Business

Male Stewards are Growing Scarcer in the Skies

Published

13 years ago

May 21, 2012

Bchcomber

There seems to be a general perception, at least in Thailand, that the job of cabin attendant is increasingly reserved for ladies

CHIANGRAI TIMES – At flight attendant preparation classes at Kasem Bundit University (KBU) and Mae Fah Luang University (MFU), the female-to-male ratios are about the same.

At state-run Mae Fah Luang University (MFU), in the northern province of Chiang Rai, about 15 of the 50 students are male.

In the lecture room at KBU’s Rom Klao Road campus in Bangkok, the mix is roughly the same _ five out of 25 are men.

Across the capital at the Bangkok Airways recruitment centre in Chatuchak district, applicants for cabin crew jobs are roughly 75% women and 25% men.

The gender mix for those applying for cabin attendant jobs at other airlines, Thai and foreign, is about the same.

The numbers of men seeking to enter this profession and those already working as cabin attendants at commercial airlines are dwindling.

Lecturers, recruiters and in-flight service managers at airlines, including national carrier Thai Airways International (THAI), agree that men are disappearing from the cabins of commercial airliners.

There seems to be a general perception, at least in Thailand, that the job of cabin attendant is increasingly reserved for ladies.

That is one reason why men hesitate entering the career, said a male in-flight manager with 35 years of experience in on-board service at THAI.

“Working as stewards _ the preferred term to describe male cabin crew _ is losing its lustre among many Thai men,” the retiring official, who asked not to be named, explained.

The opportunity to fly abroad for free, considered one of the most valuable benefits for those choosing a career in the air, may be losing its appeal as international travel becomes increasingly affordable.

However, there are different views from others working in the aviation profession.

“Young people who desire to become cabin crew seem to be primarily driven by their desire to travel,” explained a German aviation professional with 15 years of industry experience worldwide, who spoke on the condition of anonymity.

“I don’t believe young men are generally deterred from joining the ranks of flying staff by airlines that prefer one sex over the other,” he added.

Kanyaratana Xuto, the human resources director at Bangkok Airways, agreed.

“Men are still interested in flying, but the opportunities are fewer, as airlines have a growing preference towards females,” she said, adding that these men would simply apply to airlines that do not discriminate against them.

Females also tend to be more interested in cabin crew jobs, as they tend to see the career as being glamorous and respected by society, plus the pay is good, said Puvadit Jirakongpas, who lectures on the airline industry at KBU.

Flight attendant recruitment advertisements placed by airlines such as Qatar Airways, China Airlines, Singapore Airlines and Japan Airlines restrict applicants to female only.

Startup airlines like Thai Smile Air, a budget offshoot of THAI due to get off the ground in July, are also recruiting females.

“I would argue that the primary factor in selecting female over male cabin crew is the demographics that determine the airline’s recruitment policy and product proposition,” said the German aviation professional.

Research would probably conclude that the majority of senior airline managers _ the decision-makers _ are male, middle-aged or older and usually of more conservative beliefs.

For those decision-makers, beautiful young women serving passengers are seen as more desirable, even a competitive necessity, he pointed out.

Take the reality of how US and European airlines are perceived.

The image of more seasoned, less enthusiastic attendants places them at a disadvantage to Asian airlines that advertise with young, beautiful women.

Some Asian airlines do actively promote both their male and female onboard staff, but once again preferences veer towards youth and beauty.

An airline’s brand proposition is typically still closely linked to the romance of flying.

For many decision-makers, this image is usually associated with a female rather than a male smile.

Employers are traditionally wary of young women due to the risk of maternity leave and the cost and loss of their contribution to the business during this period.

Yet despite this, airlines will accept the associated risk and liabilities to ensure their brand is desirable and will sell over their competitors.

On a final note, however: is this so different from how cars, hotels, restaurants or even banks or hospitals position their brands?

Visit any bank or hospital in Bangkok and you are greeted with a youthful, beautiful and predominantly female smile.

Writer: Boonsong Kositchotethana

Business

PepsiCo Reduces Revenue Projections As North American Snacks And Key International Markets Underperform.

Published

2 months ago

October 8, 2024

Salman

(VOR News) – In the third quarter of this year, Pepsi’s net income was $2.93 billion, which is equivalent to $2.13 per share. This was attributed to the company.

This is in stark contrast to net income of $3.09 billion, which is equivalent to $2.24 per share, during the same period in the previous year. The company’s earnings per share were $2.31 when expenses were excluded.

Net sales decreased by 0.6%, totaling $23.32 billion. Organic sales increased by 1.3% during the quarter when the effects of acquisitions, divestitures, and currency changes are excluded.

Pepsi’s beverage sales fell this quarter.

The most recent report indicates that the beverage and food sectors of the organization experienced a 2% decline in volume. Consumers of all income levels are demonstrating a change in their purchasing habits, as indicated by CEOs’ statements from the previous quarter.

Pepsi’s entire volume was adversely affected by the lackluster demand they encountered in North America. An increasing number of Americans are becoming more frugal, reducing the number of snacks they ingest, and reducing the number of times they purchase at convenience stores.

Furthermore, Laguarta observed that the increase in sales was partially attributed to the election that occurred in Mexico during the month of June.

The most significant decrease in volume was experienced by Quaker Foods North America, which was 13%. In December, the company announced its initial recall in response to a potential salmonella infection.

Due to the probability of an illness, the recall was extended in January. Pepsi officially closed a plant that was implicated in the recalls in June, despite the fact that manufacturing had already been halted.

Jamie Caulfield, the Chief Financial Officer of Pepsi and Laguarta, has indicated that the recalls are beginning to have a lessening effect.

Frito-Lay experienced a 1.5% decline in volume in North America. The company has been striving to improve the value it offers to consumers and the accessibility of its snack line, which includes SunChips, Cheetos, and Stacy’s pita chips, in the retail establishments where it is sold.

Despite the fact that the category as a whole has slowed down in comparison to the results of previous years, the level of activity within the division is progressively increasing.

Pepsi executives issued a statement in which they stated that “Salty and savory snacks have underperformed year-to-date after outperforming packaged food categories in previous years.”

Pepsi will spend more on Doritos and Tostitos in the fall and winter before football season.

The company is currently promoting incentive packets for Tostitos and Ruffles, which contain twenty percent more chips than the standard package.

Pepsi is expanding its product line in order to more effectively target individuals who are health-conscious. The business announced its intention to acquire Siete Foods for a total of $1.2 billion approximately one week ago. The restaurant serves Mexican-American cuisine, which is typically modified to meet the dietary needs of a diverse clientele.

The beverage segment of Pepsi in North America experienced a three percent decrease in volume. Despite the fact that the demand for energy drinks, such as Pepsi’s Rockstar, has decreased as a result of consumers visiting convenience stores, the sales of well-known brands such as Gatorade and Pepsi have seen an increase throughout the quarter.

Laguarta expressed his opinion to the analysts during the company’s conference call, asserting, “I am of the opinion that it is a component of the economic cycle that we are currently experiencing, and that it will reverse itself in the future, once consumers feel better.”

Additionally, it has been noted that the food and beverage markets of South Asia, the Middle East, Latin America, and Africa have experienced a decline in sales volume. The company cut its forecast for organic revenue for the entire year on Tuesday due to the business’s second consecutive quarter of lower-than-anticipated sales.

The company’s performance during the quarter was adversely affected by the Quaker Foods North America recalls, the decrease in demand in the United States, and the interruptions that occurred in specific international markets, as per the statements made by Chief Executive Officer Ramon Laguarta.

Pepsi has revised its forecast for organic sales in 2024, shifting from a 4% growth rate to a low single-digit growth rate. The company reiterated its expectation that the core constant currency profitability per share will increase by a minimum of 8% in comparison to the previous year.

The company’s shares declined by less than one percent during premarket trading. The following discrepancies between the company’s report and the projections of Wall Street were identified by LSEG in a survey of analysts:

SOURCE: CNBC

Business

Old National Bank And Infosys Broaden Their Strategic Partnership.

Published

2 months ago

October 8, 2024

Salman

(VOR News) – Old National Bank, a commercial bank with its headquarters in the Midwest, and Infosys, a firm that specializes in information technology, have recently entered into a strategic expansion of their link, which has been in place for the past four years.

This expansion is more likely to take place sooner rather than later, with the likelihood being higher.

For the purpose of making it possible for Old National Bank to make use of the services, solutions, and platforms that are offered by Infosys, the objective of this expansion is to make it possible for the bank to transform its operations and processes through the application of automation and GenAI, as well as to change significant business areas.

This lets the bank leverage Infosys’ services, solutions, and platforms.

Old National Bank Chairman and CEO Jim Ryan said, “At Old National, we are committed to creating exceptional experiences for both our customers and our fellow employees.”

This statement is applicable to Old National Bank. Infosys is carefully managing the business process innovations that it is putting us through, putting a strong emphasis on efficiency and value growth throughout the process to ensure that it is carried out efficiently.

This is a routine occurrence throughout the entire operation. Because of Infosys’ dedication to our development and success, we are incredibly appreciative of the assistance they have provided.

Old National has been receiving assistance from Infosys in the process of updating its digital environment since the year 2020, according to the aforementioned company.

Ever since that time, the company has been providing assistance. The provision of this assistance has been accomplished through the utilization of a model that is not only powerful but also capable of functioning on its own power.

Infosys currently ranks Old National thirty-first out of the top thirty US banks.

This ranking is based on the fact that Old National is the nation’s largest banking corporation.

It is estimated that the total value of the company’s assets is approximately fifty-three billion dollars, while the assets that are currently being managed by the organization are valued at thirty billion dollars.

Dennis Gada, the Executive Vice President and Global Head of Banking and Financial Services, stated that “Old National Bank and Infosys possess a robust cultural and strategic alignment in the development, management, and enhancement of enterprise-scale solutions to transform the bank’s operations and facilitate growth.”

This remark referenced the exceptional cultural and strategic synergy between the two organizations. Dennis Gada is the one who asserted this claim. This was articulated explicitly concerning the exceptional cultural congruence and strategy alignment of the two organizations.

We are pleased to announce that the implementation of Infosys Topaz will substantially expedite the transformation of Old National Bank’s business processes and customer service protocols. We are exceedingly enthusiastic about this matter. We are quite thrilled about this specific component of the scenario.

Medium-sized banks operating regionally will continue to benefit from our substantial expertise in the sector, technology, and operations. This specific market segment of Infosys will persist in benefiting from our extensive experience. This phenomenon will enable this market sector to sustain substantial growth and efficiency benefits.

SOURCE: THBL

Business

American Water, The Largest Water Utility In US, Is Targeted By A Cyberattack

Published

2 months ago

October 8, 2024

kiaragrace

The largest regulated water and wastewater utility company in the United States stated Monday that it had been the target of a cyberattack, forcing the company to halt invoicing to consumers.

American Water, The Largest Water Utility In US, Is Targeted By A Cyberattack

American Water, based in New Jersey and serving over 14 million people in 14 states and 18 military facilities, said it learned of the unauthorized activity on Thursday and quickly took precautions, including shutting down certain systems. The business does not believe the attack had an impact on its facilities or operations and said employees were working “around the clock” to determine the origin and scale of the attack.

water

The corporation stated that it has alerted legal enforcement and is cooperating with them. It also stated that consumers will not be charged late fees while its systems are unavailable.

According to their website, American Water operates over 500 water and wastewater systems in around 1,700 communities across California, Georgia, Hawaii, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Maryland, Missouri, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Virginia, and West Virginia.

SOURCE | AP