Before joining Republic Airways, Jason Heath would regularly travel for work in video production. He realized the flight to his destination was always more exciting than the work when he got there. “I’m a self-confessed airline nerd; even before getting into the aviation industry,” Jason says. “I wanted a way I could combine that passion for aviation with a career.”
Jason applied for a Republic Airways Flight Attendant position in Indianapolis and found his calling. “In training I was always curious to learn more,” he remembers. “I wanted to know more about the aircraft, maintenance, scheduling and everything else that goes into operating an airline.” His trainers and fellow Associates were always happy to share their knowledge.
After a few years as a Flight Attendant, a quick connection changed the course of Jason’s career. “I was working on a flight, and one of my passengers happened to be part of the Republic Airways Inflight Training department,” Jason says. That Associate recommended Jason to become a Line Instructor.
As a Line Instructor, Jason was a working Flight Attendant who also oversaw training. “It was the first time I was ever in front of a classroom,” he remembers. “I used my background in video storytelling and started utilizing more and more video content in the training sessions.” He even created a recurring video podcast for Republic Airways Flight Attendants.
The success of that work led to another connection. This time, a colleague recommended Jason for the Inflight Engagement Supervisor position, which he currently holds. “Both big career changes at Republic Airways came from making connections with my colleagues,” he says, “and the support continued after accepting those positions.”
Jason collaborated with his supervisors and managers to mold the roles to his strengths: video production, storytelling and building relationships. “Leadership was always excited about big ideas and never shied away from doing something new.”
As Inflight Engagement Supervisor, Jason now creates video, blog and other multimedia content to inform and engage the Flight Attendant group at Republic Airways. He shares pertinent information about the latest procedures from our codeshare partners, American Airlines, Delta Air Lines and United Airlines. He communicates the latest procedural changes from the FAA. He manages the platform that notifies Flight Attendants of any regulatory changes.
Jason wants to turn his passion into engagement with Flight Attendants beyond formal announcements. “I want to highlight the human side of the job,” he says. “I want to celebrate Flight Attendants as people.” He has revamped initiatives like Tip Your Wings to help Flight Attendants highlight their colleagues. He has helped establish regular awards for Flight Attendants. He encourages Flight Attendants to share personal stories and pictures through the Crew Snapshot feature.
In the end, Jason uses his position and storytelling abilities to reinforce Republic Airways’ culture of support. “Being a Flight Attendant isn’t always easy. By evolving our content and pushing these initiatives, I want our Associates to know that across all our bases, they’re a part of a team that has their back.”
Interested in your own career in the air? Learn more about how to join the Republic Airways team.