Flexjet's new Red Label Training Academy aims to bring the best of high-end hospitality to the skies

Flexjet has set the standard for service experience in its field for over 25 years, and the company is now raising the bar higher still, with a new training programme for its global Cabin Servers officially launching this month.

The ‘finishing school’ style training will take place in The Red Label Academy, a new, dedicated facility at Flexjet’s Farnborough Airport location in Hampshire, UK, adding to its existing operations facilities on the same site.

Red Label is Flexjet’s exceptional and unique service and hospitality ethos and includes several differentiators in experience for its aircraft Owners. In addition to unrivalled cabin service (and in Europe every Flexjet flight includes at least one Cabin Server), this includes its boutique hotel-style LXi cabin interiors, crew dedicated to each individual aircraft, and a range of invitations to curated private and VIP events.

The Red Label Academy will act as a centre for excellence globally, with both US and European Flexjet Cabin Servers trained by experts in their fields to deliver five-star hospitality in the skies. All Flexjet Cabin Servers come into the role with prior private aviation experience, but the new Flexjet Red Label Academy is designed to add a level of service mastery and a polish that is unrivalled in the industry. Flexjet’s existing team of 130+ Cabin Servers will undertake advanced training focused on refinement, with new recruits taking a longer course that also covers the key fundamentals.

The programme is led by Flexjet’s Vice President of Customer Experience, Francesco Vanerio, who brings his extensive five-star hotel experience to the private aviation sector, including from the award-winning Villa d’Este in Lake Como, Italy. Dedicated experts in other fields will deliver masterclasses in specific skills such as mixology, wine serving, floristry and sushi presentation, alongside scenario-based service training and how to prepare and style the cabin to meet Flexjet’s exacting standards.

“Our fantastic Cabin Servers embody our unique Red Label ethos and are the frontline of our aircraft Owners’ experience of Flexjet,” said Megan Wolf, Chief Experience Officer at Flexjet. “We are proud and delighted to open this world-class training facility and programme, which sets us apart in the industry in terms of refinement and attention-to-detail. The new standards in cabin experience have now been elevated to match that of a top European five-star hotel.”

Part of the programme will be delivered by The Dorchester Collection Academy, whose excellence in hospitality training is renowned throughout the world. This additional instruction is designed to immerse the Cabin Servers in a world of luxury hospitality firsthand, and to experience for themselves how it feels to receive exceptional service - with each Cabin Server enjoying an afternoon tea and a night’s stay at The Dorchester in London.

The focus on the emotional impact of great service is also continued back at the Red Label Academy, with modules on how to make passengers feel special and cared for via highly personalised attention-to-detail; assessing their needs on any given occasion using body language and behaviour; and through observing cultural differences. Cabin Servers are also trained in specific skills to serve children and pets onboard flights.

The Academy incorporates individual workspaces, cabin and galley mock-ups, meaning Cabin Servers can be conveniently trained to work in Flexjet’s different aircraft types, all from the state-of-the-art facilities at the Farnborough base. The same training programme will be provided to all Flexjet Cabin Servers, regardless of location, ensuring a consistently memorable service experience for Owners when flying anywhere in the world.

Mike Silvestro, co-CEO of Flexjet said: “Our company continues to grow considerably, with over 270 fixed wing aircraft now in our global fleet and many more to be added next year and beyond. As we expand our global team of Cabin Servers, this impressive new facility will ensure that we continue to deliver and refine the extraordinary cabin experience that Flexjet Owners enjoy and expect.”

BlueSky Business Aviation News | 16th November 2023 | Issue #724