Keeping the cabin crew members skilled at all times is a challenge that every airline will recognize, including Transavia. To do this, Transavia used to obligate its crew members to follow a mandatory learning program consisting of a yearly recurrent exam and after-exam classroom training. Six years ago, the airline realized that this was not the best approach. In fact, the cabin crew members experienced a lot of stress for the exam, and the freshly learned knowledge faded away quickly. This is what we call the temporary ‘knowledge peak’ problem, something that Transavia had to fight to ensure that crew members were fully skilled at all times. Read further to find out how they did it.

The temporary knowledge peak

The temporary knowledge peak is a well-known learning problem resulting from learning only in a short period of time. Cramming just before an exam is one of the most popular examples. This method is not only very stressful, but it is also ineffective as the information gained during the cramming nights will only stay in the short-term memory due to the forgetting curve. Sure, it might be enough to get a decent grade on an exam. But it doesn’t develop a deep comprehension of the material, and the knowledge will be forgotten almost immediately after the exam.

If you do not use knowledge or practice skills, then the forgetting curve kicks off… and fast. Read this article to read more about how to keep aircrew members proficient during COVID-19 downtime. 

The flexible and no-stress solution for the cabin crew members

To solve this problem, Transavia went hunting for a solution. The airline company looked for a tool that would help improve the training program, decrease the temporary knowledge peak, and reduce stress. They found the answer in the form of the adaptive online learning application called Drillster. 

With the help of Drillster, Transavia enables its employees to develop, retain and anchor knowledge continuously. Modules and subjects were quickly transformed into “drills”, which consist of small chunks of information. This is microlearning, a method that enables cabin crew members to absorb information more efficiently. Moreover, the adaptive nature of Drillster’s smart algorithm ensures that the learning content is adapted to the knowledge and speed of each user. In this way, Transavia optimizes the learning process and reduces the knowledge peak of its employees. Last but not least, Drillster is available on smartphone, tablet and laptop, which enables everyone to have a quick learning session anytime and anywhere. This works out really well for Transavia’s cabin crews who have a busy routine.  

Implementing the new learning app 

Drillster and Transavia worked together to make sure the implementation went smoothly. While Transavia worked on the internal communication to introduce the new learning methodology, Drillster provided technical support and live demonstrations at a booth on-site at Transavia. Everyone was able to easily ask for help and educate themselves regarding the new learning tool. With both companies’ representatives actively communicating about the new app to the staff, the app’s adoption increased rather quickly. Therefore, they were able to educate staff about the new app on time successfully.

As a result of this partnership, the app now partially replaces the theoretical training and improves its effectiveness. Trainers and managers are able to gain insight into the learning result and progress via the Drillster dashboard, making them more aware of the existing knowledge gaps. This allows them to determine which subject matter to focus on during the training. Also, Drillster helps the management to spread information regarding new rules and protocol changes throughout the year. Crew members will always be up-to-date with the latest news, rules and information using Drillster.

Enjoyable learning method for everyone

As the app gives insights into a user’s level of expertise, it creates a healthy urge to compete amongst the staff to keep their knowledge level high all the time. This way, they are always up-to-date, and there is no need for stress or anxiety during the exam period. This creates an enjoyable learning process and better exam results. 

Now, Transavia and Drillster have been successfully collaborating for six years. Both parties regularly meet, at least twice a year, for an evaluation. The meetings can be used to communicate, for instance, if there are any new features that Transavia can use or if something can be improved here and there. With good communication and trust between the two parties, everything can be done!