Living the dream at WFS Chicago O'Hare as a Passenger Service Agent
Knowing exactly what you want and making it a reality is a dream many have, but few achieve. Meet Ritiben Patel (or "Riti" as she is affectionately called by her colleagues), one of the fortunate ones living her dream as a Passenger Service Agent at Worldwide Flight Services (WFS) Chicago.
Ritiben Patel, Passenger Service Agent, WFS Chicago
Ever since she can remember, Riti has always wanted to work as a check-in agent at an airport. “I love the idea of being part of passengers’ journeys,” she says. Helping travellers start their journey on a pleasant note brings Riti immense joy.
Her journey began at a company that provided wheelchair assistance at Chicago O’Hare International Airport (ORD). When Riti heard about a position at WFS that aligned with her dream, she jumped at the opportunity. Now, she’s been a Passenger Service Agent for five years, living her dream every day.
Wearing many hats
As a Passenger Service Agent at WFS Chicago, Riti’s role is incredibly diverse, covering all aspects of enhancing the travel experience for airline passengers.
One day, Riti might be in the Bag Room, ensuring all luggage is correctly loaded and sent to the ramp on time. Another day, she might be managing Baggage Services, assisting passengers with delayed, missing, or damaged baggage.
At the Bag Room, Riti ensures all luggage is correctly loaded and sent to the ramp on time
A task she particularly enjoys is being a Turnaround Coordinator. "It allows me to be hands-on during flight operations,” she says. In this role, Riti oversees all ramp operations, ensuring ground services like aircraft fueling, cleaning, and catering are efficiently completed so passengers can board a clean, refuelled plane with enough food for the journey.
It goes without saying that she enjoys most the checking of passengers in. As a Ticketing Agent, Riti handles reservations and payments, addresses customer concerns, and ensures a smooth boarding process.
Her job entails interacting with different personalities in a day, including the occasional unpleasant passenger. But this doesn’t deter Riti. “I recognise that the job I signed up for comes with such challenges, but I have grown confident in my ability to tackle these situations with professionalism,” she says.
Providing peace of mind
Riti did not become exceptional at her job overnight. Joining WFS in 2019, she underwent extensive training in customer service, safety and security protocols, airline policies, and conflict resolution. These training courses equipped Riti with the skills and confidence needed for her varied roles.
“At the end of the day, whatever assignment I get, the goal is simple – to make passengers’ travel experience seamless,” she declares.
Hence, when unpleasant situations arise, Riti remains focused on this goal. Whether it’s helping a passenger rebook a missed connecting flight or find a lost passport, Riti goes above and beyond. “I understand how distressing it is to lose an important document or have a flight delayed. It is not pleasant at all. I want to give them peace of mind as they travel from ORD,” Riti explains.
Recognition and friendships
Some might see Riti’s job as thankless, but she disagrees. “I’m filled with pride knowing that I play a crucial role in making travel experiences memorable and pleasant for passengers,” she says.
A bonus is the camaraderie with her team. “Working with my team is fantastic. We work together to deliver the best service possible,” Riti shares. Of course, a word of gratitude from passengers makes her day. “It’s a nice feeling when passengers appreciate what I do,” she admits.
Riti is living her dream, but what she may not be fully aware of is the fact that in many ways, she’s also helping passengers live theirs – as they embark on journeys to their dream destinations, restart lives in a different city, or begin new adventures in other parts of the world.