Meet Chelsey — an 18-year veteran of Horizon Airlines at the Friedman Memorial Airport.
We asked Chelsey what she loves most about her job. Her answer was simple — “The people. I love working with all of our guests.” She also noted that she loves the versatility of her job and how every day is slightly different. Chelsey continued to tell us that even on days when there are challenges, she embraces those moments and works towards a positive outcome.
Born and raised in the Wood River Valley, at the original Moritz Hospital in Sun Valley, now the Sun Valley employee dorms. Fast-forward to her teen years, when it was time to leave for college. Unfortunately, Chelsey wasn’t thrilled. First, she absolutely loved (and still loves) the Wood River Valley. Second, she said, “these mountains, … how do you get by without the mountains?” So, she stayed relatively close to home and attended the College of Southern Idaho. During summer break, Chelsey came home from school to look for a part-time job. Serendipitously, Horizon Airlines was hiring. As you can guess, the rest is history. In her first few years, Chelsey was a ramp agent working at variable times, with good perks. Over the years, her roles changed, and now she is a Horizon Airlines Supervisor.
As Supervisor, Chelsey plays a dynamic role for Horizon/Alaska Airlines.
Below are just a few of her day-to-day tasks:
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Counter check-in -
Bags
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Bags to TSA
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Be in communication when the plane calls in
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Load bags in bag well
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Take the bags to the aircraft
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Making coffee and ice for aircraft
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Assist with special services
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Download and uploading bags
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Servicing the lavatory (no ones favorite chore — she notes)
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Dropping bags at bag well
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Taking bag claims
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Making sure everything is on time; there are only 40 minutes to turn the plane around
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Marshalling planes in
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De-icing planes in the winter
One of the biggest challenges they face at Horizon Airlines, are weight balance issues. When she first started the job, it wasn’t uncommon to have to ask 30 people give up their seats to help balance the load for takeoff. Nowadays, their forecasting has significantly improved. This issue is few and far in between.
As you can imagine, Chelsey has witnessed quite a few changes at the airport in the past 18 years, i.e. driving the trucks up to the plane, unloading luggage, and implementing TSA. One thing that hasn’t changed, though, is the community feel. She says, “Everyone here works as a team. We want everyone to succeed and our guests to feel welcome.” Chelsey often hears that guests love seeing familiar faces working day-in and day-out. We’re not surprised.
When Chelsey isn’t working, she spends time with her husband and son. Whether they’re heading out their back door to go hiking or spending time fishing in the Big Wood River, there is always something to do. Chelsey says that she wouldn’t want to live anywhere else or raise her family anywhere else. The sense of community here runs deep. Some of her favorite moments are when she runs into a friend at the grocery store, which leads to a 2-hour long conversation.
Lastly, we asked Chelsey about some of her most coveted places to travel. Her response was simple: “Well, I only take time off in the spring and in the fall when the airport is slower. We love to hop over to Portland for a quick vacation, but we also love going to Mexico for week-long beach getaways. I don’t travel as much as I probably should. While the perks of the job are great, it’s hard to leave where we live. There is so much to do here!”
Next time you’re flying out of Friedman Memorial Airport, be sure to say hello to Chelsey. We are grateful for her hard work.
