"Since every office in this company receives and sends mail, we need a lot of people to pick up outgoing mail from each office location, as well as to deliver incoming letters." She glanced about the room and pointed to some young men who were sorting envelopes into the mailboxes. "This is like a miniature post office, but there is a difference. In addition to regular mail, we have our own internal office mail, which must be delivered quickly between every company office in the country." Pointing to a map of the airline system that hung on the wall above the postage meter machine, she added: "You can appreciate what a job this is since we have so many ticket offices, reservations offices, airports, maintenance bases, and other installations. And," she added, "Everybody expects overnight delivery!"
Most of the mail that is sent between offices is carried on company planes as "company mail," and this means that mailbags must be dis-patched between every office, creating an intricate network of intra-company mail deliveries.
All of this activity calls for mail supervisors at various offices as well as numerous clerks to handle the large volume of mail. Most of these employees are young men and women who have recently graduated from high school. The mail department of any airline is a good place to start an airline career if an individual does not have any special skill. It is possible to earn promotion to supervisory or a specialist position or transfer to other departments. Many members of management are proud to admit that they started their careers in the mail room.
PUBLICATIONS
Next, Ms. Barrett led us into a noisy area that looked like a printing plant. A number of different machines were spewing out bulletins, memoranda, newsletters-all kinds of printed material. At one side of the room a half-dozen women and men were operating word processors. Six employees stood at a long table collating stacks of paper into piles that were inserted in loose-leaf binders.
"We use a lot of key punch operators here," the manager told us as he wiped his hands on his apron. It was difficult to hear him above the din of the Xerox and other machines. "Our people are so good that other departments often ask for them when they have vacancies, and we're always glad to see them promoted, but of course it means hiring others to replace them."
"Is this also true for the other employees?" we asked.
"Not much, I'm sorry to say, because there aren't other jobs that can use these same skills. A good duplicating machine operator here might apply for a mechanic's job and receive favorable consideration, but the collators and others would probably have to start elsewhere in beginning clerical positions. Word processor operators are in demand."
"What experience do your machine operators need?" "Many of them have had office training in high school or in a business school," he replied. "Some transfer from mail services and we train them. There is no special training or experience required if a person is interested in learning the job. We can train the person to operate what is really a fairly simple machine." He smiled as he shoved his hands into his apron pockets. "You can understand why we have a higher turnover than most departments-but then, that spells opportunity for those who work here, although it means extra problems for me."
As we returned to the mail room it was suddenly obvious why the publications department was located next door. Since all the printed materials had to be sent somewhere in the company, it was very convenient to be adjacent to the mail department.
COMMUNITY RELATIONS
In some companies, community relation is part of public relations; in others it is a separate department. In either case community relations is a special kind of public relations that usually concentrates on working with the civic and political leaders in the communities served by the airline.
One of the responsibilities of department members is to be available to state legislators as well as members of Congress to explain the airline's position on proposed legislation that might affect the company in one way or another. They may actually engage in lobbying; that is, attempting to secure passage or rejection of legislation by influencing legislators or public officials. At the same time members of the community relations department emphasize to these political leaders that they will help them or their staffs in every possible way should they need certain information. Another duty of the departmental members is to participate in various community activities such as helping to organize community programs, work on charitable drives, direct special civic projects, or recruit company employees to help with community projects. The department also gives the airline's city managers advice and help in solving those local problems that involve civic or political matters.
This work is interesting, demanding, and calls for individuals who know how to work with people and who understand politics. They must be willing to remain in the background, content to let others take credit for whatever they may accomplish. A college education and several years' experience in the industry are usually required for one of these positions. Thus it is a job to work toward rather than seek as a newcomer.
LEGAL SERVICES
With Ms. Barrett we entered the law library, a room lined with well-filled bookcases. Two large tables and several comfortable chairs completed the furnishings. Doors opened from the law library to the offices of each attorney.
Ms. Barrett motioned us to the nearby chairs, and said, "I'll take a few minutes to tell you about the department. Most airlines require extensive legal services and many have law departments like ours in addition to using the services of outside law firms. Our lawyers are kept busy interpreting government laws and regulations, representing the company in law suits, considering the legality of proposed financial arrangements, drafting contracts for leasing or buying aircraft, deciding on the legality of new fares, filing applications for permits of various kinds, as well as counseling top management on legal matters. Sounds impressive, doesn't it?" She smiled, and we nodded in agreement.
She then pointed out that the lawyers are expected to know everything about an airline. At one time it even seemed one had to be a lawyer in order to become an executive-so important was a legal training considered. That is no longer the case although it is a great advantage to have a law degree. Lawyers are valuable to a company because they have had special training that prepares them to solve problems cautiously and logically. Lawyers are not necessarily prepared to think up clever sales pro-motion programs or decide on how best to ticket a passenger, but they can determine whether what is planned is legal and whether it will fit into the company's overall policy. Good lawyers should achieve success in an airline even though their eventual position may involve much more than working on legal problems.
Aviation law is a specialized field. Although the job market for lawyers expands and contracts, there are often openings for promising lawyers, especially if they come from one of the more prestigious law schools.
"A young person should not despair if he or she did not attend one of the top law schools," Ms. Barrett said. "It is still possible to find a job, but it may not be easy. I think the best entree into aviation is to clerk in a law firm whose clients include a number of large or medium-size corporations including an airline. A law school graduate should apply for a job as a law clerk or research assistant. Later it may be possible to be assigned to work in the law firm's office at the airline or to try for a position in the airline's legal department."
She rose from her chair, and as she walked toward the door, turned and added: "Lawyers are as necessary to an airline as pilots-and they can make almost as much money!"
