Anne departs from airport after 29 years

For the last 13 years, Anne Lesbirel has been a terminal duty officer where she is known to many people.

‘For me it’s the best job,’ she said.

‘Being responsible for the terminal is phenomenal and you need a rapport with the various partners and the passengers. Customer service is priority and I loved the banter with passengers.’

In January 1993, Miss Lesbirel began work for Servisair, dealing with passenger operations and check-in.

In the following years she worked as an airport attendant at the front of the terminal building and spent a brief period with Flybe.

‘When I started we were in the old terminal building and only the passengers were security checked, and not the staff,’ she said. ‘All that changed after 9/11.’

Miss Lesbirel kept an autograph book which she would ask celebrities to sign as they passed through the airport.

They included numerous professional football teams, Hot Chocolate singer Errol Brown, who was a particular favourite of hers, and boxer Lennox Lewis.

‘I remember Leo Sayer too, as on the way through departures he pressed down a Tannoy button and began singing You Make Me Feel Like Dancing over the public address system.’

She donated one of her autographs for auction at a Specsavers charitable ball.

Miss Lesbirel is taking up a part-time role in the private sector but she said the airport would always have a place in her heart.

‘I’ve made so many friendships because of this job which continue to this day. I’ve been lucky that throughout my life I’ve worked with such wonderful managers and colleagues and that goes a long way.’

Ports chief operations officer Ross Coppolo said Miss Lesbirel had a great sense of humour, was good with passengers and would be sorely missed.

‘She is ultimately our front-line representative at Guernsey Airport and no job is too difficult or an issue for her,’ he said.

‘She has the ability to read people’s minds, grasp a situation quickly and resolve it and she is greatly respected by everyone.’