Blink Company News

Interview with Blink’s Flight Services Supervisor

Delivering service

Blink’s goal is to provide a cost effective travel solution that helps to optimise your valuable time – but not at the expense of a satisfying and enjoyable experience. Our astute and dedicated Flight Services team is here to make the process of ‘hiring a Blink air taxi’ simple and hassle free. They will work with you to understand your requirements and provide you with the best value for money solution.

Rebecca Goff, Blink’s Flight Services Supervisor, ensures that Blink delivers its high level of customer service.

What attracted you to Blink?

Working at a small, dynamic start-up company was a challenge that I couldn’t resist. Working for Blink has given me the chance to learn many aspects of the business that I would never have had the opportunity to be involved in at a larger organisation. The atmosphere and culture and Blink is a unique one. The age range of the team provides the much needed experience to the innovative thinking of the younger members of the team.

How do you define exceptional customer service?

Providing a stress-free, seamless service from booking to post flight. We are on hand 24/7 so that or clients always feel they are being taken of.

What is the most difficult part of your job?

Without a doubt that most difficult part is advising a passenger of an issue that is out of my control. Whether that be a slot delay, a weather issue or inconsiderate Icelandic Volcanoes! When there is nothing I can do to help the passenger, it is very frustrating. In this situation we will always ensure we provide the most up to date information and make sure we take any possible action to minimize any disruption to their day.

Why do you call the customer service team “Flight Services”?

We don’t feel that Customer Services really captures all that we can offer our clients. Everyone on the team has a background in Operations as well as Customer Service which helps us provide a more efficient service. We think it is important that we are all able to assist on a technical level and can therefore advise the limitations of an operation. Although we don’t like to decline any request we feel it’s important that we manage our clients’ expectations.

Blink places the Customer at the centre of everything we do. That must create a lot challenges for you. How do you meet the high expectations placed upon you?

In any situation I face I always try and think as the customer would. How would I feel about a slot delay or what would I like Blink to do to make my life easier? Whether that’s being on hand to order some ground transport on arrival or maybe letting a passenger know that the weather’s not looking too clever for a flight the next day. I’ll try to be ahead of the game and update clients with any information that may impact their day.

How do you ensure that all members of the Flight Services team deliver the same level and calibre of service?

We have a very close knit team in Flight Services. Communication is very important to ensuring anyone who answers the phone is fully briefed to help whoever is calling. A benefit of being a relatively small operation is we are all able to keep track of every flight and therefore supply the personal level of service that really makes the difference.

What do you enjoy doing in your free time?

Spending time with my friends and family takes priority when I’m not at work. I also like swimming and watching my local football team with the rest of my family.

What’s it’s like to work at Blink?

It’s certainly never boring! Every day is different and you never know what the day will hold when you walk into the office in the morning. I’m lucky enough to work with some great people. Despite the long and sometimes frustrating days, I can honestly say we laugh in the office every day!

Interview with Blink’s Ground Operations Manager

Keeping ground operations in order

As Europe’s first air taxi operator, Blink manages the largest fleet of Cessna Mustangs anywhere in the industry. Every day, Blink may have a dozen separate flights to plan, file, crew, operate, and monitor. The challenge of keeping pilots, regulators, and not least customers happy throughout every day is complicated because Blink flies to no schedule save that of our passengers. At any minute, 24/7, Blink ground operations needs to be prepared for new requests. Lately the job just got trickier, with Eyjafjallajoekull’s ash cloud unpredictably closing large parts of European air space.

Stephen Pickering, Blink’s Ground Operations Manager, manages this hot spot and tells us more below:

Good morning Stephen, tell us how you came to be with Blink

My career has been forged at the other end of the aviation spectrum, at British Airways, where I spent 30 years in positions spanning sales, terminal operations, safety auditing and operations control. Blink has given me the opportunity to lend this experience to a game changer in the private jet industry.

How does your job at Blink compare to that at British Airways?

Blink and BA could not be further apart in terms of size and scale, and the culture of a multinational organization is a million miles from the entrepreneurial camaraderie at Blink. But we’re still in aviation, and I’m still running ground operations – many of the same rules and challenges remain the same.

What are the job’s biggest challenges and how have you addressed them?

Blink set out 2 years ago to change the rules that have established what can and cannot be done in private aviation. From an operational point of view, that means managing a single aircraft type fleet, showing for the first time what very light jets can do across an unprecedentedly extensive network of airports.

The biggest challenge is also the major motivating force: how to build a reputation for reliability and professionalism around a brand new operation. We’ve gone about that by creating a team that combines aviation experience and a passion for achieving our business vision – an air taxi service for European short haul travel.

And is there time to enjoy life outside Blink?

We’re a 24/7 operation but we’re a close team and it’s a work hard play hard culture. Not that I have a choice – I have two young sons ready and waiting for action the moment I leave the office!

The Interview is the third in a series of interviews with key members of the Blink team. If you have have a question that you would like to ask a member of our team, please contact us.