Airport Operations 101

Airport operations can be simply defined as all the processes and events that are happening inside an airport to ensure that the experience of anyone inside will be as comfortable as possible. The processes involved are customer service, airport operations, gateway operations, TSA operators, and many more diverse roles.

All of these personnel are important in making sure that all of the processes and procedures are strictly followed because it not only promises good customer service but above all else the safety of everyone involved in the airport.

Airport operations can be classified into four divisions, and they play a significant role for the whole airport to function properly. If any of this division is amiss, there will be chaos, and people will be missing their flights, there will be poorly executed security procedures, and a lot of issues would arise. After knowing how important airport operations are, let’s delve deeper into the different types of operations:

‍

Land-side Operations

The people involved in land-side operations are those who have customer-centric roles and ensure that the terminals, concourses, roadways, and other properties surrounding the airport are secured and the people are cared for. Aside from the operations inside of an airport, they also do rounds inside the terminals and parking decks.

Land-side operations mostly handle the safety and security operations on the ground. This includes terminal operations and security. This division is responsible for the overall experience of the customer while they are inside the airport. Everyone assigned here is people who are focused on the needs and wants of a customer. They understand your needs and have the necessary knowledge and tools to improve your experience in case you are having discomfort.

Airside Operations

Airside operations personnel are those who handle the airfield, ramps, safety, and security of the airport. People who are part of this division include those that you see on the airplane window before it takes off or after landing. They can be easily identified as the group who drive directing vehicles or doing rounds of the landing.

These people are responsible for ensuring that airside operations are smoothly and effectively-being executed. They are also assigned to respond when there are airside incidents, accidents, or any type of emergency.

Airside operations include the assignment of aircraft parking and aircraft escorts. This is done to make sure that the planes are parked properly and avoid any unforeseen accidents. They also assist the plane in case it's experiencing any trouble as they land or when they are on the runway.

Aside from being on the runway, they also make runway and taxiway inspections. This is important because the airport should be monitored regularly so that it’s always in good condition to assist planes for takeoff and landing.

There are also times when vehicle escorts are required by some passengers and the airside operations personnel are the ones assigned to assist them. These vehicles and people who are not part of the airside operations needed to have airside access to be allowed on the airside.

Most importantly, they also manage the daily wildlife in the area. This helps reduce birds and other animals that may interfere with the airside operations.

Billing and Invoicing operations

This division handles all of the operations that involve revenue for both aeronautical and non-aeronautical. They take care of ledgers, invoices, and accounting systems with important financial data. If anyone has a concern about flight bills, handling invoices, cash, sales within the airport, payrolls, and many more; it will be best to consult the billing and invoices operations.

Billing and invoices like the other divisions play an integral role in ensuring that the airport is running smoothly, financially.

Information Management

The information management division is responsible for the collection and distribution of flight information. The personnel here have the information about the arrival and departure of every plane that lands and takes off.

They are responsible for ensuring that the flights are not delayed. Aside from this, they also organize the flight schedule to avoid any delays and problems.

Final Thoughts/ Conclusion

Each of the mentioned divisions is important for any airport because they are the lifeline on which passengers and airplane personnel rely. When managing an airport, it’s important to be familiar with these divisions and have everything organized.

Aerosimple is a streamlined and simplified airfield operations software that can help you easily navigate through everything in one integrated platform.