The dispatcher is the key figure before any aircraft departs from an airport. Before about 90 minutes of the ETD (estimated time of departure) a very fit person reports for duty at the gate. Fit, because he or she will have a lot of running around to do in the next hour and a half. Despatchers take pride in ensuring 'their' aircraft leaves on time. They monitor the service and provisioning vehicles buzzing around on the tarmac beneath the aircraft check that passengers have been alerted by an announcement to prepare for boarding, ensure that engineers have completed their checks, oversee food and drink coming on board, ensuring that the correct number of meals and any special orders are there and ensure that cargo has been loaded, baggage is progressing smoothly, fuel has been taken on board, and the crew have arrived all the time running up and down ladders and stairs. Once everything is OK on board, it's a quick dash to the departure lounge to oversee boarding checking passes and tickets and ensuring that special needs passengers are alright.
They are also responsible for compiling data regarding the correct weight and balance of an aircraft, to ensure its weight is correctly distributed and loaded, so it is safe to fly. Generally this is done on a sophisticated computer, so IT skills are necessary, but it can also be done manually, so your math must be good.
With everyone either on board or waiting in the departure lounge, it's a sprint back on board, up another staircase to hand the captain the load sheet, which gives details of everything the aircraft is carrying, from passengers to fuel. Cargo and baggage is marked accurately so the captain knows where the center of gravity is on the aircraft vital for a smooth take-off and to make maximum effective use of the fuel on board. Then the tractor tug arrives to tow out the aircraft, another dash to make sure all the hold doors are secure, and then time for a wave to send the aircraft on its way, before the despatcher starts the process for the next flight.
Finance
Airlines are in business to make a profit. Revenue and pricing have to ensure that an aircraft goes out with as many full seats as possible once the flight takes off, it is impossible to obtain revenue from an empty seat. So an airline has to carefully balance offering cheap seats to a consolidator or the general public, with the chance that someone may come along at the last minute and pay top price. Analysts are crucial to profitable operations, and an airline needs to know how things as diverse as oil prices and food costs will affect its accounts. There will be liaison between the airline and IATA (the International Air Transport Association), to ensure that revenue from legs sold by travel agents or other airlines is credited to the airline as quickly as possible.
Ground operations staff
On the ground there are a whole range of jobs for staff who check aircraft before passengers arrive, order fuel, liaise with air traffic control over slot allocations (take-off times), etc. The main working area is the apron, so you could be outside in all weathers. You start as an apron hand:
• Loading and unloading aircraft with baggage, freight, ballast mail etc.
• Driving ground operations equipment for loading and unloading.
• Marshaling aircraft into parking positions.
• Overseeing toilet and water services.
In-flight entertainment (IFE)
Someone has to do it review and choose films and music. Distribution companies usually have the task of choosing and vetting films, etc.
IT (information technology)
You would have to search to find a department that didn't rely on IT. Tracking down a spare part, planning for optimum use of fuel, checking in passengers - all this and more depends on IT. BA has over 2,000 IT professionals working as solutions managers, technical consultants/architects, analysts, systems management back-up, UNIX senior technical analysts, information management developers, systems developers and capacity management team leaders. Most airlines recruit both experienced staff with a minimum of one year's experience, and graduates. Airlines ask for good knowledge of any of the following: HTML, JAVA, SQL, SSDM, Oracle, VB, MVS, OS2, TPF, DB2, PL1, Lotus NV, Business Objects or Microsoft Com, and if possible, experience of analysis, rational rose, systems modeling, business modeling, SSADM systems design or database design.
Salary
An e-commerce coordinator will earn £15,756-17,723 pa.
Lounges
Many airlines offer first and business class passengers a dedicated lounge, away from the bustle of the departure area. Inside the lounge it is calm and peaceful, so guests can help themselves to a drink or snack, make last-minute telephone calls, and even have a shower or nap in some. These lounges are staffed by receptionists with good host or hostess skills not as in a night club, but in the old-fashioned way of making people feel welcome in your home.
The latest idea is to provide 'arrivals lounges' for premium rate passengers to use after they have arrived particularly after a long-haul flight. As you stumble off your overnight flight, you go to the airline's lounge, take a shower, give your suit to the valet to press, and have breakfast.
Most airports have business centers, offering day offices and conference facilities, using airports for business meetings are extremely popular. These centers need staff that have good telephone and secretarial skills, and know how to operate conference aids.
Many airports, such as Luton, have a dedicated area for children, where they can let off steam, play games, bounce around and generally make a noise without disturbing other passengers. NNEB or NVQ in Childcare Skills is needed. There are also lounges dedicated to young flyers, such as BA's Sky flyers. These kids travel the world back and forth, flying out to parents for the holidays, and back to school. Probably some of the most sophisticated flyers are to be found here - they know everything about flying and are very independent. You have to be cool to work here.
Loyalty programs
The giant Pitney Bowes Corporation has carried out research into what motivates people. According to their Vice President,
Meredith Fischer, 'airline loyalty programs are amongst the best'. All the major airlines offer 'perks' for customer loyalty, such as special lounges needing receptionists.
Another loyalty program is 'Air Miles'. The company was set up and founded as the brainchild of three entrepreneurs in the UK around 13 years ago. They then sold the concept to British Airways and set up a company called Loyalty Management International and took the idea out to Spain, the Netherlands and Canada.
Customers build up Air Miles when they fly with British Airways, take petrol at a Shell station, use certain car parks, send flowers with Flying Flowers, use NatWest cards or even buy a washing machine. These 'miles' can then be used for holidays, etc.
The company has bases in Warrington, Birchwood and Gatwick, and employs account managers, administration staff, call center staff, customer services staff, etc. Recruitment administrator Sue Fenner says 'peak time for recruitment is April-October. On top of your salary you receive 50 air miles when you join, another 250 when you have finished your probationary period, 250 on each birthday plus rewards of miles for sales, etc.
