Author: sysadm

Name: Duncan Philip
Date completed the UKOMA course: February 2007
Employer: easyJet Airline Co. Ltd.
Job Title: Operations Control Centre Support Manager

What does your current job entail?

Management of several teams within the Operations Control Centre: Operations Planning – controlling the programme from around three weeks out to the day before the operation, balancing maintenance requirements with operational needs whilst minimising costs; Flight Planning – Ensuring safe and efficient routings are planned for each and every flight whilst minimising Air Traffic Flow Management delay; Network Performance – analysing operational performance to allow the operation to learn from issues and increase efficiency; Emergency Response – Ensuring that the company is constantly prepared for an emergency event.

What did you enjoy about the UKOMA course?

Networking with colleagues from other operations; learning about alternative solutions to common problems and even problems that are unlikely happen in my own operation that are still good learning points.

After the UKOMA course how did your career progress (former jobs, companies, milestones, etc)?

2006-2009 increased seniority in OCC Operations team, 2009-2012 Flight Planning Supervisor – looking after all day-to-day Flight Planning issues in terms of training, safety management and compliance.

What would be your advice for anyone wanting to get into Operations Control?

Operations Control is an intensely fascinating and rewarding area of the industry. Each day there might well be a multitude of new problems to solve and doing this in the most safe and efficient way that will ultimately ensure the best level of service to our customers means that you always leave work with a smile on your face. It is also a fantastic way to really understand how an airline works and to use as an important step into progressing into other, diverse areas of the business.

The most common entry is via ground handling agents where there is lots of opportunity to learn about a variety of different carriers, aircraft types, passenger demographics and challenges !

Name: Craig Skipper
Date completed the UKOMA course: November 2004
Employer: Monarch Airlines
Job Title: Duty Operations Manager

What does your current job entail?

Ensuring the safety and security of Monarch’s operations and personnel at all times. Ensuring the legal and regulatory compliance of Monarch’s operations to meet all applicable regulations of the UK CAA and all foreign regulatory bodies where Monarch operations take place. Accountable for all aspects of the ‘live’ operating programme, including the leadership and co-ordination of aircraft assignment, crew allocations, airport slots, airport operations, flight plans and catering. Maintain liaison with MAEL Maintenance Operations Control for aircraft serviceability and operational defects. In the event of ‘off programme events’, responsible for programme recovery, balancing the implications for future operations, customer service and cost.

What did you enjoy about the UKOMA course?

Meeting new people from other airlines and swapping stories about the daily dramas of the operations environment. The modules of the course were informative and well constructed. Being fairly new to the job at the time, it gave me the extra confidence in what I was doing on a day to day basis.

After the UKOMA course how did your career progress?

I joined Monarch in June 2004 as an Operations Assistant, during which time I changed roles for 2 years to a Customer Services Officer managing passenger welfare and general enquires within the operations dept covering maternity leave. Then back again with the operations team as an assistant where in March this year (2013), I was promoted to Duty Manager.

What would be your advice for anyone wanting to get into Operations Control?

I started at Monarch from being a dispatcher for a handling agent which helped a lot having the ramp experience, knowing the issues that occur on a day to day basis but there is always something new round the corner that we have to deal with. No day is ever the same which is why this job is so addictive.

Name: Simon Scanlon
Date Completed UKOMA course: March 2012
Employer: Atlantic Airlines Ltd (West Atlantic group)
Job Title: Operations Controller

What does your current job entail?

Flight watch/planning, Crewing, Reading Weather/NOTAMS, Liaising with crew, engineers and customers. Sending Dispatch/ Production Reports, Reading SITA messages. Continue reading