Mandy Chomat
Where were you born? Cuba.
How long have you been in the business? 35 years.
How many people work for you? At Karisma, we have a total of 4,000 employees.
What’s the best part of the job? The people, my colleagues, the integrity of the ownership.
What did you want to be as a kid? Nothing. I just wanted to play and have fun.
What was your 1st job? Loading airplanes for Marco Island Airways.
What’s the scariest thing you’ve ever done? Getting married! But that was 35 years ago and we are still together.
Any guilty pleasures? Chocolate.
What’s your favourite airline? I’d better say American Airlines. I have 3 million miles with them! And yes I have seen “Up in the Air”!
What’s on your iPad? Emails, books, the Weather Channel, pictures of my year-old grandson Charlie.
What do people not know about you? That I’m shy – very shy.
Any hobbies or interests? Road biking, golf, tennis – sports in general.
When were you happiest? When we welcomed the next generation into our family with the birth of Charlie.
What skill or talent do you admire in someone? The ability to play the piano or guitar.
Is there anything you won’t eat? Lots, in my pre-Karisma days. But Jeroen Hanlo (Karisma’s V.P. Food and Beverage Operations) has had me eat worms, insect eggs, crickets – essentially what was my Bucket List of what not to eat!
Ever had a brush with fame? Many times, but celebrities don’t impress me.
What keeps you awake at night? Thoughts about selling rooms - and how to get the message across about how different we are.
How do you spend your frequent flyer points? With my family on vacation.
What is your greatest extravagance? My carbon bike.
If you could sit next to anyone on a long-haul flight, who would it be? The Pope, Barak Obama or Bill Gates – depending on my mood that day!
Do you have a favourite charity? Smiletrain – they help people with facial deformities such as cleft palates, missing teeth.
What will be the biggest challenge for the industry in the next 12 months? The distribution channels. There are now so many – which do you go after?
