Call him Captain Marlon Dayes. And it’s no Christmas wish — it’s just the splendid reality for the 29-year-old who has been at Delta Airlines for five years.

As a youth in Buff Bay, Portland, he dreamt of this very moment.

“It’s my first Christmas as a captain and it’s exciting because Christmas is truly my favourite holiday. With that being said, it’s no secret that Christmas is one of the busiest travel periods and this can lead to various challenges,” Dayes told the Jamaica Observer last Thursday.

“If I’m being honest, it’s hard to describe the feeling. It’s hard, because once upon a time, this dream felt so impossible due to various hardships during the process,” he continued.

Dayes became a pilot at 19 and started flying for a commercial airline in his early 20s. In January 2020, he realised a lifelong dream of flying back to Jamaica.

He was emotional when he was flooded with hugs and applause from over 150 passengers after landing at the Norman Manley International Airport in Kingston.

But perhaps nothing compares to being promoted to captain. It almost happened over a year ago, but Dayes chose to delay the upgrade and remain a first officer for other reasons.

“I am delighted and everything that has happened in the journey prepared me to be confident while accepting all the responsibilities that come with safely operating a commercial jet full of passengers and crew members,” he told the Sunday Observer.

“Instantly, I think of how best can I do my part to ensure friends and families are connected safely to their loved ones and how to keep all my crew members safe.”

And while he soars through the clouds with his certificate of command, his family is on cloud nine.

“My family has been very excited in regards to my promotion to captain. Throughout the entire journey, they have been super supportive. My mother, in particular, is patiently waiting to be on one of my flights and I’m looking forward to that happening sometime in the near future. She has not flown with me since I got my current job approximately five years ago,” he related.

Dayes said it was not always a part of his professional plans to be a captain at this age.

“… And at one of the largest and best airlines in the world. Since the age of five, it’s been a dream of mine to be an airline pilot but as far as timelines and specific roles, it wasn’t planned,” he said.

He described himself as a person that usually has a “big picture plan”, but focuses on the small tasks towards that overall goal.

“I’m a firm believer of step-by-step and trust the process. As I achieved goal after goal, I constantly adjust the big picture and timeline,” he told the Sunday Observer.

Thus far, he said it has been an “absolute honour”.

“The level of respect has now been doubled from when I was a first officer. As captain, you set the tone and its your responsibility to bring out the best in the entire crew. If anything happens, everyone looks to you for answers or solutions,” he related.

And he said one of the things that has made the transition a smooth one is his team members.

“I truly work with the best crew members in the business and they go above and beyond to ensure safety and good customer service is delivered on each flight. I truly value them and that has served me well as a leader.”

The captain’s Christmas traditions have been the same since he was living in Jamaica. It’s about spending as much time with family, appreciating blessings and good food. Personally, sorrel and fruit cake are must-haves every Christmas.

“This year in particular, I will be working. It’s always a tough time if you have to work holidays because you are away from your family. However, taking customers to their families is fulfilling. It’s a beautiful thing to be able safely transport hundreds of people to their holiday plans,” Dayes said.

“Last year, I was fortunate to be home with family. This year, I’m working but grateful to be doing what I love. It’s a part of the business and every time I do it I feel valued and appreciated.”

Before he flies out of 2022, Dayes, in reflection, said it has been a year of learning and gaining valuable experiences. Majority of the year, he noted, was spent as a senior first officer travelling to various countries, while gathering knowledge from captains with the intention of being like them.

“I was fortunate to fly with amazing captains who taught me a lot of valuable skills and served as great role models to me. This was a lot of hard work and my most challenging goal to date. My biggest achievement this year has definitely been passing captain training on the Airbus A320 aircraft. One of the reasons that I was extra proud of this is because it’s a jet I didn’t fly as a first officer, so that meant I had to learn a new role as captain while learning a new jet. To be a major airline captain before 30 is rare, and I’m still surprised I was able to achieve this goal.”