A split second before I open the conference room door, a pleasant but unfamiliar voice calls out my name. Quickly turning around to see who it might be, a charming young woman extends her hand and introduces herself. “Hi, I’m Vitna,” she politely says with a big smile.
If you’ve flown on Cebu Pacific anytime from 2013 to mid-2022, there’s a chance you might have interacted with Vitna herself, as during those years she was a proud member of the airline’s cabin crew.
These days, Vitna has soared on to another role, this time as CEB’s Human Factors Officer, dedicated to improving flight safety by, as she puts it, “focusing on the human element of aviation systems.”
Known to her friends as Vitz, she also happens to be a book author and an international-award winner, having been named as a “Woman Champion” at the inaugural Travel Daily Media – Inspiring Women in Travel (Asia) Awards, presented in Bangkok, Thailand, on June 24, 2023.
Given her accomplishments at such a young age, it might surprise you to hear that at one point, it seemed like Vitna’s career in the aviation industry was over before it had even begun. Consider this: When she first applied to become a flight attendant in 2012, she was rejected, not even making it to the second stage of the application process.
FINDING OUT HER “WHY”
Other people might have given up on their dreams after this soul-crushing rejection, but not Vitna. The daughter of a Filipina mother and Syrian father, she grew up in the Philippines without having the opportunity to meet her dad in person, due to a variety of circumstances. “My motivation to pursue a career as a flight attendant stemmed from my desire to finally meet my dad. This was my biggest ‘why’. So, despite all the struggles I faced in achieving this dream, I kept pushing on,” she reveals.
In contrast to the beaming, confident woman I am now talking to, the young Vitna was full of insecurities and self-doubt. “As a kid, I was pretty shy. I carried around this sort of negative mindset, thinking I wasn’t as good nor as beautiful as the others. I had a bunch of self-imposed limitations always holding me back to try and explore my potential.”
Vitna is certain that the emotional baggage she was carrying was evident to the job screeners during her first application. “I tried to pretend that I was confident during my application, but based on how I looked, the kind of mindset I had, and how I felt about myself back then, honestly, even me, I wouldn’t have hired myself for the job,” she admits jokingly.
Eager to get back on the right path, Vitna became proactive in becoming the best version of herself. “Since it was the only dream I had ever since childhood, I gave it my all to make it happen. I got myself involved in a spiritual community guided by Bo Sanchez. It’s called The Feast. I also entered into a life-coaching program that truly guided me to gain deeper understanding about myself, revealing the underlying reasons behind the challenges I faced.”
Immersing herself in the leadership development course was an eye-opener, as it made her realize that she was being too hard on herself and, more important, that she could radically shift her perspective. From that moment on, it sparked in her a desire to learn more about people, human behavior, and the human mindset.
Armed with a fresh, positive outlook in life, Vitna then enrolled in a 60-day flight attendant course to polish her skills. Finally, she was ready to try again.
“So, after about a year, I went back to CEB’s Training and Development Center, and everything looked pretty much the same. Same guards, same room, even the seating arrangement for applicants was the same. But do you know what was not the same? Me. The only thing that had changed was me. I saw myself more positively.”
She narrates that even the taxi driver who brought her to the interview could sense the positivity. “Ma’am, mag-aaply ka? (Ma’am, are you applying?),” he asked her. When she said yes, he quickly said, “Tanggap ka na niyan! (You'll be accepted for sure!)"
Feeling good about her chances, Vitna had one more thing to do before her job interview. “I made a promise to God that if ever I finally achieve my dream of becoming a flight attendant, I will pay it forward.”
Long story short, she got her wish – the only one from among the hundreds who applied that day.
LIVING THE DREAM
Vitna’s time as a flight attendant began by serving on CEB’s domestic and short-haul routes. Eventually, she progressed to long-haul flights, which included destinations in the Middle East, bringing her closer to meeting her dad.
Finally, the big day arrived. “When I finally got the chance to fly to Dubai, my dad surprised me by showing up at the hotel with a bouquet of flowers. It felt so surreal. This might sound a bit cheesy, but it felt like an episode of [the Filipino drama show] Maalaala Mo Kaya…” Vitna’s voice then trails off, at a loss for words in recalling the poignant moment.
Having spent years apart, there was a getting-to-know-you phase between father and daughter. “Even though we had talked on the phone for years, I wasn’t used to having him physically around so it felt a bit awkward at first. He’d sometimes tell me I was on my phone too much. No one ever called me out on that!”, Vitna laughs.
Gradually, her relationship with her father blossomed. “Every time I had a Dubai layover, he’d be there to pick me up and I’d spend time with him and my aunts. Each visit felt like slowly breaking down walls that I had put up for a long time, not ready to let go. But as time went on, I gradually opened up, allowing for a deeper connection to be created between us.”
As Vitna discovered part of her roots, she grew to appreciate the differences as well as similarities between Filipinos and Syrians. “I noticed that Syrians in general are warm and nice people. Super hospitable just like Filipinos – they’ll make sure you’re well fed and comfortable at their place.” Vitna adds, “Just like how Filipinos are different from our Asian neighbors, not all Arab or Middle Eastern countries are the same, each has their own distinctions. What I can say about the Syrians is that they are very gentle and sweet.”
When it comes to food, Vitna says, “Syrian dishes are full of spices! My dad likes to cook, and he sometimes prepares shawarmas for my colleagues to eat on our way back to Manila.”
Noting the personality differences between her parents, Vitna shares, “My mom has a strong, very outspoken personality. My dad is gentle and a man of few words. He likes to listen. He doesn't have to speak much to show he cares.”
FROM SYRIA WITH LOVE
Flying regularly to the Middle East not only brought Vitna closer to her father, it also allowed her to see firsthand the reality of life for OFWs working in the region. “As I was growing up, I would only hear about their struggles abroad through radio or TV. When I became a flight attendant, I witnessed it myself. I saw and personally felt the sacrifices they were making to make sure their families have food on the table back home. ”
On one trip, Vitna recalls chatting with a passenger who was starting a new job in the Middle East to support his family. “When we were deplaning, he looked at me and let out a sigh. “Panibagong hamon nanaman ng buhay (another new challenge in life),” said the teary-eyed man. “He was grateful for the opportunity, but I also sensed his sadness, being away from his family – that moment left a lasting impact on me,” shares Vitna empathetically.
During another layover, Vitna visited a restaurant where she ended up chatting with a group of Filipinas. “They talked about wanting to come home to the Philippines to visit their families, but had to save up for it. And then someone said to me, ‘Buti na lang, nandiyan na kayo. (It’s a good thing Cebu Pacific is there for us)’, I suppose because our fares are more affordable. It was a short statement, but it tells the whole story.”
Another memorable moment happened when Vitna was with a passenger who was talking to her pregnant daughter on the phone. “We were in Dubai getting ready to head back to the Philippines. She was telling her daughter, ‘I’ll be home soon. Be strong. You can do it.’ I could see she was crying and couldn’t wait to get home. Those are the kinds of experiences that I can’t forget.”
THE WRITE STUFF
As part of the aviation industry, Vitna was heavily impacted by the Covid pandemic. During the time she was unable to fly, her thoughts increasingly revolved around individuals who were once like her, those who aspired to become a cabin crew member, but whose ambitions had to be put on hold due to the global health crisis. Vitna found herself pondering how she could make a difference amidst the difficult time. One night, she had her eureka moment.
“I can still remember it vividly. It was 3 a.m., and in my apartment unit, I was looking out into the city lights,” says Vitna, reliving the scene. Seven years after her prayer to become a flight attendant was granted, she could hear a tiny voice in her head repeatedly reminding her to “pay it forward.”
I’m not comfortable with being in the limelight, but I find myself to be happy when people are shining alongside me. This led me to realize that the book [Born to Fly] shouldn’t solely focus on my personal journey, even though it holds inspiration and benefits for some people.
To fulfill her promise, Vitna decided to write a book. “I’m not comfortable with being in the limelight, but I find myself to be happy when people are shining alongside me. This led me to realize that the book shouldn’t solely focus on my personal journey, even though it holds inspiration and benefits for some people. So I looked for flight attendants in the industry who resonated with my vision and invited them to be part of it.”
Getting several of her peers, colleagues, and life-coaching mentors onboard, Vitna wrote and self-published the book, Born to Fly: What Every Aspiring Flight Attendant Needs to Know to Soar in Confidence, in 2021.
Vitna shares, “Initially, the flight attendants I invited doubted their stories to be book-worthy. But I knew deep down that their struggles, pains, and overall experiences of achieving their dream had the power to inspire and help others. It’s just a matter of asking them the right questions and harvesting meaningful lessons from their personal stories.”
The book’s back cover blurb says, “This book isn’t about doing your makeup, learning airline technical terms or preparing for interview questions.” Instead, the book seeks to enable readers to conquer their self-doubts, insecurities, and self-esteem issues, drawing from the experiences of Vitna and her peers. “The most important message of the book, I can summarize in one statement: To truly take flight and achieve greater heights in life, you have to learn the art of landing back to yourself. This deeply resonates with me, and, I believe, it’s a universal concept. Interestingly, I’ve received feedback from readers who weren’t exactly my target audience, but shared how the book not only sparked their courage to pursue their dreams but also rekindled their relationship with themselves.”
To truly take flight and achieve greater heights in life, you have to learn the art of landing back to yourself.
Without giving away all the secrets to success that are revealed in her book, Vitna offers cabin crew aspirants a valuable piece of advice: “For you to really thrive as a flight attendant, you have to have empathy, compassion, a heart for people. If you have the heart for people, people will feel it. Even the interviewer will feel it. Passengers will feel it. You have to be interested in people. There may come a time when the job becomes routine – all muscle memory – and if you don't have the heart to serve, it will show.”
THE HUMAN TOUCH
In 2018, when CEB’s Human Factors team was still in its infancy, Vitna was brought onboard as a Crew Resource Management facilitator, apart from her ongoing duties as a flight attendant. Vitna joined a pool of facilitators to run programs developed by the Human Factors team to help CEB’s pilots, cabin crew, and dispatchers improve their communication, decision-making, flight and air management coordination skills. “The aim was to help them work better together, so that they can increase the safety and efficiency of the flight,” says Vitna.
In July 2022, Vitna took another big career step forward as she took on the role of CEB Human Factors Officer. “Maybe it's fate?” pondered Vitna. “I’m strongly passionate about human behavior and human mindset. As I try to reflect on my journey, it almost feels like fate that this passion of mine aligned with the opportunity to become a Human Factors Officer.”
As a Human Factors Officer, she’s engaged in Crew Resource Management training, overseeing both pilot and cabin crew facilitators, and takes part in developing the training modules. “We are also part of review boards where we focus on spotting human factor concerns in training and flight incidents. We also proactively identify crew-related challenges and create tailored training modules for flight crew members to enhance flight safety.”
HER TIME TO SHINE
Earlier this year, Vitna was nominated for the Inspiring Women in Travel Asia Awards, presented by Travel Daily Media, a leading travel trade news agency. She was recognized in the Woman Champion in Travel category, a prestigious honor presented to a woman in travel who has shown exceptional leadership, courage, and dedication, inspiring and empowering others in the process.
I dared to embrace the courage to expose myself – struggles and successes included – for the betterment of others. And I believe it’s a journey that anyone can embark on.
Vying for the award, Vitna had an initial interview, was shortlisted, and emerged as a Top 3 candidate, before undergoing the final interview. “Most of the awards nominees were high-profile people in the travel industry, so when I got nominated, I wasn’t really expecting to win.” She went to the awards ceremony anyway. “I thought, it’s not every day that I’ll get an opportunity like this, so I might as well make the most out of it.”
To her complete surprise, Vitna emerged victorious that night. “I’m just an everyday person with a desire to uplift others in every possible way I know. Whether it’s by empowering my fellow colleagues during flights, sharing my insights from life coaching and personal development workshops I attended, or opening up about my past challenges, pains, and lessons learned in a book. I don’t see myself as extraordinary, but if there’s a reason I know why I got this award it’s simply because I dared to embrace the courage to expose myself – struggles and successes included – for the betterment of others. And I believe it’s a journey that anyone can embark on.”
Wrapping up, I was curious about one more thing. Does the name Vitna mean anything?
Her eyes immediately light up. “Good question! While I don’t seek the spotlight, I am passionate about helping others shine. My name 'Vitna' means 'to shine.' And I prefer to see it as ‘shining together’."
In a remarkable journey of self-discovery and perseverance, Vitna Achour, once a shy girl turned confident achiever, has soared beyond her dreams. Overcoming life’s challenges, she transformed herself through self-improvement, faith, and dedication, eventually finding her place in the skies, promoting an environment built on safety, and bringing people's inspiring stories to life. -- Pierre A. Calasanz
