Sebastian Herrera
Riyadh,Saudi Arabia
Summary
Cabin Crew performance and operations leader with extensive experience across performance management, safety and standards assessment, crew welfare, recruitment, and disciplinary processes within leading Middle Eastern airlines. Currently serving as Crew Duty Controller – Flight Operations at Riyadh Air, acting as the primary out-of-hours escalation point for Flight Crew and Cabin Crew, with responsibility for crew logistics, roster validity, real-time recovery, welfare cases, incident management, and senior stakeholder reporting. Recognized for a balanced, evidence-based approach that promotes consistency, accountability, and crew wellbeing.
Overview
20
20
years of professional experience
Work history
Crew Duty Controller – Flight Operations
Riyadh Air
Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
2024.09 - 2026.04
- Manage time-critical departure and arrival processes for Flight Crew and Cabin Crew, ensuring check-in compliance, documentation, transport, and operational timelines are met.
- Monitor roster validity and manage real-time crew recovery for sickness or last-minute unavailability, ensuring uninterrupted flight coverage.
- Coordinate with Training and Crew Control teams to reassign crew across batches when appropriate, maintaining compliance and operational continuity.
- Act as the central escalation and decision-making point outside office hours and weekends, representing multiple departments.
- Lead crew response for operational incidents including medical emergencies, unruly passengers, diversions, security events, and geopolitical disruptions.
- Provide immediate leadership in sensitive welfare cases, balancing duty of care with operational requirements.
- Produce SITREPs and incident reports for senior stakeholders, highlighting trends, risks, and improvement opportunities.
Senior Officer – Cabin Crew Operations
flydubai
, United Arab Emirates
2022.06 - 2024.09
- Represented Inflight Operations as first point of contact for Cabin Crew and Network Control during weeknights and weekends.
- Delivered formal performance feedback to Cabin Crew on behalf of Senior Management.
- Conducted post flight debriefs following sensitive incidents.
- Prepared structured Cabin Crew performance histories to support disciplinary decisions from warning letters to termination summaries.
- Provided welfare support while ensuring performance accountability and policy compliance.
- Participated in Cabin Crew recruitment activities, assessing suitability against performance and behavioural standards.
Cabin Safety & Standards Assessor
flydubai
, United Arab Emirates
2021.07 - 2022.06
- Conducted in-flight safety, service, and hospitality assessments verifying SOP and regulatory compliance.
- Evaluated individual and collective Cabin Crew performance and identified trends and gaps.
- Collaborated with Training and Management teams to support tailored improvement plans and process enhancements.
Cabin Crew (Progressive Roles)
flydubai
, United Arab Emirates
2015.05 - 2021.06
- Progressed through Cabin Crew, Cabin Supervisor, and Purser roles with increasing responsibility.
Shop Supervisor
Hackett London
2013.01 - 2014.01
- Led and coached a sales team; managed rosters, attendance, and performance reporting.
First Class Cabin Crew & Galley Manager
Qatar Airways
2009.01 - 2013.01
- Operated in premium cabins with galley management responsibilities.
Operations Manager
ID90 Travel
2006.01 - 2008.01
- Established an operations center; recruited, trained, and monitored staff performance.
Skills
- Cabin Crew Performance Management
- Performance Matrix & Trend Analysis
- Safety, Standards & SOP Compliance
- Crew Welfare & Sensitive Case Management
- Disciplinary Case Preparation
- Recruitment & Onboarding Support
- Mentoring & Leadership Development
- Operational Excellence & Consistency
Websites
EDUCATION & PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
- Degree in International Protocol, Events Management & Public Relations
- Master in International Diplomatic Protocol
- Performance Excellence, Emotional Intelligence & Mental Health First Aid
Languages
English
Fluent
Spanish
Native
Timeline
Crew Duty Controller – Flight Operations
Riyadh Air
2024.09 - 2026.04
Senior Officer – Cabin Crew Operations
flydubai
2022.06 - 2024.09
Cabin Safety & Standards Assessor
flydubai
2021.07 - 2022.06
Cabin Crew (Progressive Roles)
flydubai
2015.05 - 2021.06
Shop Supervisor
Hackett London
2013.01 - 2014.01
First Class Cabin Crew & Galley Manager
Qatar Airways
2009.01 - 2013.01
Operations Manager
ID90 Travel
2006.01 - 2008.01