Eve-Piia Maidla: Details create a pleasant flight
Eve-Piia is used to making passengers feel comfortable. Having worked as a cruise manager for 12 years and as on-board in-flight service manager for 10 years, she has taken part in building boats, creating airplane interior design and choosing options for menus.
"THE CABIN CREW is responsible for safety on board," explains Eve-Piia. She adds that when to open and close the doors or how to put a napkin on a table, is also strictly regulated. "If there are no urgent and unexpected challenges in my work, I feel like I'm just being lazy."
How would you characterise Nordica's on-board service?
"Nordica operates flights for both LOT Polish Airlines and SAS. However, these two have different cabin service cultures. LOT uses the so-called high-end service system, which is very common in other parts of Europe. According to this, the roles of the cabin crew and the customer are very clearly divided. SAS service is minimal, as it is usual in the Nordic countries. The purpose of the cabin crew is to create a feeling that the passenger is being cared for, but to still make it feel like home. The SAS passenger is not placed on a pedestal like the LOT passenger. I would say that Nordica's on-board service is something special to Estonia, because a middle ground between these two systems has been found. Nordica's service culture orientation is perhaps moving more towards LOT and the rest of Europe, for example in the way that the food is served, but in communicating with the passengers we remain more Nordic."
Eve-Piia is a "crazy activist" who is always ready for new challenges. She flies 2–3 times a week, and if she is going somewhere for a longer period of time, the first things she packs are her running shoes.
You fly a lot when you are working. Do you tend to choose flying for leisure as well?
"I fly for work a few times a week, although this has only been the case for the past 3 years. On some occasions you are called out quite unexpectedly, but I am used to it now – if there were no such sudden call outs, I would feel like I was just lazy. When I am flying during my time off, I always watch the work of the cabin crew, but it doesn't ruin my vacation.
I'm happy to fly long distances for a change of environment, even if this opportunity opens up for just a few days. The most memorable trips for me have been New York and Hong Kong. Nice is my favourite destination in Europe, because it is a place for both a city and beach holiday, delicious croissants, good wine and great shopping. A big favourite of mine, Croatia, is a place where I would like to travel soon.
Article was published in Nordica´s in-flight magazine Time Flies (autumn-winter 2017).