It all started when Macheras was only 14.
Published: Wed 23 Jan 2019, 2:43 PM
Updated: Wed 23 Jan 2019, 5:27 PM
When most youngsters are caught in career maze, 21-year-old Alex Macheras already has an envious job - testing out new planes on their maiden flights with no other passenger onboard.
An aviation analyst, Macheras not only tests seats in every cabin, he tests inflight entertainment, gets to enjoy the food and drinks before the new planes are delivered to their clients. His Instagram and Twitter is filled with images of him either seated on an empty plane or sipping on a glass or two of celebratory Champagne. He has over 44,000 followers on Instagram alone - a jump from 13,000 followers last year.
It all started when Macheras was only 14 when he began posting his aviation analysis on Twitter which caught attention of a UK radio station. Impressed by his analysis on aviation industry, the radio station approached Macheras. "I was [tweeting about] whatever was in the news at the time, and explaining everything on Twitter. They approved me to go on air. My age was an unspoken thing - I was doing LBC for years before anyone knew I was young," Macheras was quoted in Business Insider.
By the time he was 16, Macheras appeared on Sky News and later went on to sign contracts with other networks to continue aviation analysis on screen. He decided to finish school part time so he could take on more work. He started providing aviation analysis to the likes of BBC, Sky News, and LBC which eventually led him into the world of aircraft deliveries. Now, Macheras works closely with manufacturers to complete deliveries of new aircrafts, participates in test flights and is there when aircrafts are delivered to the customer.
Before his glamorous career took flight, Macheras made it a point to study aviation wherever he could and even took flying lessons. "My family used to joke that at eight years old I could do the safety demo in five different languages," he said.
Besides his love for travel, Macheras was inspired by Richard Branson and read his book at a very young age.
"I wasn't allowed to take it (the book) to school because it had swear words in it, but I was completely hooked to the connection he described with aviation, and about how he set up Virgin Atlantic," Macheras said.
His job as an aviation expert keeps him away from home for days at a stretch but he isn't complaining! His social media accounts are proof of Macheras' glamour-filled job as he is spotted flying business or first class lounges, experiencing luxurious pre-flight meals and drinks, even a pre-flight luxury nap. "Sometimes it takes me four days just to get back. It's flexible - not like the cabin crew," he said, adding that there's usually enough time to get a vacation out of his travels.
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