Queuing for your flight, you may see doors marked 'No Entry'. These lead to the administration offices where people are working to ensure your aircraft arrives and leaves on time, with the right amount of catering on board, cleaned, re fuelled and with an accurate weather forecast to help the captain avoid a bumpy flight. Also needed are porters, cleaners, passenger service agents, and information, retail and catering staff.
Architect
There is hardly an airport that hasn't announced plans for expansion. Schiphol in the Netherlands has been snapping at Heathrow's heels for years, and recently announced forward planning that envisages an airport being built out in the North Sea, before Schiphol runs out of space.
Architects are developing more and more exciting airport plans in this international marketplace, especially in Eastern European countries, where German, Italian and Turkish companies are busy building. At last, passengers are genuinely being considered if you go on holiday to Antalya Airport, look around you at the fantastic use of space with its calming effect.
Chaplain
Most international airports have an interdenominational chapel, with a chaplain in charge. As well as comforting people, chaplains are in demand for weddings of airport staff, and christening their children.
Engineering department
Some airlines will have a contract for aircraft maintenance rather than employ their own staff. There will almost certainly be a team of air traffic engineers, who are specialists in electronics, maintaining Air Traffic radar and aircraft landing systems. There will also be ground lighting technicians, whose job it is to see that the vitally important landing lights are working, plus general lighting.
Finance department
This is a very important section of airport administration, especially as it collects landing fees from airlines. The department is usually large enough to include support staff such as receptionists, secretarial and administration.
Fire Service
Every airport has to have a Fire Service, trained to carry out fire and rescue duties in emergencies. It also undertakes maintenance, inspections and testing of fire fighting/protection systems/equipment. It is responsible for Fire Prevention Training, providing first aid treatment, giving disabled passenger assistance, snow clearance and de icing. It also has to keep the airfield free of the birds that can cause a crash.
Information assistant
Most airports have a uniformed staffed information desk, answering queries from the public, airport staff, etc. Languages are definitely required for this job, including sign language. Staff also provides information working on a telephone switchboard. They update the flight information display system with arrivals and departures, make public address announcements, and so need a good speaking voice.
If you don't speak the customer’s language, and they don't speak English, you must be able to work out what their language is so you can find an interpreter. If you speak the appropriate language you may be called on to interpret for the police, immigration or customs services. You will need to know customs procedures, as many questions will be about contacting friends or relatives who haven't yet passed through the customs hall and may be held for questioning. You need a 'squirrel' mind that hoards masses of information, and the ability to recall where you can find the answer to thousands of questions all different. You also need to be able to read timetables and maps, and know what to do with items handed in as lost property. An important duty is keeping up to date with emergency procedures, as it will be your job to assist with the evacuation of your terminal in the event of an incident.
Yolanda Perez Lewis works as an information assistant at Heathrow Airport.
'Being part of the information desk team is great fun. A good sense of humor is a must and helps when dealing with some of our "interesting" members of the public mind reading abilities are useful too. One passenger spoke limited English, and wanted to know how she could save her marriage. We finally worked out it was her Air Miles that she wanted to save.'
Maintenance
This department ensures the airport runs efficiently, and looks welcoming. It is responsible for maintaining the airport's vehicles, running repairs on airport buildings, and ensuring gardens and 'green' areas are looked after. Jobs in this section include mechanics, workshop fitters, welders, paint sprayers, plumbers, carpenters, decorators, etc.
Manager, service delivery
MSDs are directly responsible for managing the terminal operation on a shift by shift basis, working closely with airlines and control authorities. They need excellent leadership and team working skills, sound judgment in order to deal with diverse situations, and an all round knowledge and understanding of terminal operations. They also have to ensure that airlines obtain good service from the airport, the airport gets good revenue, and, all the while, that passengers and staff are safeguarded by constant risk assessments and safety inspections.
Medical staff
Every airport has a fully staffed medical center.
Operations
As well as administration, safety and the environment come under this department. There will be several health and safety committees, who supervise or monitor everything from noise and transport to encouraging good relations with the local community.
Personnel (sometimes known as human resources or HR).
It is this department's job to fill vacancies for administration staff, and airport support staff generally. It should be the department you contact when phoning for a job.
Sales and marketing department
They require staff to organize promotional events for the airport, lease with media regarding announcements, develop new routes and destinations, direct marketing campaigns and possibly lease with travel agencies in the region to promote the airport to their clients.
Security
Security staff prevents unlawful interference with civil aviation, and protect passengers, crew, other staff, aircraft, airfield installations and airport properties.
Today airports need a large security section, generally headed by a security manager. Under the manager are supervisors, training officers and security officers. Aviation security is a specialist vocation and heavily regulated by the Department for Transport (DTLR). Once accepted, staff undergoes training on site, with refresher courses when required. The job involves:
- Physically searching passengers.
- Watching and X raying baggage.
- Operating X ray, archway and hand held metal detectors.
- Checking CCTV and alarm systems.
- Searching airport terminals and surrounding areas.
- Checking passes.
- Technical services/IT department.
Terminal manager or airport duty manager
Remember the terminal manager in the recent BBC TV series Airport, always on the go? Her job was never boring as she prepared to face new challenges every day.
A terminal manager (TM) is in charge of a terminal at an airport with several terminals, e.g. Charles de Gaulle, Heathrow, etc. An airport duty manager (ADM) might be in daily charge of a small regional airport, or a mega sized airport such as Frankfurt or Miami.
TMs and ADMs work shifts during an airport's operational hours. Their patch extends across airport buildings and runways, to the approach roads. If there is a major incident: fire, power failure, terrorist alert, etc. it is their job to implement emergency procedures.
Case Study
Stephen Golden, one of BAA's ADMs at Heathrow.
'No two shifts are the same and each day brings its challenges and rewards.' Stephen can never be sure what the next challenge will be: in the line up to meet a head of state jetting in, or managing the problems caused by an aircraft with a burst tier blocking a runway.
ADMs need to be able to assess situations quickly, use sound judgment to manage major incidents, and to 'have a sense of humor'. ADMs represent the airport at meetings with airlines that use their airport, and like a general manager of a large company, they have to satisfy customers and franchisees, by ensuring that their airport not only has the highest standards of safety, cleanliness and punctuality, but also is cost efficient.
