Hello, Ms. Phuong. First of all, could you please share your first impression and memory when joining the unit’s Youth Union?
Tan Son Nhat Operation Center (TOC) is one of the units with many active youth activities. Since becoming a member of TOC, I have been involved in many movements and activities launched by the Youth Union.
From team sports for union members such as football, badminton, table tennis, tennis, etc., to Yoga, dancing, Zumba clubs; exciting music activities where many musical “talents” shine, or children’s activities and programs (providing recreational platforms for the children of employees working at TOC organized by the Youth Union); or practical and meaningful movements for the community such as charities and activities to give back to the community, humanitarian blood donations, and so forth.
For me, my impression and memory with VNA or TOC relate to not only my daily professional work, but also the active and meaningful activities of the Union—which help me to be closer to the members of the department as well as the entirety of VNA in general.
When you were appointed to the unit’s Youth Union Executive Committee, how did you feel?
When I was appointed to the unit’s Youth Union Executive Committee, I felt honored receiving the trust of the Party Committee, the management, and members of the TOC Youth Union. Additionally, I also felt that I needed to try harder and harder to improve myself, and I strived to make the youth movements at TOC stronger and to attract more Union members.
Who was your first teacher at VNA? What impression did he or she make on you?
When I first came to TOC, I always received help and learned from my colleagues. As front-line employees of TOC, we have a team environment where everyone helps one another due to the nature of their constantly updated works—everyone always gives advice and support to each other to provide the best possible experience for passengers and to ensure safe, efficient and punctual flights. Even now, I’m still learning and receiving help from my colleagues. I find myself fortunate to work in such an environment.
As Secretary of TOC Youth Union, what is your plan to contribute to the youth activities as well as to the business activities of the unit?
As Secretary of the Youth Union, I always remember to put in my best effort in every activity – every movement, and to care about Union members in TOC. Every activity needs the support and participation of several people. With the enthusiasm and commitment of young people, each of the TOC Youth Union members has been continuously dedicated towards work and creativity in order to successfully achieve the business goals of TOC. With the current trend of constant change and innovation nowadays, each of the TOC Youth Union members is vital in contributing to the development of Vietnam’s aviation industry. At every position, every day, we encourage the Youth Union members to give feedback on improving the work so as to make it more efficient and economical.
One small contribution may not bring a remarkable result, but the combination of everyone’s effort will create the best result. This thinking is also applied in youth movements at TOC. The Youth Union always calls for its members to enthusiastically participate in activities launched by TOC or the Group’s Youth Union, to be the core leading force in creating creative, dynamic platforms, not only within the unit, but also in exchanging with other departments to create more cohesive relationships—not just daily work relationships.
TOC Youth Union Secretary Truong Hanh Phuong and key members in the peak of Youth Month. (Photo: Hanh Phuong).
Oh, so what is your professional work and how do you balance it and Youth Union activities?
At TOC, the members of the Youth Union Executive Committee are concurrently holding other professional positions. I am currently the representative of the Customer Service Division, a front-line staff who works directly with passengers at the terminal to help them complete flight procedures and to ensure a safe, efficient, and punctual flight. With such high-pressure and shift-based work, balancing between professional work and Youth Union work is also a challenge, not only for me, but for most of my colleagues concurrently holding other positions in the Youth Union.
In order to complete both professional and Youth Union work, in my opinion, the most important factor is to arrange your time well and to divide the work systematically and logically. Thanks to the support of the Board of Directors and leaders of departments, the Union members and I always receive optimal support to participate in Youth Union activities. In addition, the enthusiasm in youth activities is also a factor that helps me to complete both professional and Youth Union-related tasks at the same time.
In your opinion, what is the most important thing for young people in the aviation field?
One of the most important things for young people in the aviation field is to constantly learn to be innovative, creative, and to take actions to bring those initiatives into reality. Besides, you also have to be brave to accept new challenges. Sometimes in the course of work, it is unavoidable to face problems or mistakes, but each individual needs to bravely recognize their shortcomings and find reasonable solutions to perform better and more effectively at their jobs.
Dedicated to helping passengers at the airport. (Photo: Hanh Phuong).
How do you feel when you see VNA constantly growing and developing? Could you share more about those milestones?
I have been fortunate to work for VNA since 2010, and throughout this period, I have witnessed the transformation and continuous development of the Vietnamese aviation industry. VNA has become a 4-star airline recognized by SKYTRAX for four consecutive years. This achievement is the result of long-term efforts of not only the proper direction of the VNA’s Board of Directors but also the change and creativity of each member in the VNA family.
And right now, each of our VNA members is still trying to improve in order to bring a better experience to passengers and help VNA reach 5-star standards, becoming one of the top leading airlines in Asia.
Thank you very much for sharing! Could you share about recent activities of the TOC Youth Union?
With the close attention and support of the Party Committee and TOC Board of Directors, the unit always has exciting activities. At TOC, each year, the Youth Union cooperates with the TOC Trade Union to plan monthly movements and activities so that activities are always available for the Youth Union members to choose from and to fit their shift-based schedules.
Last summer, in addition to providing excellent services during summer peak times–with very high OTP and OSP indicators, and activities for the community–the youth and children were also organized. In recent years, the Youth Union has organized several events, such as giving presents on the occasion of International Children’s Day on June 1, complementing and rewarding good students in 2018-2019 with games and movies, and cooperating with VACS Youth Union to organize “Full Moon Festival 2019” for children to play and promote interaction between the two units. At the same time, the social activities with the theme of “when you drink water, honor the source” were also organized in July and August, such as: commemoration of July 27 in Trang Bom Province (Dong Nai), giving savings books to policy beneficiary families and families with meritorious services to the revolution; coordinating with TSN regional council to organize humanitarian blood donation.
It is often said that union activities are just formalities and bear nothing new. What do you think about this?
Union activities are only formalities if we only launch them on paper–hanging banners without practical and cohesive actions that are joined by most Youth Union members. We should organize attractive and practical activities so that everyone wants to voluntarily participate. These activities do not need to be excessively publicized, but they must be practical and effective—bringing joy to individuals involved.
For example, people always call for protecting the environment, reducing emissions, reducing greenhouse gases, fighting against global warming, etc. Instead of spreading slogans everywhere, or giving everyone brochures or pictures, just organize a small activity: limit the use of disposable plastic items in the office, instead of using disposable paper cups or plastic cups, each person carries their own reusable water bottle. That is also an example of creativity to renew the movement, and everyone may take part in it. So whether or not the activities follow the old path depends on our ways of application and action.
Ms. Phuong and the Union participating in activities of the unit. (Photo: Hanh Phuong).
If you could choose three words to describe your characteristics, what would you choose and why?
The three words that describe my character that I find the most appropriate are: studious, agile, and dedicated. I like reading, learning new things to enrich my knowledge as well as gaining more experience and life lessons. Additionally, I think agility is also a common characteristic of Youth Union members, suitable for the Union work as well as complementing our daily work. And above all is dedication. I always try my best to complete any task assigned to me. In my work, it is to make customers satisfied; in the Union, it is to carefully organize activities. Through my dedication, I complete myself and feel fulfilled after every working day.
Could you share a typical day of yours?
The nature of the airline industry is working in shifts, so most airline representatives do not have a fixed schedule. For those who are working in the front-line, one day may start at 3 am when most people are still asleep and may also end at 3 am when everyone turns off their light and falls asleep. A common working day for our TOC front-line members can be briefed by preparing uniforms, putting on makeup, taking pre-flight preparation information, noting special services, specific customer situations, whether the flight is overbooked, solutions to transfer passengers if any, etc.
Working position changes every day: departure or arrival terminal, domestic or international terminal. This job gives me the opportunity to work with a lot of other groups such as VIAGS, SASCO, Aviation Security, Border Gate Police, Customs, all of whom are highly cooperative. In everyday interactions with passengers, each of them brings their own story, difficulty, and expectation. For me, completing my daily tasks is not just about ensuring the punctuality of flights but also helping passengers to handle their difficulties and problems.
Sometimes an elderly customer is going to be late and needs guidance to the boarding gate, sometimes a crying mother forgets paperwork for her baby, and the airline representative will support check-in first to wait for her family members to bring necessary documents or help those who buy last-minute tickets. The happiness of every customer is the gift for each of our TOC front-line staff at Tan Son Nhat.
Not stopping at four stars, VNA is looking forward to 5-star services in 2021, what do you think you can do to contribute to promote and improve VNA’s services to 5-star standards?
Being fortunate to accompany VNA during the process of obtaining 4-star certification from Skytrax, I fully believe that VNA can achieve 5-star certification by 2021. This is a huge challenge for VNA in general and each VNA member in particular. We are not afraid to change and must constantly do so because the 4.0 technological revolution is gradually transforming traditional things into new and practical ones. Our mission is to apply those technologies to our work and life.
In addition, each individual needs to be dedicated and understanding of not only external/internal customers, but to themselves above all. Only when each of us loves our work and has a long-term commitment to creating a good working environment, can VNA strongly develop and attract new resources.
Thank you very much!
Nguyen Xuan Nghia – COMM
