The Director of Inflight is a senior leadership position responsible for overseeing all aspects of the inflight experience for passengers across the airline's fleet. This role ensures the delivery of exceptional customer service, safety, and operational efficiency by leading the inflight team, including flight attendants and support staff. The Director will develop and implement strategic initiatives to enhance service quality, optimize inflight product offerings, and maintain compliance with regulatory standards. Collaboration with cross-functional departments such as safety, training, and marketing is essential to align inflight services with overall company goals. Ultimately, this role drives continuous improvement in passenger satisfaction and operational excellence within the inflight environment.
Core Responsibilities- Inflight Operations Leadership - Direct all inflight activities across Eastern's scheduled service, charter, and ACMI operations, ensuring safe, compliant, and efficient execution of duties.
- Regulatory Compliance - Maintain strict adherence to FAA Part 121 regulations, Eastern's Operations Specifications, SMS, and company manuals; act as the primary inflight liaison with the FAA.
- Team Leadership & Culture Building - Lead and develop inflight supervisors, managers, and flight attendants while fostering a culture that reflects Eastern's values of professionalism, hospitality, and operational excellence.
- Training & Qualification Oversight - Ensure all inflight personnel meet initial, recurrent, and requalification training requirements; collaborate with Eastern's Training Department to maintain accurate, compliant, and brand-aligned curriculum.
- Safety & Quality Assurance - Promote a proactive safety culture; oversee incident investigations, audits, corrective actions, and continuous improvement initiatives within Eastern's SMS and CASS programs.
- Customer Experience Strategy - Define and implement inflight service standards that reflect Eastern's brand identity and enhance the passenger experience across diverse mission profiles.
- Cross-Functional Collaboration - Partner with Flight Operations, Dispatch, Maintenance, Safety, HR, and Customer Experience to ensure operational readiness and crew support.
- Budget & Resource Management - Manage inflight budgets, staffing models, and resource allocation to support Eastern's operational and financial goals.
- Policy & Manual Governance - Oversee development, revision, and distribution of Eastern's inflight manuals, bulletins, and procedures.
- Operational Preparedness - Ensure inflight teams are prepared for irregular operations, special missions, and the unique demands of Eastern's charter and ACMI customers.
Required Qualifications- Part 121 Inflight Experience - Minimum 5-7 years of inflight leadership experience within a Part 121 air carrier.
- Leadership Competency - Demonstrated ability to lead large, geographically dispersed teams in a safety-critical environment.
- Regulatory Expertise - Strong working knowledge of FAA Part 121, SMS, CASS, and inflight operational standards.
- Communication Excellence - Exceptional written and verbal communication skills.
- Operational Decision-Making - Proven ability to make sound, timely decisions under pressure.
- Change & Project Management - Experience implementing new programs, policies, or operational initiatives.
Preferred Qualifications- Bachelor's degree in Aviation, Business, Management, or related field.
- Experience in charter, ACMI, or supplemental operations.
- Background working with unionized workgroups.
- Familiarity with Eastern Airlines' history, brand values, and operational model.
- Advanced knowledge of safety programs, quality systems, or human factors.
