Augustė Bajorūnaitė (KSU photo)

Augustė Bajorūnaitė has been carving the sky of the United Arab Emirates for more than four years. The work of a flight attendant takes her to the most interesting and unexpected places in the world. Since September, a new venture has appeared on Augustė’s agenda – Vilnius, Kazimieras Simonavičius University, where she started studying aviation management remotely.

How did it happen that you chose a job of a flight attendant also known as a dream profession?

I never thought of working as a flight attendant as a dream profession. I was working in the real estate sector, while browsing on Facebook, I noticed an announcement that a new crew team was being hired for United Arab Emirates airlines. I thought I would try. I didn’t set high expectations for myself; I was relaxed. Maybe that’s why I passed all the selection stages quite easily and went to Dubai as early as next week. Everything happened very quickly. Thus, began my career as a flight attendant.

What does your typical workday look like?

All days are different. The day and night have no meaning in this work, such as one morning I travel to Australia, the next morning to Dubai. If we have domestic short flight, we fly and return home, but if we have an international flight, we have 2 days off in an another city, and this is enough time to explore the new city, but lack of sleep and the so-called Jet lag sometimes is a challenge.

Also, we should always be well prepared and ready in neat uniforms, hairstyles and makeup before each flight. We can’t turn blonde to brunette overnight, such experiments with looks have to be forgotten.

Maybe you’d like to share an interesting incident that happened during flight that passengers never knew about?

There have been no serious or critical events in my practice yet. There were a few minor cases when we flew to Tanzania and found ourselves right next to a spinning whirlwind. We had to turn a few wheels before the weather changed and we could land.

There are some funny situations when dealing with passengers from different cultures. If we fly from Moscow, we have to monitor the amount of alcohol people consume. One passenger, who had multiple alcoholic drinks, slept so deeply that his awakening was only possible with the shouting of Russian army teams.

The most interesting thing is to watch the passengers flying to Mecca to perform Hajj (a pilgrimage of Muslims that takes place every year). After a certain distance to Mecca, the captain informs the passengers and people start washing and wearing religious clothes called Ihram. From that moment on, flight attendants cannot touch passengers. We also change into formal wear ourselves and thus pay our respects.

Your job is interesting but at the same time risky, maybe it influenced you to think about prospects in aviation, or changing your career direction? What prompted you to choose distance aviation management studies?

Work is really fun and engaging but not for a lifetime, it would be too hard to work in such a stressful mode. Therefore, I started thinking about what I would like to do in the future, and I realized that I really want to stay in aviation industry. I started to think about higher studies but working in such a job makes it very difficult to work and study on campus on permanent bases. I was wondering how I could manage this, but luckily, I discovered distance Aviation Management studies.

Augustė Bajorūnaitė (KSU photo)

How do you assess your choice today, is work and study compatible?

I am very happy with these studies. Firstly, because it is very easy to combine work and studies: lectures are recorded, so you can join and listen at any day and hour. Teachers are not only academics but also practitioners, which is very important because aviation is a very specific field. Co-students are also from all over the world. I recently flew to Bangkok, where I met a classmate living there and working for FL Technics, and later we met in lectures in Vilnius. The third important factor was price. Compared to the Asian and European universities I have considered, the tuition fee offered by this university was the best.

I would recommend this study program first to those who already work in the aviation sector, as it is much easier to understand all the processes that take place in aviation when you have at least a minimum basic knowledge of course, I recommend distance learning to those who have a strong determination and willpower, because there will be no professors or classmates nearby during the lectures, you have to be independent and take the responsibly for yourself.

Read more about Aviation Management Online Study Programme.

Diogenis Papiomytis

A remote lecture, named “The State of the Aviation Industry post COVID-19”, by Diogenis Papiomytis, a lecturer at Business School of Kazimieras Simonavičius University, will be held on April 20 at 5 PM. The lecture is intended for aviation professionals, partners lecturers, students and graduates of Kazimieras Simonavičius University. Duration of the lecture – 45 min.

Diogenis Papiomytis – KSU Aviation Management bachelor’s study programme visiting lecturer for International Aviation module, Senior Manager at IATA Consulting. He is an expert of industry research reports and strategy consulting projects, with clients coming from Airlines, Airports, Aircraft Manufacturing and Aviation Aftermarket segments. Lecturer has an experience in the Commercial Aviation research and consulting practice of Frost & Sullivan, a global aviation consultancy.  He previously worked in Corporate Strategy department as Corporate strategy Manager of CEO Office at Etihad Airways and as a Senior Lecturer in Aviation Studies at Buckinghamshire New University in the UK. Diogenis holds a BA (Hons) in Modern Languages and International Business, a MSc in Air Transport Management from Cranfield University and a MBA from Cass Business School at London City University.

An annual survey of Aviation Management graduates of Kazimieras Simonavičius University revealed that all graduates work in the aviation industry. Majority of the graduates started working in their specialty during their studies, the rest of them got job within a month after graduation.

Aviation Management graduates work for companies such as GetJet Airlines, Wizz Air, Avia Solutions Group, Avion Express and BGS.

These employability indicators show that Aviation Management students are well prepared for work in the aviation industry, which requires specific knowledge and skills. Graduates are successful in a variety of sectors such as aviation security, communications, sales, and human resources in wide range of companies including airports, airlines, aircraft service centres and international airlines.

Deimantė Žilinskienė, Director of Kazimieras Simonavičius University Business School said, “There are several key aspects to the proper preparation of students for employment in the aviation industry right after graduation; close cooperation with business sector, internationalization (KSU students are taught by internationally renowned aviation experts – practitioners), and a multicultural environment specific to aviation companies. We also strive for bachelor theses to be focused on real aviation organization performance and process improvement, which allows the student to have deeper understating of the industry, improve expertise, develop analytical and critical thinking”.

The Aviation Management graduate’s employment rates also reflect the fact that the demand for Aviation Management professionals in the industry is very high and, it will keep growing according to various forecasts.

Our new International Aviation lecturer Diogenis Papiomytis has joined to KSU team this semester. He heads the Commercial Aviation research and consulting practice of Frost & Sullivan, a global aviation consultancy. He is responsible for the delivery of industry research reports and strategy consulting projects, with clients coming from Airlines, Airports, Aircraft Manufacturing and Aviation Aftermarket segments. He previously worked in the Corporate Strategy department of c and as a Senior Lecturer in Aviation Studies at Buckinghamshire New University in the UK. Diogenis holds a BA (Hons) in Modern Languages and International Business, a MSc in Air Transport Management from Cranfield University and a MBA from Cass Business School at London City University.

Our lecturer Diogenis Papiomytis in CNBC: https://www.cnbc.com/video/2019/03/13/boeing-issue-has-brand-implications-as-well-analyst-says.html

All students of Aviation Management are invited to participated in the competition for participation in International Aviation School which will be organized in frames of Erasmus+ project “SPREAD YOUR WINGS”.

The main aim of this project is to increase the quality and relevance of knowledge and skills of Aviation Management students in response to the needs of the labour market and the socio-economic environment. There will be created a new course “The Development of Sustainable Aviation” which will include the topics related to a new conceptual model of responsible and conscious aviation that sees its development in line with the interests of the social and natural environment and takes into account existing ecological barriers and expectations of the society.

Project is implemented by three partners:

• University of Information Technology and Management in Rzeszow, Poland (project leader);
• Kazimieras Simonavičius University, Lithuania;
• Transport and Telecommunication Institute, Latvia. 

International Aviation School will take place in Latvia, Riga on 23-27 September 2019.

Selected candidates will have to prepare and participate in activities in Latvia, and will be awarded with 6 ECTS credits according to their completion of the assignments during the activities.

HOW TO PARTICIPATE

All candidates must submit the following documents:

• Application form;
• Cover Letter (up to 1 page; in English);
• Short essay about sustainable aviation (up to 1 page, in English).

The documents must be provided to the International Relations Office (room no. 201). The submitted materials will not be returned.

Jury will select 3 applications rated as the best among the submitted applications. Only these 3 applicants will participate in International Aviation School together with other 6 students from Poland and Latvia. 

DEADLINE

Documents must be submitted no later than 25.04.2018.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

• The schedule of the International Aviation School will be provided to the participants at least 2 months before the activities.
• Students are expected to attend all classes during International Aviation School.
• Each participant will receive 455 EUR for living and travel costs for activities in Latvia.

Should you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact by e-mail international@ksu.lt or phone +370 686 34423.

On the 22-26th of October, Kazimieras Simonavičius University lecturer Prof. Dr. Viktoras Bolotinas holded a lecture on „Human factor in aviation“ in University of Turkish Aeronautical Association (Ankara) and discussed the cooperation opportunities between institutions.

Maciej Wilk

On 26th of September we invite you to the lecture of Chief Operating Officer at LOT Polish Airlines by Maciej Wilk. The speaker will share experience ind ideas on LOT development as a hub carrier in Lithuania with examples recent new connection between Warsaw and Kaunas.

Maciej Wilk is associated with LOT since 2010, when he prepared as a PwC Poland consultant the LOT Restructuring Plan for the purpose of proceedings before the European Commission. In 2013, he started working in the company as the Head of Planning and Controlling Department, after which he became a Proxy and for two years supervised financial and economic issues, coordinated the preparation of the Strategy for Profitable Growth and the selection of a new vehicle fleet.

In April 2017, he was in charge of the Operating Division and his tasks revolved around, among others, maintaining top transportation quality and safety, the improvement of punctuality and regularity of flight connections, as well as the increase of cost efficiency.

The lecture is free with registration on eventbrite: https://aviainthemaking8.eventbrite.com

Want to obtain a wider picture about the interrelationships between the key stakeholders involved in making air transport? We invite you to the special airport business course by dr. Konstantinos Kalligianis on 8th 9th and 10th of October, time 17.30-19.45.

The Airport Business course has been designed to give participants a comprehensive and holistic overview about all essential areas of an airport by focusing on the airport’s key elements, functions, business and legal frameworks.  Participants will be able to obtain a wider picture about the interrelationships between the key stakeholders involved in making air transport an efficient, secure and safe form of transportation and get an overview of the fundamental elements of airport system and infrastructure, operations and management.

Dr. Konstantinos Kalligiannis has a strong aviation focused background both in terms of his academic qualifications (both Master’s & PhD degrees specialized in aviation) as well as in terms of his professional career (international aviation consulting) as well as in academia (teaching aviation courses in several countries) and in providing airport professional training courses for several leading international airports.

In terms of his Academic Qualifications, Konstantinos holds a PhD in Airline Branding from Cranfield University, an MSc in Airport Planning and Management from Loughborough University, an MSc in Air Transport from Cranfield University and a Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration from Luton University

In terms of his Airport Professional Training Career, Konstantinos is providing a wide range of airport training courses for Abu Dhabi International Airport’s Gulf Center for Aviation Studies.

Price: 300 eur. Registration form: here.

The world’s leading tourism group TUI is looking for future international trainees for International Graduate Leadership Programmes in Aviation and Commercial (read more: http://tuitravelgraduates.com/) that are graduated (or soon will be) from Aviation Management (BA) at Kazimieras Simonavicius University.

During this 20-months trainee program our trainees will be doing:

• Four assignments in different TUI Group locations mostly in Europe (e.g. Germany, UK, Spain, Sweden, Netherlands)
• An exciting mix of day-to-day business and project work in different aviation departments (e.g. Air Operations, Ground Operations, Supplier Management & Procurement)
• One assignment in a commercial discipline (e.g. Strategy, Purchasing, Product Management, Sales & Distribution)
• One 8-week leadership assignment
• Tailored personal development with workshops, coaching, mentoring and feedback sessions
• Exceptional experience in all aspects of our organisation, shaping the future of travel
• Working with senior managers from our global businesses in projects, conferences and events

They can look forward to:

• 20 months Graduate Programme including international projects, extensive networks and individual development
• 38.000 EUR salary per year, additional support with expenses associated with international assignments and travel concessions
• Active involvement in project selection
• Real responsibility in your role from day one
• Excellent career prospects and international opportunities post your Graduate Programme

Programmme starts in March 2019 with application closing date October 14th for commercial and December for Aviation.

Apply online

Kazimieras Simonavičius University in partnership with Friendly Avia Support starts new season of #AviaInTheMaking this month.

On 19th 6 PM we invite you to the lecture by CEO of DOT LT Evaldas Petkus and his presentation: How to Survive in the Modern Airline Business – Niche Aviation Segments.

Short lecture plan:
1. Different kind of airline business;
2. Future perspectives in aviation worldwide and in the Baltic region;
3. Airline’s “DOT LT” experience finding own way in the aviation:
– History of the bad and good;
– Mistakes analyses;
– Enhancing the best success;
– How to find the best airline’s structure;
– Pros & cons of the model;
– Future threats.

Evaldas Petkus is the head of DOT LT since 2003. He is also a professional pilot and navigates Airbus 320 and ATR42/72 as the master of the plane and instructor as well. In 1986 he was graduated from Aktiubinsk civil aviation institute and received the licence of the pilot. In 2002 he was graduated from Kaunas technology university Bussines management master‘s degree.