1. Identify some of the micro-operations to be found at the airport. For each one: a)
Identify the transforming and transformed resources
b)
State which is the predominant transformed resource
c)
Describe the output of each micro-operation and say who you think its customers are
Micro Operation Main Transformed Resources Air Ticket Ticket Refueling Fuel
Main Transforming Resources Ticketing Staff Fuel Refueling Staff Cleaner
Output
Customer
Correct Ticket Full the Plane Tank with Fuel Clean Plane
Passenger Airline Staff
Baggage reach destination Safe Passenger and Plane Proper Information Provided Nice and Solid Building
Air Craft Cleaning Baggage Handling Security Checks
Plane
Passenger
Baggage Handling Staff Security Staff
Information Desk
Information and Queries
Information Staff
Building Maintenance
Building
Maintenance Worker
Baggage
Passenger and Airline Staff Passenger Passenger Passenger and Visitor Users of the building
2. Summarise the job of the operations director. What are the main issues/problems he faces in managing the airport? The job of the operations director is to oversee and manage about 600 of the BIA employees, manage day-to-day airport’s operations, develop short and medium-term operational planning and plan for long-term design and development of the airport. He needs to ensure smooth day-to-day operations in and also outside of the terminal, make the operation as efficient as possible, make a real difference to both passengers and airlines; and continually improvement to encourage inward investment and exports.
The main issues he faces in managing the airport is about the decision making. These include:i.
Managing and developing the airport’s operations
ii.
Handling emergency situations such as fire, evacuations, bomb threats, ill passengers and even deaths in the terminal
iii.
Efficient allocation of resources especially when things go wrong for example schedule fall apart because of plan delays or mechanical problems
iv.
Agreeing slot allocations with different airline companies
v.
Planning of new building projects – what and when to build, to ensure that the terminal is able to handle the growing passengers
3. What do you think Richard Heard actually does each day (how does he spend his time)? The task of Richard Heard include:i.
Managing and provide leadership the operations team that work at the airport to ensure smooth operations in and also outside of the terminal.
ii.
Overlook the long term planning and development i.e. construction of new building, catering outlets, car parks, people mover.
iii.
Provide leadership and co-ordination for the other organisations in the terminal such as airlines, handling agents, retailers, cargo handlers.
iv.
Co-ordination and setting the safety and customer service standards for everyone adhere to
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v.
Ensure effective operational planning for efficient allocation of infrastructure to the airlines
vi.
Developing and implementing safety management systems to cope up with emergency situations such as fire, evacuations, bomb threats, ill passengers and even deaths in the terminal
vii.
Ensure there are plan in place to deal with the day-to-day problems, such as changing stand allocations when delays occur or arranging snow clearance where there is sudden fall
4. Discuss the relationship between the day-to-day tasks and the long-term issues and explain how Richard manages to oversee both at the same time? Long-term operational planning is about making the day-to-day operation as efficient as possible. Good processes and procedures need to be in placed so that everyone know what to do in their day-to-day tasks, these processes and procedures are not something that people can make it up on the spot, it has to be thought through and tried and tested. Planning for the runways maintaining and agreeing slot allocations with the airlines will let the plane take off and land as per schedule because the operation team know their own task, e.g. who is going to get the air bridges, who is going to get certain stands and who is going to have their passengers bused to the terminal at peak times. Implementing of safety management systems and keep the fire crew fully trained is important when the emergency situations such as fires, evacuations, bomb threats, ill passengers and even deaths happen in the terminal. The terminal duty manager needs to know how to deal with these emergency situations, know what to do when passengers report that they have seen
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someone acting suspiciously and when passenger try to take prohibited items through security. Planning of new building projects such as new catering outlets, car parks and people mover system is to ensure the terminal has enough capacity and resources to handle the growing passenger rate day-to-day. Richard manages to oversee both at the same time because he has different managers to help him in managing the day-to-day terminal operations and operational planning. The terminal managers’ job is to sort out the day-to-day operational problems in the terminal for example, ensure that the passenger, catering people and information services people are informed when schedules fall apart because of plane delays or diversions; and deal with major incidents like bomb threats or stranded passengers at the airport. The terminal managers work 24x7 with one senior manager overseeing each shift. Operations duty manager is the equivalent of the terminal duty managers that look after the airfield side. His job is to deal with the day-to-day problem such as changing stand allocations when delays occur or arranging snow clearance if there is a sudden fall. Richard has the weekly communication meetings with the terminal managers, operations duty managers and operational planning department to ensure that his teams have a great understanding of everyone’s problems and there is an excellent spirit of cooperation.
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