Planning for an upcoming trip to Glasgow, Scotland but could use some expert advice? Meet Ashlea Mayne, an Aircare FACTS trained corporate flight attendant from Australia, living in Scotland. Ashlea has graciously shared her tips for exploring the city through food and culture. Read on to learn more about her, and how to blend in with the locals.
Ashlea has been a flight attendant since 2008, when she started her career with Etihad Airways in Abu Dhabi. In 2010 she took the next step in her career and became a corporate flight attendant, and is currently based out of Aberdeen Airport (EGPD), a few hours’ drive from Glasgow. She completed her initial training in December 2014 at Aircare FACTS in Long Beach, and she attended the Corporate School of Etiquette during the same trip. Back in June 2014, Ashlea completed training at Global Jet Concept that included tastings at Caviar House & Prunier, along with several days in Geneva, Switzerland and Luxembourg. Additionally, she has received training for in-flight plating and presentation.
During her career in commercial aviation, Ashlea gained experience working on Airbus 318/319/320, A330/340 and Boeing 777-300ER. Since becoming a corporate flight attendant, she has flown on Falcon 7X, Global Express XRS, Challenger 300/604/605/850, Learjet 60XR, Hawker 800XP and Gulfstream III. Not only was also the 2014 winner of the Women in Corporate Aviation International Career Scholarship, but she is halfway through completing a BSc in Transportation from the world’s most prestigious university for aviation and aerospace – Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University (Worldwide Campus).
When it comes to travel destinations, Ashlea is a fan of urban life. “I crave novelty and the ability to get out and explore during any layover longer than an overnight. Big, bustling cities always have so much to offer – Shanghai, Tokyo, London, Paris and New York, to name a few. There is a lot of beauty and energy in an urban environment. I find the beach or the pool to be rather dull after a day or so.”
As much as we enjoy discussing travel, we also enjoy talking about food – so we asked Ashlea to share her favorites with us. “A family friend of mine cooks beautiful French food. At the top my list would be her baked seafood pie – scallops and prawns and mussels in a blue ceramic pot with a puff pastry lid,” she said. “Her roast chicken with chestnuts is amazing, too!” Those sound like amazing homemade dishes, and Ashlea had more to share about her favorite place in Scotland. “The duck ramen bowl from Wagamama’s is humble, but so supremely delicious,” she said. “I have probably had it a half-dozen times already!”
Overall, when it comes to food, Ashlea says she is “typically easy to please – a good spread of high-quality bread, cheese and wine makes for a happy girl. As I previously lived in Asia (Shanghai) and the Middle East (Dubai), I am very partial to these cuisines. My tastes are pretty down to earth – fine ingredients and thoughtful preparation is key.”
Scotland has an iconic culture and cuisine to explore while in Glasgow, and Ashlea is full of great ideas for what to try. “Though the quintessential Scottish dish would be a serving of haggis (a savory pudding of sheep’s pluck and other ingredients), neeps (rutabagas) and tatties (potatoes), I prefer other local produce such as the Arbroath Smokie (a type of smoked haddock) or, of course, Scottish salmon,” she said. “I’m fond of cocktails with elderflower, and sweets using rhubarb – very British! Pick up some crumpets, too. Good crumpets aren’t available in the United States.”
You are in for a treat if you are a corporate flight attendant who is lucky enough to have enough time to properly explore Glasgow and the surrounding area. “Scotland is brimming with castles, lochs, whisky and golf,” said Ashlea. “A day trip, therefore, to a castle (Dunnottar in Stonehaven is set on a cliff edge, and just marvelous) and a distillery should be your first port of call. Loch Lomond is just west of Glasgow.”
If you have less time on the ground, or if you prefer to stay in the city, Ashlea suggests “an afternoon tea (fancier than high tea, funnily enough) at Corinthian Club, a visit to the transport-themed Riverside Museum, followed by a soft bar hop along Bath Street or Sauchiehall Street – I’ll let you choose!” Ashlea also has a valuable tip regarding transportation, she shared that “Glasgow has one of the oldest subway systems in the world, this is a great way to get around (unfortunately, Uber hasn’t reached Scotland yet).” Additionally, if you are shopping for basic flight needs, Ashlea says Marks & Spencer is invaluable.
Ashlea shared her thoughts on what it takes to be a successful corporate flight attendant, with valuable advice for anyone considering making this their career. You need to possess “exceptional planning skills, attention to detail, generosity, warmth, and an uncanny ability to anticipate the needs of others. Also a superhuman mash-up of confidence and humility.” If you are just starting out on this career path, she says it is vital to have “persistence and a heady passion for the role.” The next time you are looking for a corporate flight attendant in Scotland with all of these skills, contact Ashlea Mayne at ashlea.mayne@gmail.com.
This article is part of a series of interviews we are conducting with corporate cabin crew members; individuals who are not employed by Air Culinaire Worldwide. If you would like to be considered for an interview, which is posted on our blog and all of our social media accounts, please contact socialmedia@airculinaire.com.
