Collaboration between Cockpit and Cabin on Private Jets
What kind of professional relationship?
On Commercial Airlines, Cockpit and Cabin are two different universes which very rarely come across each other. Often, the cabin crew doesn’t know the cockpit’s crew name, and the other way round, and they are not involved in any way on the other’s part duties.
On private jet, also because the team is much smaller, we work all together and we ensure all team members are doing good and don’t have any problem.
A lot of time is spent for team building, and is very rare that one of the crew is left alone during layovers, unless this has been specified by the person.
During working time, the cabin is still responsibility of the flight attendant and the cockpit is still pilot’s duty.
However, is very frequent that, when pilots are done with their paperwork after landing, they help the flight attendant to set up the jet for next flight. Is not unusual that they vacuum the floor and polish the cabin.
When they ask me how they can assist me, I usually give them the cabin set up: easier and quicker task while I take care of lavatory and galley which are more time consuming. You might be surprised to discover how much care they can put in the details!
It happened once that my Captain offered himself to take the vacuum cleaner to the hotel for recharging, ad the following day he delivered back to me perfectly polished and clean. Really a cleaning-fanatic!
They often load the luggages for the flight attendant and they are always there to help and support for any circumstance.
On the other hand, the flight attendant can support them at the best of his/her capabilities, although there’s not much he or she can do to assist them due to the fact that on Private Jets , Flight Attendants are not considered responsible for safety and security.
We usually share some of the free time together and no one will leave the others behind. We decide together at what time we leave the hotel to go to the airport according to how much time is needed to prepare the flight, and no one will leave the hotel until the whole crew is ready…. Of course punctuality is a must!
An episode that happened in Emirates few years ago comes up into my mind: just landed in Domodiedovo, we were leaving the arrival hall when the customs stopped me and asked me to check my suitcase. I had been kept busy for 10 mins and mean while the crew (28 people) got out the airport and entered in the bus. Once I was finally good to go, I looked around and I couldn’t believe it: I had been left behind! After a first sensation of panic attack, I looked around in the street and I saw a big bus full of red hats that was starting to move. I run, I stopped the bus and I came inside: the pilot and the purser didn’t even realised that there was one person less.
On a Private Jet the crew collaborate as a team at all times. The fact that cockpit door is missing or kept always open is naturally increasing the level of communication and teamwork.