What was your journey before arriving to Canada?
I grew up in Granada, a wonderful city in the south of Spain where I completed my university studies in tourism. I started my career in the hospitality industry as a receptionist at a luxury hotel before moving to the south of France to live with my partner. This change in my life was not an easy one as it was the first time I was leaving my home country and family to start a new life in a foreign country. This two-year experience allowed me to mature, travel, and discover new cultures (America, Asia, etc.). Before coming to Canada, I also worked as a Reception Agent at the Narbonne tourist office, where I was able to highlight my skills in foreign languages communicating information to international tourists.
Why did you decide to immigrate to Canada?
Canada offered magnificent professional opportunities, and a unique living environment. In 2018 Europe was going through several economic and social crises. I thought it was the right time to discover a new country. I wanted to come to Quebec because it is a French-speaking province but also because of the multiculturalism and generosity of its people! I arrived in Montreal in February 2019 with my backpack and scarf around my neck from Málaga, Andalusia. The thermal shock was resounding but I was really happy to start this new chapter in my life!
Why did you decide to work in the aviation industry?
Before I got into aviation I had worked for 6 months at a travel agency in Montreal where I took care of the organization of vacations for European tourists in Canada. Soon after, the opportunity for me to join the OCTANT Aviation team arose. I have always loved travel and the atmosphere around airports so working in the aviation industry was well suited for me. I met Nathalie Tousignant and Nathalie Beaulieu at the company’s headquarters and it didn’t feel like going through an interview. It felt a lot more like an informal meeting. I was very comfortable during our meeting and I immediately understood that team spirit was very important at OCTANT. The project I was offered corresponded perfectly to my expectations and I started in my new position the following week.
Can you tell us about your role at OCTANT Aviation?
I am in charge of booking airline tickets for patients and employees of our client, a health organization in Quebec. In particular, I make sure that everyone who needs to travel has a reserved seat on our chartered flights. One of my other missions is to coordinate the shipment of cargo on our flights. This activity has grown significantly since the start of the health crisis in the spring of 2020. We have just organized all of the air logistics to deliver COVID-19 vaccines throughout the territory concerned. It was a real challenge for our whole team but the mission was a real success!
What is your favorite part about your job as a Reservation Agent?
Customer service has a real importance in my daily work as I am always in contact with the patients or the employees of our client. Being very sociable, that’s one aspect of my job that I love! I was also able to improve my English and acquire new skills, such as in the IT field for example. I also participate in the internal life of OCTANT. We have just offered maple products from Quebec to our entire team to celebrate our 5th anniversary. With the current context and the introduction of teleworking, it is essential to maintain this social link between colleagues. OCTANT Aviation is a family company that listens to its employees, where each employee is an essential link in the smooth running of our operations. This great adventure began a year and a half ago, and I fully intend to continue to contribute to the fantastic growth of OCTANT.
