Let the aviation dream takes flight
Ms Lina Bai
During her studies in the dual master's programme (EMBA + MPA) jointly offered by CityUHK and Tsinghua University, Lina visited Yale University with the professor and classmates, where she deeply realised that continuous learning is an essential quality for becoming a successful leader.
- COO & Founder of AIR VENUS
- Master of Business Administration (Executive)
Lina, the founder of AIR VENUS, has had a fulfilling and surprising career development journey. By daring to step out of her comfort zone and seize new opportunities, she not only achieved entrepreneurial success but also enhanced her management skills through enrolling a dual master's degree programme (EMBA+MPA) from City University of Hong Kong (CityUHK) and Tsinghua University in Beijing.
Like many girls, Lina dreamed of becoming a flight attendant, a job that allows one to travel the world. Reflecting on the turning point when her dream came true, she recalls a stroke of luck at 16 when she joined a beauty pageant, which led to an opportunity to enroll in a flight attendant training programme. Later, she officially became a civil aviation flight attendant, thus forming an unbreakable bond with the aviation industry.
"Entering the civil aviation industry brought remarkable achievements in my career. However, like an aircraft reaching a certain altitude, it can no longer climb higher. When I was promoted to a certain position, I gradually felt that staying in the civil aviation industry would limit my potential for further progress," she explained. In 2010, she made the bold decision to leave her hometown in Sichuan and move to Shenzhen, joining the Chinese business jet industry and starting a new chapter in her career.
From being a civil aviation purser to joining the aviation division of one of China's top 500 private enterprises, then to a founder of the private jet company, Lina candidly admits that a qualified business jet manager needs to understand various aircraft models, aircraft maintenance management, and financial knowledge. Fluent English is essential for client communication, along with the ability to coordinate with customers and handle crisis situations. To deepen her international management knowledge, she enrolled in the EMBA + MPA dual master's programme jointly offered by CityUHK and Tsinghua University. The programme has allowed her to travel with professors and classmates to renowned universities worldwide, such as the Yale University, and the Hebrew University, which broadened her horizons.
Building on the significant benefits gained from this master's journey, Lina revealed that she has received an offer from DBA doctoral programme. Her previous overseas exchanges and studies have heightened her concern about global climate change, and she has already established a clear research direction for her upcoming doctoral studies. She hopes to explore the impact of global warming on humanity and the aviation industry, aiming to find ways to reduce carbon emissions, such as developing new energy aircraft, contributing to the aviation industry and sustainable development in mainland China and Asia.
In addition to continuing her studies to enhance her overall capabilities, Lina also hopes to help the younger generation in society. After starting her own business, she aims to give back to the industry and society. She currently has different roles in serving the community, such as Vice Chairman of the Sheen Hok Charitable Foundation and China Western Tourism Image Ambassador. She actively participates in public welfare projects, such as caring for children with autism and helping rural teachers in mainland China. AIR VENUS has also established scholarships at CityUHK to help economically disadvantaged students aspiring to join the aviation industry achieve their dreams, just as she did.
The content of the article is provided by the interviewee
（Published at 22 November 2024）