A Morning to Remember

 Thursday, February 27, 2025

My morning shift as a passenger service agent marked a milestone- it was my first morning shift, from 400 to 1200 and what a morning it was. It turned out to be the busiest shift I've had since starting my placement, and I can only describe it as nothing short of amazing.



The day started with a briefing, setting the stage for what was to come. Five flights were departing that morning: Cancun, Mexico (CUN) at gate C36; Rio Hato, Panama (RIH) at gate C33; Cayo Coco, Cuba (CCC) at gate C31; La Romana, Dominican Republic (LRM) at gate C34; and Punta Cana, Dominican Republic (PUJ) at gate C32. Our supervisors gave us the opportunity to choose our destinations, and I opted for Rio Hato, Panama a decision that would kickstart an unforgettable day. 

After the briefing we jumped right in, assisting passengers at the kiosks with printing their boarding passes and bag tags. Before I knew it, it was already time to head to the gates. And to Gate C33 I went at 5:20 (its starting to grow on me though perhaps a little too much) 😄. At 6:30, we began the boarding process, I teamed up with my colleagues to tag carry-on bags for check-in, delivering them to the aircraft door for pick up and the returned to assist with boarding. 


The highlight of my shift? Making the boarding announcement. Nerves 😟? Absolutely. But with encouragement from my incredible colleagues, I delivered it confidently and felt a sense of accomplishment I won't soon forget 👏😀. After boarding was completed, we returned to the jet bridge to watch the aircraft push back. By the time the plane departed it was 7:30, and the counters were closing at 8:00 until 10:00.

We took a well earned break and returned to the counters at 10:00 to assist with the afternoon flights. The pace didn't slow down if anything, it picked up. I encountered a large number of French-speaking passengers, which was both a challenge and a reminder that I need to brush up on my French skills! Despite the language barrier, I successfully assisted everyone and felt a great sense of satisfaction in doing so👏. 

Before I knew it, the clock struck noon, and it was time to wrap up. Reflecting on the shift, I can confidently say it was a fantastic experience. The energy, the hustle and bustle of the morning, and the opportunity to grow and learn made it truly special. I'm looking forward to the next one already. Morning shifts, I'll see you again soon!

Shift hours: 4:00-12:00

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Day one at terminal 3: Navigating the hustle and bustle of check-in

Image
 Saturday January 25, 2025 Stepping into the terminal for my first shift was a thrilling experience, filled with anticipation and my keenness to help passengers on their journey. The airport was filled with energy as passengers prepare for their flights, I had to remind myself "you got this!! 💪    DIRECTING PASSENGERS TO VARADERO, CUBA I met Charlotte, who gave me a short briefing on my task and what the day would be like. My first task was to direct passengers on flights to Varadero, Cuba. I had to ensure they had their electronic visa ready, as it was crucial for their entry. If not, I directed them to scan the QR code and upload the necessary information. Passengers travelling in different classes had specific check-in areas. I directed travellers to their appropriate counters for Economy Class, Club Class, Eco Flex and Special Services. Each class had their own protocols, and it was important to ensure everyone knew where to go to make their check-in process a smooth...
Read more

Terminal Tour: Discovering the airport on orientation day!

Image
Monday September 20, 2025 from the moment I stepped into Toronto Pearson Airport, I knew this was going to be an adventure 💫.  My day started off pretty well, I took the subway from Warden station to Kipling continuing my commute on bus 900, "go airport rocket express🚀🛬!!!! " it got me there early. The airport was filled with a lot of activities, travelers from different parts of the world. Some seemed calm like frequent travellers while others were in a hurry to check-in. I enjoyed seeing the flight attendants and pilots arriving together, they are always so professionally dressed. I connected with my collogues at the currency exchange counter across from Porter Airlines as we were instructed to wait for Judith's arrival, our awesome placement coordinator.                                                                 ...
Read more

Third shift adventures: Becoming the bag tag master

Image
 Friday, January 30, 2025  my third shift at the airport was an eventful one, marked by a bustling terminal and numerous passengers in need of assistance. From the moment I arrived, it was clear that this day was going to be busy.  I spent a significant portion of my shift at the check-in kiosk, assisting countless passengers navigate the check-in process. A memorable moment came when a passenger praised me for how quickly and efficiently I applied the bag tags, something I struggled with on my first day. It felt amazing to hear that complement, I'm now officially the " Bag Tag Master"! 😁 However, not everything went smoothly . Some of the kiosks malfunctioned during my shift, which required me to redirect passengers to the check-in counters or ask them to wait until other kiosks were available. Understandably, some passengers were frustrated, but I did my best to reassure them that I could assist them as soon as possible. Most were relived to avoid the long check-in lin...
Read more