#AmazingPeople| Enock Chabata moments with a fastjet customer.

When he introduced himself, I couldn’t help but think of the only Enock I knew. Well, not know, but the Enock I read about in Chinua Achebe’s classical book, Things Fall Apart.

He was described as “short and sleight of build and seemed in great haste. His feet were short and broad, and when he stood or walked his heels came together. His feet opened outwards as if they had quarrelled and meant to go in different directions; such was the excessive energy bottled up in Enoch’s small body.”

That is the descriptive quote that came to my mind, but this Enock was not short nor was he sleight of build. He had pulled over along the airport road responding to my frantic efforts to hitchhike. “Something made me pull over, are you going to the airport?” he had asked as I held my 23kg checked baggage close to me. “Yes, we have a breakdown, and my check-in is closing in 15 minutes” I responded.

“My name is Enock”, he introduced himself helping me put my single piece of luggage in the car. Let me guess, you are on a fastjet flight to Victoria Falls? He was right I was on a fastjet flight to Victoria Falls for our annual lawyers’ retreat.

During our drive, I kept thinking about the Enock in the book and how different they were. He was tall and well-built and wore a cowboy hat. “We have ten minutes before your check-in closes, do not worry we will make it” he remarked as we approached the airport entrance.

“I have something else to tell you”, he said in a different tone of voice. “Here we go I said to myself”. “I work for fastjet and knowing the importance of our customers when I saw you on the road, I knew chances where you were on one of our flights”. Now, let’s rush to the check-in counters before they close, we have seven minutes”, he continued.

I was in a daze moment I left the car until I reached the check-in counters. How I made it for that flight I still do not know. “Enjoy your flight ma’am and thank you for flying with fastjet” said the check-in agent. I walked up to Enock who was on his phone and now had a clipboard in hand. I expressed my gratitude, and he wished me a pleasant flight and stay in Victoria Falls.

In flight, I looked around seeing happy faces, and people travelling to Victoria Falls for various reasons. The Enock from the book came again to my mind and realised that they had similarities, great haste. The Enock from fastjet, with his great haste ensured I caught my flight. I remembered him saying “At Fastjet, we pride ourselves in exceptional customer service”. Seeing the joy of the people onboard and the excellent service I had received from Enock, at check-in and inflight made me conclude that from that day forward if fastjet flies there, I will only fly with fastjet.

Thank you Enock and fastjet.


Next Post