Mr Venoth Balasubramaniam, a flight steward with Singapore Airlines was recognized at the Singapore Airlines (SIA) CEO Service Excellence Award for his efforts in reviving a car driver he hired for his trip to work at the airport. Mr Balasubramaniam received SIA’s CEO Service Excellence Award at the ceremony which was held at the Shangri-La Singapore hotel on 14th August 2023.
Mr Balasubramaniam was seated at the back of a private-hire car en route to Changi Airport in November 2022, when he heard a loud groan and saw the driver of the car slump in his seat.
Instinct kicked in and the 34-year-old, father of two who was on his way to report for a flight to London, applied the handbrake of the car to stop the vehicle. After switching on the hazard lights he immediately dialled 995 and then stepped out to direct the traffic.
Mr. Venod carried the driver out of the car with the help of a pedestrian, who left the scene soon after. Later on several other passers came to the driver’s aid. After an ambulance arrived and paramedics used a defibrillator on him, the driver’s heartbeat returned as Mr Balasubramaniam continued CPR.
This effort, in November 2022, together with his personal touch in the sky, earned Mr Venoth a standing ovation at the annual award ceremony of the national carrier to celebrate the achievements of its employees.
Mr. Balasubramaniam, an Indian-origin flight attendant was among 69 individuals and teams who received the award at the national carrier’s annual award ceremony held on Monday night to honour the achievements of its employees, reported The Straits Times on Tuesday.
Prior to the ceremony, Mr Balasubramaniam, speaking to The Straits Times said that the incident took place at about 10.30 pm while the car was on the leftmost lane and about to enter the expressway near Simei.
Balasubramaniam performed cardiopulmonary resuscitation and revived the unconscious driver, who was in his late 40s or early 50s, thanks to his SIA first-aid training and experience working as a care ambassador at Changi General Hospital during the height of the Covid-19 outbreak.
Mr Balasubramaniam said that he generally reached the airport an hour before his flight reporting time, and therefore he still made it to work on time.
He explained that when he returned from London, the driver’s wife called to thank him, but that was when she informed Balasubramaniam that he had died after the man’s heart stopped again an hour after arriving at the hospital.
Mr. Venod is still in contact with the driver’s family.
On Monday, Balasubramaniam, who will be celebrating his 10th year at Singapore Airlines in November, was also praised for his ability to remember and greet customers by name without having to check their boarding tickets. When asked about this ability, he stated that he does not have a special technique but instead looks at the flight manifest prior to takeoff and observes what each passenger is wearing and whether they have any distinguishing characteristics.
He claims to do this in all cabin classes, from economy, premium economy, and business.
He said the award would motivate him to work harder, setting a good example for up-and-coming cabin crew members. He added that he felt he had a role to play in upholding the reputation of the airline.
The Singapore flag carrier, Singapore Airlines was named Airline of the Year at the Skytrax World Airline Awards 2023 in Paris.
The CEO Excellence Award celebrates individuals or teams whose contributions have made a significant and positive impact on the organization. It highlights their strategic vision, exceptional leadership skills, and ability to drive innovation, making them stand out in a crowded marketplace.
