Business / Companies
Profile of Leo Mupedzi, a Zimbabwean Member of Emirates' Cabin Crew
08 Mar 2016 at 05:03hrs | Views
About yourself
What are your full names?
Leo Mupedzi
What is your position at Emirates?
I'm a member of Emirates Cabin Crew, working in Business class. I'm also a member of Emirates' Business Promotion Crew, who represents the airline in various promotional activities and events.
For how long have you been working with Emirates?
I have been with Emirates for four years.
What was your career path to where you are now?
I was a restaurant supervisor in Dubai, which gave me good experience in the hospitality industry. I then applied for a position as cabin crew with Emirates, and was successful.
Tell us about you background: family, where did you grow up etc
..I'm from a small town, called Kariba, which is at the border of Zimbabwe and Zambia.
I come from a family with two sisters and one brother, and completed all my education in Zimbabwe, after which I moved to South Africa and worked there for a few years. I then moved to Dubai.
I also love sports and tried everything from football, rugby, tennis to cricket, until realised that I was more of a fan that player of these sports..
What do your family and friends back home think about you flying for Emirates?
My family is very proud of and happy for me. Sometimes they do fly on Emirates and come and visit Dubai. My friends all want to join Emirates as they see my pictures of me in different places around the world.
Do you get back home much?
I do get home every two months or so, which gives me a chance to see my mum, family and friends. I'm also able to go home when I get days off, which is great.
What are your fondest memories of Zimbabwe?
Zimbabwe will always be with me. It was a wonderful place to grow up. I fondly remember playing cricket in the street with the other kids.
The people of Zimbabwe are very welcoming. I will always love Zimbabwe.
Where is your favourite place in the world, and why?
The island of Mauritius is a special place for my wife and I. When we were still courting, we went to Mauritius to celebrate her 21st birthday, which at the time was also the place of my first holiday.
How is Dubai; any insider tips for visitors?
Dubai has a lot to offer visitors, there is just so much to see and do. What I can suggest is a desert safari, which is a lot of fun; also a visit to the old part of Dubai in Deira, where they have the souks, including the famous Gold Souk. I would also definitely recommend a trip up the world's tallest building the Burj Khalifa, which offers fantastic views over the city and Arabian Sea. There are also many malls for shopping, including the world's largest, Dubai Mall, where you can find just about anything. Not to mention the fantastic beaches with its calm and clear waters. The list is endless.
What do you like to do when you are not working?
My wife and I just had a baby. His name is Liam and since his birth I spend most of my free time with him. I also enjoy watching football – my favourite team is Manchester United.
Tell us your experience working with Emirates, how has it been?
Working for Emirates has been an amazing experience. As cabin crew we are well taken care of, and are provided furnished accommodation in modern apartments, complete with fitness and recreational facilities, transport, uniforms and various flying allowances. I never imagined when growing up in Zimbabwe that I would one day live in Dubai and work for an airline such as Emirates. To date I have been to almost all of Emirates 150 destinations around the world.
The high point and the low point?
The high point is that I am able to take care of the family because of the salary and benefits, as well as the travelling. The low point is that I have to learn to adjust to the different time zones whenever I'm travelling.
What's it like working for Emirates and doing the job you do?
It's easy to think that the role of cabin crew is only about the visible aspects of service. It is the medical, security and safety and emergency procedures that we support when and as needed. Service is part of the core of our business and safety is the heart of our operation.
What do you enjoy most working for Emirates?
I'm very fortunate to be working for such a strong airline brand and the world's largest international airline. I love working for Emirates and I'm very proud of what I do. No two days are the same, as I'm meeting new people all the time and seeing so many places.
Flying with Emirates
What are some of the benefits of flying with Emirates for people in Zimbabwe?
There are many benefits to flying with Emirates. For example, we have a destination network to 150 points around the world, with just one stop in Dubai. We really offer Zimbabweans global connectivity.
We also as well as an award winning entertainment system which offers up to 2000 channels of on demand audio and visual entertainment. And of course the world famous on board service by our crew, who are multi-national, speaking many different languages.
For Zimbabweans flying with Emirates, which destinations do you think are most popular and what could be reasons for that?
I would say the UK and China. The UK because there's a lot Zimbabweans working and studying there, and China because there is a lot of trade is between China and Zimbabwe.
What are the attractions of Zimbabwe for international visitors?
Zimbabwe has the world famous Victoria Falls as well as the Hwange National Park, amongst others.
What are your top tips for flying with Emirates?
Just sit back and relax and let the well trained crew take care of you on board and enjoy the flight.
What are your full names?
Leo Mupedzi
What is your position at Emirates?
I'm a member of Emirates Cabin Crew, working in Business class. I'm also a member of Emirates' Business Promotion Crew, who represents the airline in various promotional activities and events.
For how long have you been working with Emirates?
I have been with Emirates for four years.
What was your career path to where you are now?
I was a restaurant supervisor in Dubai, which gave me good experience in the hospitality industry. I then applied for a position as cabin crew with Emirates, and was successful.
Tell us about you background: family, where did you grow up etc
..I'm from a small town, called Kariba, which is at the border of Zimbabwe and Zambia.
I come from a family with two sisters and one brother, and completed all my education in Zimbabwe, after which I moved to South Africa and worked there for a few years. I then moved to Dubai.
I also love sports and tried everything from football, rugby, tennis to cricket, until realised that I was more of a fan that player of these sports..
What do your family and friends back home think about you flying for Emirates?
My family is very proud of and happy for me. Sometimes they do fly on Emirates and come and visit Dubai. My friends all want to join Emirates as they see my pictures of me in different places around the world.
Do you get back home much?
I do get home every two months or so, which gives me a chance to see my mum, family and friends. I'm also able to go home when I get days off, which is great.
What are your fondest memories of Zimbabwe?
Zimbabwe will always be with me. It was a wonderful place to grow up. I fondly remember playing cricket in the street with the other kids.
The people of Zimbabwe are very welcoming. I will always love Zimbabwe.
Where is your favourite place in the world, and why?
The island of Mauritius is a special place for my wife and I. When we were still courting, we went to Mauritius to celebrate her 21st birthday, which at the time was also the place of my first holiday.
How is Dubai; any insider tips for visitors?
Dubai has a lot to offer visitors, there is just so much to see and do. What I can suggest is a desert safari, which is a lot of fun; also a visit to the old part of Dubai in Deira, where they have the souks, including the famous Gold Souk. I would also definitely recommend a trip up the world's tallest building the Burj Khalifa, which offers fantastic views over the city and Arabian Sea. There are also many malls for shopping, including the world's largest, Dubai Mall, where you can find just about anything. Not to mention the fantastic beaches with its calm and clear waters. The list is endless.
What do you like to do when you are not working?
My wife and I just had a baby. His name is Liam and since his birth I spend most of my free time with him. I also enjoy watching football – my favourite team is Manchester United.
Tell us your experience working with Emirates, how has it been?
Working for Emirates has been an amazing experience. As cabin crew we are well taken care of, and are provided furnished accommodation in modern apartments, complete with fitness and recreational facilities, transport, uniforms and various flying allowances. I never imagined when growing up in Zimbabwe that I would one day live in Dubai and work for an airline such as Emirates. To date I have been to almost all of Emirates 150 destinations around the world.
The high point and the low point?
The high point is that I am able to take care of the family because of the salary and benefits, as well as the travelling. The low point is that I have to learn to adjust to the different time zones whenever I'm travelling.
What's it like working for Emirates and doing the job you do?
It's easy to think that the role of cabin crew is only about the visible aspects of service. It is the medical, security and safety and emergency procedures that we support when and as needed. Service is part of the core of our business and safety is the heart of our operation.
What do you enjoy most working for Emirates?
I'm very fortunate to be working for such a strong airline brand and the world's largest international airline. I love working for Emirates and I'm very proud of what I do. No two days are the same, as I'm meeting new people all the time and seeing so many places.
Flying with Emirates
What are some of the benefits of flying with Emirates for people in Zimbabwe?
There are many benefits to flying with Emirates. For example, we have a destination network to 150 points around the world, with just one stop in Dubai. We really offer Zimbabweans global connectivity.
We also as well as an award winning entertainment system which offers up to 2000 channels of on demand audio and visual entertainment. And of course the world famous on board service by our crew, who are multi-national, speaking many different languages.
For Zimbabweans flying with Emirates, which destinations do you think are most popular and what could be reasons for that?
I would say the UK and China. The UK because there's a lot Zimbabweans working and studying there, and China because there is a lot of trade is between China and Zimbabwe.
What are the attractions of Zimbabwe for international visitors?
Zimbabwe has the world famous Victoria Falls as well as the Hwange National Park, amongst others.
What are your top tips for flying with Emirates?
Just sit back and relax and let the well trained crew take care of you on board and enjoy the flight.
Source - Agencies
