<p>As the head of American Airlines’ operation at the London hub, Olympia Colasante knows how difficult the job is, but a passion for aviation ensures it is not just coffee and kerosene that keep her captivated.</p>
<p><strong>Have you always been interested in aviation? </strong></p>
<p>Aviation first caught my attention when I was barely a teenager and my parents took me on my first flight. As I stepped into the terminal I was in awe of how striking everybody looked in their uniforms, and immediately felt the unique energy that I now know is only felt at an airport. At checkin halls around the world there is the same feeling of excitement and anticipation – I feel it every morning when I start work.</p>
<p><strong>Tell us about your career to date </strong></p>
<p>I started my aviation career 30 years ago in my native Canada, working for Wardair, First Air and Canadian Airlines, before joining US Airways as a supervisor in Ottawa in 1990. I held a number of positions within the company including running US Airways Shuttle in New York’s LaGuardia airport, Boston’s Logan International airport and Ronald Reagan Washington National airport. I became part of the American Airlines family following the merger with US Airways in December 2013, the largest airline merger to date. Before my move to London in mid-2016 I managed American’s operation in more than 30 airports throughout the Caribbean.</p>
<p><strong>What does your current role entail? </strong></p>
<p>In my role as managing director of American’s London Heathrow airport operation, I oversee a team of almost 600 and manage our 20 daily flights bound to the USA. Heathrow is our biggest operation outside of the Americas – ensuring all aspects of our operation come together and work cohesively to produce a punctual and quality experience for our customers is a big and rewarding responsibility. I have worked in many different international airports during my career, but Heathrow is a cut above the rest; the stakes are higher, the customer base is discerning and every second counts!</p>
<p><strong>What are American Airlines’ biggest challenges at Heathrow? </strong></p>
<p>London is the busiest city in the world by air passenger traffic – the competition is fierce and passenger expectations are higher than elsewhere, but American is out to impress. We are investing over $3 billion into all aspects of the customer experience, both in the air and on the ground. This includes taking delivery of one new aircraft every five days, installing lie-flat, aisle accessible seats and wi-fi on international services, introducing new uniforms, partnering with celebrity chefs in our premium cabins and upgrading our lounges around the world, including our newly re-opened arrivals lounge at Heathrow Terminal 3.</p>
<p><strong>What do you enjoy most about your job? </strong></p>
<p>Our industry is the result of a diverse group of people working together with one common goal: on-time departures and satisfied customers. I don’t think any other sector encompasses the range of backgrounds, talents and specialties of aviation and I hear a new story almost every day. I like to hear what attracted my peers to the industry and why they enjoy it so much; it’s not just the coffee and kerosene that keeps us captivated! I am also extremely proud to work alongside several other strong female leaders around the world here at American, now more than 42% of all management roles are female, which is just fantastic.</p>
<p><strong>The least? </strong></p>
<p>The aviation industry by its very definition is “24/7” and with American’s operation being truly global, leaving my responsibilities at work until the following morning is not always possible.</p>
<p><strong>What do you do to relax? </strong></p>
<p>Heathrow is a busy place to be throughout the week, so in my free time I like to wind down by visiting a spa and doing a spot of shopping. London is a world city in every sense of the word, like nowhere else I have lived previously, and I am very fortunate to call it home. This year I plan to explore more of the UK in my free time and my colleagues here are full of recommendations!</p>
<p><strong>Have you always been interested in aviation? </strong></p>
<p>Aviation first caught my attention when I was barely a teenager and my parents took me on my first flight. As I stepped into the terminal I was in awe of how striking everybody looked in their uniforms, and immediately felt the unique energy that I now know is only felt at an airport. At checkin halls around the world there is the same feeling of excitement and anticipation – I feel it every morning when I start work.</p>
<p><strong>Tell us about your career to date </strong></p>
<p>I started my aviation career 30 years ago in my native Canada, working for Wardair, First Air and Canadian Airlines, before joining US Airways as a supervisor in Ottawa in 1990. I held a number of positions within the company including running US Airways Shuttle in New York’s LaGuardia airport, Boston’s Logan International airport and Ronald Reagan Washington National airport. I became part of the American Airlines family following the merger with US Airways in December 2013, the largest airline merger to date. Before my move to London in mid-2016 I managed American’s operation in more than 30 airports throughout the Caribbean.</p>
<p><strong>What does your current role entail? </strong></p>
<p>In my role as managing director of American’s London Heathrow airport operation, I oversee a team of almost 600 and manage our 20 daily flights bound to the USA. Heathrow is our biggest operation outside of the Americas – ensuring all aspects of our operation come together and work cohesively to produce a punctual and quality experience for our customers is a big and rewarding responsibility. I have worked in many different international airports during my career, but Heathrow is a cut above the rest; the stakes are higher, the customer base is discerning and every second counts!</p>
<p><strong>What are American Airlines’ biggest challenges at Heathrow? </strong></p>
<p>London is the busiest city in the world by air passenger traffic – the competition is fierce and passenger expectations are higher than elsewhere, but American is out to impress. We are investing over $3 billion into all aspects of the customer experience, both in the air and on the ground. This includes taking delivery of one new aircraft every five days, installing lie-flat, aisle accessible seats and wi-fi on international services, introducing new uniforms, partnering with celebrity chefs in our premium cabins and upgrading our lounges around the world, including our newly re-opened arrivals lounge at Heathrow Terminal 3.</p>
<p><strong>What do you enjoy most about your job? </strong></p>
<p>Our industry is the result of a diverse group of people working together with one common goal: on-time departures and satisfied customers. I don’t think any other sector encompasses the range of backgrounds, talents and specialties of aviation and I hear a new story almost every day. I like to hear what attracted my peers to the industry and why they enjoy it so much; it’s not just the coffee and kerosene that keeps us captivated! I am also extremely proud to work alongside several other strong female leaders around the world here at American, now more than 42% of all management roles are female, which is just fantastic.</p>
<p><strong>The least? </strong></p>
<p>The aviation industry by its very definition is “24/7” and with American’s operation being truly global, leaving my responsibilities at work until the following morning is not always possible.</p>
<p><strong>What do you do to relax? </strong></p>
<p>Heathrow is a busy place to be throughout the week, so in my free time I like to wind down by visiting a spa and doing a spot of shopping. London is a world city in every sense of the word, like nowhere else I have lived previously, and I am very fortunate to call it home. This year I plan to explore more of the UK in my free time and my colleagues here are full of recommendations!</p>