Allan Espiritu has worked at Etihad Airways for nearly two decades. The cabin manager and line mentor has come a long way since his early career in hospitality in the Philippines.
The UAE’s national airline is ramping up recruitment, aiming to hire up to 3,000 employees a year as it adds about 20 aircraft annually until 2030 as well as expanding its route network. Espiritu’s career offers a window into how long-term opportunities at the airline can take shape.
“I did not envision working in the airline industry,” he tells The National. “But a lot of my friends from the hotel industry were moving to the airlines and they encouraged me to try it out too.”
One of those friends, who was with Philippine Airlines, got a job at Etihad Airways and played a key role in Espiritu's decision to apply when recruitment opened back in February 2007.
“I applied for Etihad because it was new and, at the time, not many people knew much about Abu Dhabi. They would just say: ‘Oh, it’s next to Dubai,’” Espiritu, 44, says. “I also wanted a change of environment. Having worked in hotels for almost 10 years, I decided to step out of my comfort zone.”
That decision marked the start of a career that would last far longer than Espiritu imagined. He joined Etihad as a cabin crew member in 2007, working in economy class before gradually progressing to business and first class roles.
Over time, he took on more responsibilities, eventually qualifying as a cabin manager in 2015, a milestone he describes as one of the most memorable moments of his career.
“When I joined, I thought I would maybe give it 10 years,” he says. “I never saw myself staying for double that. But I grew with the company, and the opportunities kept coming.”
Today, Espiritu oversees cabin operations while evaluating and guiding fellow cabin managers in his role as line mentor.
Captain Majed Al Marzouqi, who is also chief operations and guest experience officer at Etihad, said the airline’s cabin crew has remained central to its famed service.
He describes Espiritu as a strong example of how crew are known to go beyond guest expectations, noting his ability to connect with passengers.
“At Etihad, we celebrate Beyond Moments on board, encouraging our cabin crew to find those who may be celebrating a special occasion or cherished moment and take the time to recognise this,” says Al Marzouqi.
“Allan is one of our most popular crew, frequently getting to know our guests and making their journey as enjoyable as possible. In his leadership role, he is also a mentor to other crew, using his years of experience to guide and nurture the wider community.”
Espiritu credits his longevity to a genuine enjoyment of working with people, shaped by his background in hotel management and front-of-house roles in the Philippines, where constant interaction was central to his work.
“I don’t see myself working behind the scenes,” he says. “I like meeting people, talking to them, understanding where they come from.”
Etihad cabin manager and line mentor
Over the years, both the airline and the city have expanded, and Espiritu says he feels he has grown alongside them. Abu Dhabi has become a second home, while Etihad has offered the stability and scope to build not just a career, but a life.
While travel is often seen as the most appealing aspect of being cabin crew, Espiritu is quick to point out that the role demands far more than a love of destinations.
“It’s not always about beautiful places,” he says. “You’re there to look after people, especially when things don’t go as planned.”
As a frontliner, he explains, cabin crew are often the first point of contact when passengers are anxious, frustrated or upset.
“You become the absorber,” he says. “But I don’t take it personally. Most of the time, guests are reacting to an experience, not to you. Our job is to listen, to empathise and to help.”
Those interactions, both positive and difficult, have shaped his approach to leadership. As a mentor, Espiritu encourages younger crew members to remain open-minded and resilient, particularly those living away from home for the first time.
“You need to be optimistic,” he says. “You will miss your family. You will have difficult days. But you also learn a lot about yourself.”
Time management, independence and emotional intelligence, he adds, are just as important as service skills. Cabin crew operate on monthly rosters and are largely responsible for managing their own schedules and well-being.
“It’s very easy to lose track if you’re not organised,” he says. “You need balance.”
Despite his seniority, Espiritu says he remains closely connected to the day-to-day reality of flying and has no immediate plans to step away from it completely. He hopes to reach his 20-year milestone with Etihad in 2027, after which he may consider taking on more ground-based responsibilities, possibly in training or performance operations.
“But I know I would miss flying,” he says. “That part is hard to let go.”
Looking back, Espiritu says he never set out with a grand plan, just a willingness to try something new and commit to it fully.
“No company is perfect,” he says. “If you’re looking for that, you’ll always be disappointed. What matters is how you approach the role and how much you’re willing to put into it.”
For him, that mindset has translated into a career defined by consistency, adaptability and a quiet dedication to service, qualities that have carried him from hotel reception desks in the Philippines to leadership roles at one of the world's most respected airlines.
“As long as I enjoy what I do,” he says, “I know I’m where I’m meant to be.”
