Image of Fernando receiving J.D. Power Award | Courtesy of Fernando Martin

           Born in Granada Hills, CA, Los Angeles resident and Woodbury Alumni Fernando Martin has reigned in the skies from the ground below. His love for aviation has led him to where he sits today as the Ground Operations Manager for Alaska Airlines at LAX. Fernando Martin is a first-generation Mexican American -- born spring of 1984 . Both of his parents, respectively from Mexico, immigrated to the United States – his mother at the age of nine and his father at the age of twenty– and met each other in San Fernando, CA many years later. His maternal grandfather came to the states and worked at the GM assembly plant when his mother was only nine-years old – where he retired after thirty-five years. Martin is a man who exemplifies that hard work and commitment can do wonders for an individual. It can be best said that he is a byproduct of the work ethic his family upholds, and the environment that he grew up in. 

          Growing up, Fernando bounced from several elementary schools before landing in catholic school for 5th grade and beyond because his mother worked for LAUSD. Fernando learned a lot in school, but his biggest interest was aviation. As a child, his love for aviation stemmed from tagging along to pick up or drop off relatives visiting from Mexico. 

“By the age of five, I could identify aircraft flying overhead and tell if they were 727s, 737s or Dc-9s. I loved LAX” 

The airport was his favorite place. He mentions that this exposure at a young age was the spark that lit the flame in his passion for aviation. His passion for aviation holds true all these years. He has seen many iterations of planes as time has passed. Even as the plane he has viewed has changed, so has the city around him.

        By growing up as a resident of Los Angeles, Fernando has seen the living changes to this city throughout the years. He mentions how the diversification of Los Angeles has drastically changed the culture and for the better. Back then, he primarily saw White or Latino individuals and today he comments on how there is more diversity in the city with many different cultures and backgrounds. Fernando’s wife, Judith, was born in the Philippines and the couple are a perfect example of the diversity you find in the city. As Los Angeles diversifies, the number of people Fernando meets on a daily basis increases and leads to some interesting moments.

Image of Alaska Airline Plane | Courtesy of Fernando Martin

        While working at LAX, Fernando has met many people from different backgrounds. He has made work friends, met politicians, and many celebrities. Each encounter is not  always the same. Fernando mentions that there have been times in his career where interactions with passengers has been quite eventful.

Like all professions, there is always a story to write back home about. Fernando spoke of a time in the early 2000s where he met an elderly man named Jack Real. Mr. Real would travel from Pasadena to Portland every Sunday. He was described to be “difficult” to work with. But as time progressed, Fernando and the rest of his associates became acquainted with Mr. Real quite well. Well, enough to the point that he learned that that Mr. Real was previously a part of Howard Hughes’s entourage. Real was spending the last years of his life building an aviation museum to hold the Spruce Goose – it was the largest airplane and was built by Howard Hughes. Years later the VP of Hughes’s would thank Fernando for his care towards Mr. Real. He was even invited to the museum when it opened. As a result, Fernando built a connection that would leave a lasting impression. He recollects that:

“I love aviation and that made me have a small connection to someone who had a firsthand seat to so much aviation history.”

        From the events that occur locally to nationally and even global levels, Fernando is constantly managing the stress from said events. Events such as the 9/11 terrorist attack and the global COVID-19 pandemic have left a mark on his career, but these events have steeled his resolve. Make no mistake  — his position as Grounds Operations Manager for Alaska Airlines is a job that requires vast attention to detail with a package of stress. And through it all I had to ask Fernando how he manages his stress levels. He mentions how part of it is about acceptance.

Image of Alaska Airline Plane | Courtesy of Fernando Martin

“As a manager at a hub I’m constantly on, there are no off days. I have to answer every call and constantly be checking my emails even on my days off.”

            The choices he makes are something that he accepts such as living in Santa Clarita and making a forty-mile drive to work. He cannot do much to change this, but he manages by listening to audiobooks. It is the little things that make a big impact. Lastly, Fernando parts some words of advice for those starting out as students venture forth in their degrees onto their careers: “I’d say the best advice I could give is to have a plan.” He further states that students should be flexible and humble as many times. When talking to him about this, he says how  good it is to have goals and dreams and to pursue greater knowledge: “But you soon realize you don’t know everything, in fact you never stop learning. I can say after twenty-five years working in the airline industry there are still days I come in and learn something new.”

           After speaking with Fernando, I have come to greatly appreciate his extraordinary work ethic and his ability to maintain stress. A man with his level of compassion for his profession is someone to truly highlight in Los Angeles. As a student, I plan to take his words to heart and pass on his advice to my fellow peers. It goes to show that Los Angeles has its share of interesting locals and Fernando exemplifies what a local LA resident looks like.

Evening Image of Alaska Airline Eskimo on Plane Rudder | Courtesy of Fernando Martin