensive training program, which has been developed in response to COVID-19, centred around our passenger’s health and safety.
Given this is a constantly changing and evolving situation, we now have weekly online training and refreshers to keep us up to date on the latest aviation health and safety measures on board. We’re constantly learning and improving.
Health and hygiene is a fundamental part of our role, to ensure measures are being implemented throughout the entire customer journey so that guests can fly with added comfort, security, and confidence.
“Ultimately, Wellness Ambassadors, like all of our cabin crew, need to be highly approachable and caring individuals, who are passionate about putting the health and safety of our passengers first.”
Kiara Graham – Etihad Wellness Ambassador
How has the response been so far to the program?
The response to our Wellness Program has been extremely positive.
It’s a testament to the amazing work and high-level of care from our dedicated team, as well as the understanding and appreciation from our incredible guests, that has seen such an amazing response so far!
“With so many people who have been stranded or unable to travel, I find it touching to see how happy passengers are to be back on board, flying home to be once again reunited with their friends and families. It really is a privilege to be part of their journey!”
Kiara Graham – Etihad Wellness Ambassador
Click here for more information on Etihad Wellness.
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