20+ Years in Aviation.

Over 20 years in aviation! It is time to focus full time on Louise M shoes.

My last flight departure at Qantas was on 22/02/2022. Waving goodbye to not just QF2736 to Port Hedland @0700 but to my fellow team members was a proud moment. Thank you to all for supporting me over the past four years, it’s been a sometimes hectic, sometimes ghostly quiet, but always interesting time at Perth Airport.

I began at Qantas when the B787 Dreamliner commenced direct Perth to London return flights, providing excitement and well planned fast turn arounds to and from Melbourne and London. Then the global pandemic saw Terminals 3 & 4 as 'crime scene' like with black and yellow tape blocking off seats, walkways, checkin counters, and closed shops. Police and health workers moved in to the arrival area in large numbers and remain now although thankfully in much smaller numbers.

The mining sector boomed and became our saviour during covid, although staff were placed on stand down, and redundancies and resignations saw the entire Qantas team drastically reduced. There were times where there was only me, one other customer service agent and a manager working on particular night shifts. I was fortunate to remain working the entire 4 years in a permanent part time capacity, between 20- 34 hours per week. 

During my years at Qantas, I learned a great deal more about leadership styles and resilience that will carry me forward in life and business. There has been many changes with outstanding leaders leaving as Covid changed the workplace, either by reducing staff or vaccination mandates came into the workplace. Others simply decided it was time for a change, aviation was certainly not as it once was. Special thanks to Managers Wendy Douglas and Rebecca Embleton Smith, it was always a pleasure working with these outstanding leaders.

I will absolutely miss my team. Special thanks to Emma Ricketts, Nicola Parry, and Samantha Cardo whom I started with and remain at Qantas. Rebecca Kelly, and Sarah Threadgate for being constant cheerers for me and Louise M shoes. There are many to thank for equally as many reasons, I hope you know who you are. If only I could retain a radio so to hear all throughout the terminal the flight arrivals and departures being managed and the team work involved.  

On my final day, it was lovely to catch up with my client and crew member Jane Clarke, and Brad Colley who has known me through our time at WA Tourism, Ansett Airlines, and now Qantas, before their flights departed. 

My final wave, thank you Qantas for the opportunity.

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