PIVOTING IN THE FACE OF A PANDEMIC
Hello! In 2020, COVID-19 hit us like kakai. Businesses in the travel and tour industry have had more than their fair share of these interesting times. While some may have closed down, others like MoonTouch Travel Ltd are alive and well. In today’s blog post, I got to sit down with The Fabulous Radia Adama Saani of MoonTouch Travel Ltd. Read on to learn about her pivoting journey as well as tips for traveling. Enjoy!
Ama Duncan (AD): Thank you so much Radia for making time. First, I’ve been itching to ask this for so long. You used to be a flight attendant; did you ever get scared during turbulence? (LOL)
Radia Adama Saani (RAS): Thank you Lady Ama for having me. As a flight attendant, because of the training you undergo before you start serving on-board, there are certain things that you would have overcome already. The training cuts across a whole lot and you’re made aware of the dangers and all that it entails. Also the shoes we wear on flights have protective mechanisms underneath to keep us from falling during turbulence.
AD: Oooooh I see, so that is the secret!
RAS: But there are times you may not always be able to control how you handle those turbulences. There was this one time when I was serving tea and coffee; there was a passenger at the window seat and another man sitting beside him in the aisle seat. The passenger in the window seat requested for coffee and I went to get it ready for him. Immediately I stretched to serve the man at the window there was a sudden turbulence, and the coffee poured on the other man’s laptop! He was extremely mad, and went very crazy because the laptop was completely damaged and no amount of apology was enough. Eventually I got queried and was exonerated as it was not something I could have controlled, and the man was compensated. Flight attendants worry more about passenger’s satisfaction than turbulence.
AD: Wow I can imagine how that must have been! Thank you for sharing. Now you’re a Travel Consultant. At which point in your life did you decide to start your own business?
RAS: I’ve had ten years of aviation experience now, but I didn’t just start from being a flight attendant. I used to work with Ghana Airports Company Limited, in customer service. I knew a lot about airlines and their operations even before I joined Kenya Airways later. What happened was I took maternity leave after I had my baby. When I returned to work, it was difficult for me to go back to Nairobi for a refresher course for flight attendants. I wanted to go with my mum so she could help me cater for my baby but it was complicated...Enjoy the blog post here https://www.amaduncan.com/pivoting-in-the-face-of-a-pandemic/