Crew from multiple airlines have come together to form Project Wingman to support frontline NHS staff at North Londons Whittington Hospital during the COVID-19 outbreak.
In just under a week, the project has expanded to include hospitals in North Middlesex, Basildon, Southend and Mid-Essex, and potentially to Edinburgh, Glasgow, Tunbridge Wells and Maidstone, Worthing, Frimley Park and York in the coming days.
The project creates the atmosphere of an airport lounge for NHS staff, providing them with refreshments, a place to relax and have conversations with colleagues. At the time of writing, more than 1,200 volunteer crew from Norwegian, easyJet, British Airways, Virgin Atlantix, TUI, Flybe, Jet2 and Loganair are involved.
?We want to look after the wellbeing of all of all frontline NHS staff?, says Professor Rob Bor, consultant clinical psychologist. ?We immediately thought of airline staff and reached out to them to support us. Many airline crews have been grounded by the global effects of Covid-19 and we recognised that this represents a rich resource of a uniformed and disciplined workforce, used to problem-solving and providing care. We called on Captain Dave Fielding of British Airways and Captain Emma Henderson of easyJet, and between them, they have sent out a 'call to arms' to all aircrew across every airline regardless of brand.?
Billal Draifi, Norwegian Long Haul Cabin Crew, is apart of the recruitment team for Project Wingman and is in charge of the training and induction of new crew volunteers: ?Frontline NHS staff are doing an incredible job under immense pressure and we are doing everything that we can to support and help them throughout this unprecedented situation. Throughout the day my colleagues and I are proud to wear our Norwegian uniforms and to be joined by other airline colleagues from across the industry as part of Project Wingman.?
Volunteer airline crew do not work directly with patients, they support staff in a number of practical ways so they can do their job effectively by using their unique skills in problem solving and calming techniques learned from their training for managing stressful and pressurised situations. Above all they will be offering a listening ear, comfort and kindness when staff need it most. Project Wingman is in the process of expanding and offering similar services to hospital staff in the US, New Zealand, Japan and Australia.
