JENNY: Beyond Boundaries


Maldives
Interviews
JENNY: Beyond Boundaries
PUBLISHED March 01, 2020

A little over a year ago, Ms. Aishath Jennifer took the helm of Deputy Managing Director at Island Aviation Services Limited, the parent company of the national airline, Maldivian. She’s one of the few women in the airline industry who has made it to the top of the corporate food chain - an area that has been mostly dominated by men. We sat with her to learn more about her experiences and her passion for the national airline.

Jennifer, please tell us about your journey to Island Aviation Services (IAS) – how did it all begin?

It has been a great journey where I had the opportunity to work in various departments of the company which operates the country’s national airline. I began my career in the late nineties and when Island Aviation was formed in the year 2000, I was one of the few chosen in the transition. With the completion of my Masters in Business Administration (Edith Cowan University, Australia) in 2007, I shifted to a sales role in the Commercial Department. In 2011, I was promoted to Manager Sales & Customer Relations and later in 2012 was transferred to the Cargo Department as the Deputy Head and today I am here in my current role as the DMD of the company.

From where did you draw your inspiration in the airline industry?

I was initially inspired by the vast travel opportunities that aviation in the Maldives had to offer making air transportation convenient and flexible for customers. It was exciting to see and be a part of this fast-paced industry and to have the privilege to contribute something to the country. Aviation plays a major role in the Maldives spreading tourism across the country and as our flag carrier extends its wings further, it also generates exponential growth to our economy and our nation as a whole. Also, the people I have met and worked with along the years have been a well of inspiration.

Being a woman, how challenging is it to claim your position in the corporate sector of the Maldives?

I am happy to say that this has never been an issue for me. Island Aviation has always fostered a culture that was driven by merit and not gender. We have always had women in senior and decision-making roles from the inception of the company. I also come from a family with a strong upbringing where all siblings were treated equally and therefore, when I joined the corporate world it was a smooth transition where I was accepted as a person and equal in all the roles across the company. The people in the industry are colleagues and friends I have known for over 20 years and they know me for my abilities. and I have never had to prove myself and I have always received the same respect as my male counterparts. A lot of people over the years have helped me along my journey but the most that stands out is our former Managing Director Mr. Bandhu Ibrahim Saleem who is a powerhouse of knowledge and a pragmatic leader who played a key role in shaping the person I am today. I would like to thank him for his strong leadership and pushing me to become the person that I am today.

What is your opinion about empowering women in the Maldives? Do you think that women are being provided with adequate liberty and opportunities to work?

Gender gap in public life is a global challenge. However, in Maldives we can see this tide shifting with 33 percent of the seats being reserved for women in the council. More than half the population is comprised of women and providing them with the necessary education, skills and experience will be effective – as undeniably; women play a key role towards the development of the nation.

How is IAS empowering women? What is the percentage of working women in your airline and how do you empower your cabin crew to make them comfortable?

As I mentioned, at IAS many key roles are held by women and we believe in empowering and advancing women based on merit. Currently our workforce comprises of about 24 percent female and 76 percent male. At IAS, we will nurture a woman’s career the same way we would a man’s.

In a fiercely competitive market, how do you plan on remaining at the forefront in the battle for seats and fares?

By staying close to both our individual and corporate customers and enhancing our ‘Maldivian experience’ to our patrons. We are on the right track in improving our service where we have moved our ticketing office to a new spacious, comfortable and central location  in Malé. We have also extended our call- centre hours to provide ease of access to our  customers during after working hours. Regular trainings including customer service are being conducted and we have launched our mobile application that will provide convenience to many in terms of purchasing tickets and reaching us. The ongoing cost efficiency gained through restructuring and review of our processes will ensure that the expenditure of the company is controlled. A higher margin will allow us to make decision within it – whether it is towards dynamic pricing or invest in other services

Could you outline the extent of the company’s expansion plans in terms of new destinations, passenger numbers and additional aircraft?

As the National carrier of the Maldives, our objective is to cater to all the airports within the country. I am happy to say that so far, we are catering to all the airports and our team is gearing up to cater for the upcoming airports and resorts that are scheduled to open soon in the Maldives. Our track record shows that all new resorts have been catered by Island Aviation through the expansion of our fleet correspondingly.

On the international front, we plan to further strengthen our current markets and we arecontinuously exploring new destinations. As the flag carrier we play a vital role in providing connectivity and supporting the economy of the Maldives. Given the geographical challenges we face; as the major air transport provider, we have partnered up with tourism, fisheries and agricultural sectors as well as trade sectors in assisting their travel requirements. Frequencies are provided for tourists traveling to resorts and guest houses across the country, while seats and cargo space are made available for local and international traders.

This year, Island Aviation Services will celebrate its 20th anniversary. Whilst you have discontinued the use of plastic cups in domestic flights since last year, what sustainability goals do you have for this year?

As a company we are committed to reducing single use plastic at IAS. Our oceans already contain more than 150 million tons of plastic and by 2050 there is a fear of our oceans Airline jobs are not going away at IAS. Even if you are not passionate about aviation, chances are that you will become zealous as this industry has a way of infecting everyone around it. containing more plastic than sea life. It is our hope to raise awareness of the problems of single use plastic and its impact on our environment while offering solutions to reduce consumption. As a start, we have installed water filters on all our premises and we are working towards eliminating plastic responsibly and  replacing the current plastics used with another material that has a lesser environmental impact.

How would you describe the current state of the aviation sector and what changes are you anticipating for the future?

Air travel is on a steady rise in terms of growth as air transportation has become more accessible and desirable to travelers. Today more people can afford air transport and the number of people opting for this mode is on an increase with the expansion of the middle class gap. Therefore, this needs to be taken into consideration and addressed in order to sustain a profitable growth.

If you had one piece of advice to give someone starting a career at IAS, what would it be?

Airline jobs are not going away at IAS. Even if you are not passionate about aviation, chances are that you will become zealous as this industry has a way of infecting everyone around it. I have seen people who have gone to become high caliber people in this industry that started with Island Aviation. Today wherever they may be, they are ‘IAS alumni’ and we feel very proud of each and all. The prospects are only getting better!

“Airline jobs are not going away at IAS. Even if you are not passionate about aviation, chances are that you will become zealous as this industry has a way of infecting everyone around it.”

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