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FireFlyz | 71
are ready to assist you in tracking and
recovering your luggage, but you must
also realize that we are still human
and there’s only so much we can do.
Passengers need to take ownership and
be careful, alert and responsible with their
luggage as well. So please, do take very
good care of your belongings.
Any tips for travellers to avoid their bags
fromgetting lost or damaged?
Here are a few tips that I find helpful for
travellers:
1. Mark your bags in order to avoid
confusion at the carousel. Tie ribbons,
stick stickers, whatever you can, so
that your bags won’t be mistakenly
taken by someone who owns a similar
design.
2. Always be at the airport ahead of time
so that your bags make it safely into
the aircraft as well. There’s always a
lot of rushing and confusion when you
come late and things can sometimes
go awry from there.
3. Always arrive early at the arrival hall
to retrieve your bags from the carousel
in order to avoid your bags from being
taken away by strangers, whether
intentionally or accidentally.
4. Always plastic wrap your bags to avoid
damages. You can find this service at
most airports.
5. Don’t forget to lock your bags! Invest
on a good lock that can secure your
bags properly.
6. If you travel often, invest on a good
luggage bag as well. Good quality bags
may cost more, but they last longer
and do not damage easily.
becomes fun and easier when you have a
teamof people supporting andmotivating
each other every day.
I’msure this job isn’t aneasyone.What do
you think are the skills required in order to
takeon this job?
You’re right, the job is not an easy one, as
it can be pretty stressful at times – after
all, when a passenger has lost his/her
luggage or finds that it is damaged,
they often react in a negative manner.
Therefore knowing how to handle his/
her feelings and to turn it into a positive
light is an important skill. I call it the
“personal touch”, something that you
won’t learn in training. The “personal
touch” is an interpersonal skill that
you have to work to develop yourself,
where you are willing to go beyond the
standard operational procedures to offer
the passenger a service that is even better
than the best.
Although most customers are usually
friendly and kind, you do get some rather
nasty passengers once in awhile, so
patience is a very important key aspect
of the job. You can defend yourself,
of course, if you are not in the wrong,
but the important thing is how you
present your argument. I find that being
calm and reasonable help customers to
understand your point and to re-assess
the situation. As part of customer service,
I believe that we represent the image of
Firefly, therefore it is important to offer
service with a smile. Through all these
experiences, I have learnt how to manage
problems better and I’ve become better
at handling situations.
What are unusual things you have seen
people check-in?
There really is too many to list down, but
my favourite so far is when a passenger
checked-in an actual, full-sized sword!
Nowwhy would you need a sword when
you travel, I wonder.
Whyisaluggagesoimportanttotravellers?
A suitcase is not just something you lug
around on holidays; it is where you not
only keep your personal belongings, but
your memories of the trip as well. People
often feel unhappy when they lose their
luggage, not just because of the amount
of money it may cost, but because of the
value it holds of the time and memory
spent happily on vacation with your
partner, family or friends.
Of course if anything goes wrong, we
at the Central Baggage Tracing Office