Check-in with… Ferry van Leeuwen

In this column, we digitally meet a colleague within KLM E&M. This time we speak to Ferry van Leeuwen, Customer Interface Repair Officer (CIRO) at KLM E&M.

Ferry, can you introduce yourself? “My name is Ferry van Leeuwen, I am 36 years old and live in Alphen aan den Rijn. I am divorced and have three children. In my spare time I like to be active; I play football, tennis and hiking. I also like spending time with friends, and of course doing fun things with my children.” What exactly do you do at KLM E&M? “As a CIRO, I work in the shop where we repair various aircraft parts, such as generators and air chillers. My role is to ensure that the units are properly registered and forwarded to the mechanics, who calculate costs and carry out repairs. I also deal with communication between the customer and the mechanics, for example if they have questions about costs or work.” What does a typical working day look like for you? “Every day is different, depending on what comes in and what needs to be cancelled. We have a small team of four, so we can choose which tasks we pick up, such as reporting new orders, cancelling repaired units, or checking quotes. There is a lot of variety in the work, which I like. If I did exactly the same thing every day, I would go crazy!” Why did you choose KLM? “I came here because of my father, who has worked for KLM for more than 30 years. He often recommended that I apply to KLM, but I never really planned to work for an aviation company. After I wanted a change from my previous job, an interesting position became available within KLM. I jumped at the chance, and it worked out really well for me.” What do you like about working at KLM? “What I really like about working at KLM is the atmosphere on the work floor. People are incredibly helpful and really want to take care of each other. Everyone keeps an eye on each other, and that makes it great place to work. It's a company where you get a lot of opportunities and where you can contribute your ideas and develop them further.” Anything else you'd like to say? “I would like to add my appreciation for the great atmosphere and the space you get to grow within your job. KLM really offers opportunities and for me that makes it a fantastic company to work for. I'm very happy with the step I have taken here!”