Meet Becca DeSpain, Jet OUT’s Director of Dispatch Operations.
Becca is an instrument-rated pilot who was born in Richmond, Missouri, and started flying when she was 16. She obtained a bachelor of science in aviation technology degree from the University of Central Missouri and worked for Pinnacle Airlines as a dispatcher shortly after college.
Soon after, she joined Continental Airlines during its merger with United Airlines and spent ten years with United, where she held many titles, including chief dispatcher, operations manager, trainer, and more.
As Jet OUT's Director of Dispatch Operations, Becca brings over a decade of experience to the flight line. We sat down with Becca to learn more about her department and Jet OUT's commitment to customer service.
Jet OUT: How do you feel your past experience and expertise will help improve safety and the customer service experience for Jet OUT co-owners?
Becca DeSpain: I have the privilege of starting this department. The team here desires to increase its overall commitment to safety, so I was fortunate enough to be hired to build it. I'm digging into what we do here, how we want it done, and how we can better care for our passengers with the protocols and standard operating procedures we implement.
With the volume of flights that I was involved in with United for 10 years, I’ve experienced a ton. I'm like the Farmer's Insurance analogy; I know a thing or two because I've seen a thing or two.
JO: Awesome. What do you believe are the key qualities that make a successful director of dispatch operations, and how do you embody those traits?
BD: Key qualities include patience, taking the time for training opportunities, increasing communications, and developing more protocols so we'll be surprised less often and be able to react quickly when needed. If we can accomplish that as a department, then hopefully, our customers will not even, in the long run, know when issues arise. Instead, we’ll get out in front of them and stop any issues from arising. There also definitely needs to be a level of passion for the job and caring about people – not just the customers, but co-workers as well.
JO: Well said. What do you love about the aviation industry?
BS: Oh, flying. It puts every video game to shame. I just love that. It's a different puzzle, a different challenge every day when you fly. Between the different weather and air traffic control, it's just a different package every day. That is exciting.
JO: What excites you most about joining Jet OUT?
BD: I love that Jet OUT found a niche in the industry, private jet co-ownership that hasn't been explored yet. I think they've got a lot of new ideas on how to better serve customers, and I'm excited to see those ideas already starting to take off. I think we can treat people better and we can treat ourselves better, and I think we owe it to everyone to try.
JO: Where would you go if you could fly anywhere in the world on one of Jet OUT's Citation CJ4 Gen 2 jets?
BD: I'm usually more about the journey. I would think that the trip itself would be just getting the Jet OUT experience aboard one of our jets. But, if I had to pick, I like areas with lots of beaches and sand, so maybe Cancun or the Caribbean island.
JO: Thanks Becca. You gave our marketing department a new tagline; the Jet OUT journey is the vacation! Best of luck with your new position!