Bermudian Crew Member Works On Flight Home

The official announcement when a recent American Airlines flight arrived in Bermuda had the flight attendant welcoming everyone to his home, with Bermudian flight attendant Robert Davies recently working his first flight back to Bermuda.

Mr Davies was the lead flight attendant so he did the audio announcements during the flight, and after hearing his accent some Bermudian passengers asked him if he was Bermudian, which he then made clear when they landed, telling passengers it was his “pleasure to welcome both locals and visitors to my home of Bermuda.”

Asked how he got into the airline industry, Mr Davies told Bernews, ”I have been fascinated with this industry. Ever since I was a child and my grandfather worked at the airport as a customs officer and I was able to get close to planes. My aunt would take my cousins and I to watch planes come in and take off. I had thought to apply to British Airways, but in 2013, I moved to the USA and pursued American-based airlines.

“In 2016 I started with Republic Airline, which is a regional that operates smaller aircraft of behalf of American, Delta and United and was based in NYC. In early 2018, I received offers to work for JetBlue, Delta and American, and I felt that American was the best fit for me.”

Asked about some of the more rewarding experiences of being in the industry, Mr Davies said, “I absolutely love that my ‘office’ is ever changing and I can wake up in a new city several days a week and experience new cultures and people constantly. I like to say that I excel in organised chaos and that’s what this industry is! We of course have schedules and routines, but that is constantly subject to change due to so many different factors.

“You’re never bored in this industry and it gives me the amazing experience to touch peoples’ lives in a special way. Just on one flight alone I may be celebrating with a recent graduate/honeymooners, giving a child their first airline wings and also may be consoling someone else on their way to a funeral. Flight attendants have that extra special ability to make an occasion more special or more bearable and I love that.

“I also have to say that it’s very rewarding being a Bermudian working as a flight attendant. I am in no way exaggerating when I say every single other flight attendant I’ve worked with that has been to Bermuda for work or leisure absolutely loves Bermuda.

“It’s extremely rewarding and fills me with a lot of pride to hear person after person rave about how amazing our island and people are. The last person that did so was a mechanic for American and he and his family have visited Bermuda 25 times!

In explaining what it was like working on his first flight to Bermuda, Mr Davies said, “It was really amazing. Of course, Bermuda being as it is, I knew people on the flight. They were shocked to see me at the plane entrance greeting them.

“I was the lead flight attendant and when I did the announcements passengers recognised the accent and were asking me if I was Bermudian and were very excited to have a Bermudian working their flight.

“Others knew for sure as when we landed and I did the welcome to Bermuda announcements I said it was my pleasure to welcome both locals and visitors to my home of Bermuda and as people left they congratulated me on the job and service.

“Several staff at the airport the next day when I was working the flight leaving Bermuda stopped me as they realised I was Bermudian and also gave me a lot of well wishes and support to see one of us working for such a major airline carrier such as American. I really felt the local love and support and I fully want to encourage other Bermudians to get into this amazing industry.”

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