Airside operations are an integral part of the air travel experience, but most travelers don’t know much about them. What is the airside of an airport, and what happens there? In this article, we’ll discuss everything you need to know about airport airside operations – from passenger boarding to aircraft servicing.
Read on to learn more about what happens at airport airside zone.
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Airport Airside Operations
Airport airside operations refer to all activities that take place within the secure airside area of an airport. This area is only accessible to authorized personnel, passengers who have cleared security, and aircraft operations. Airside operations are essential for ensuring safe, efficient, and timely movement of passengers, aircraft, and cargo.
Some important aspects of airport airside operations include:
1. Air Traffic Control
Air traffic controllers are responsible for the safe and efficient movement of aircraft around the airport. They use specialized tools such as radar, radios, and communication systems to monitor airspace and runway traffic and guide pilots during takeoff and landings.
Air traffic controllers work in partnership with pilots, ground crew, maintenance workers, and other airport staff to ensure the safety and punctuality of air travel.
2. Ramp Management
Ramp management holds significant importance in the realm of ground handling.
The ramp area serves as the link between the aircraft and the terminal, and its smooth operations are essential for ensuring timely departures.
Ramp managers are responsible for overseeing critical activities on the ramp, such as fueling, de-icing, and maintenance. They work in close coordination with the flight crew, ensuring the safe and efficient loading and unloading of the aircraft.
3. Apron Management
The airport apron area is a designated area where aircrafts park, load and unload passengers, refuel, and undergo maintenance. Staff working in airside operations are responsible for managing this area. Their tasks include allocating parking stands, maintaining safety and security protocols, and coordinating the efficient use of limited apron space.
4. Passenger Boarding and Deplaning
A specific category of employees employed in airside operations holds the responsibility of ensuring seamless boarding and disembarkation of passengers from planes. Their tasks encompass overseeing boarding gates, jet bridges or air stairs, guiding passenger flow, and enforcing safety and security measures.
5. Baggage and Cargo Handling
The airport’s airside is an intricate network of conveyor belts, chutes, and scanners that manage the movement of bags to and from aircraft. Depending on the airport size, baggage handlers can sort up to thousands of bags per hour.
The majority of airlines now provide electronic bag tags that contain passenger information, baggage information, and flight data. Baggage handlers use specialized computer systems that quickly identify and locate any lost baggage.
Baggage handling holds significant importance in the realm of ground handling operations, ensuring the smooth and accurate transfer of baggage throughout the airport.
6. Aircraft Servicing, Catering and Refuelling
The aircraft maintenance team is responsible for ensuring the safety and airworthiness of all planes on the airside. Maintenance work includes inspections, repairs, and cleaning.
Refuelling services are provided on the airside as part of essential aircraft servicing. Fuel trucks transport thousands of gallons of fuel to the aircraft, where fuelers pump, monitor, and document the quantities of fuel transferred.
Aircraft catering is an essential component of airside operations. Aircraft catering involves the preparation and delivery of food and beverages for passengers on board commercial flights. Aircraft caterers must adhere to strict regulations and safety protocols, especially when dealing with perishable items such as food and drinks.
7. Security Cheks
To ensure the safety and security of passengers, aircraft, and airport infrastructure, airside operations follow stringent safety and security measures. This involves performing security checks, screening procedures, and implementing safety protocols to minimize potential risks and hazards.
8. Airside Vehicle Operations
The movement of vehicles and equipment on the airside, including aircraft tugs, fuel trucks, baggage carts, and emergency vehicles, is managed by a specific category of employees employed in airside operations. To maintain safety and avoid hold-ups, these vehicles must follow specific rules and regulations.
9. Airside Infrastructure Maintenance
The airside operations team is responsible for maintaining and taking care of the airside infrastructure, which includes runways, taxiways, lighting systems, and navigational aids. They regularly inspect, repair, and make improvements to ensure that aircraft can operate in a safe and efficient manner.
Overall, airport airside operations encompass a range of critical activities that enable the smooth functioning of aircraft movements, passenger services, and cargo operations within the secure area of an airport.
Read more: Behind the Scenes: Exploring Airside and Landside Areas at Airports
Do you have more questions regarding the airside zone of airports and the various happenings within, please feel free to ask in the comments section.
About the author:
Una is an organized globetrotter and foodie who’s been living a digital nomad lifestyle since 2013. She always starts her day early with a good book before diving into work. Apart from traveling and aviation, her other passions include gym, hiking and cycling. Una is also a strong proponent of AI technology. She firmly believes in its potential to simplify life and has often advocated for its wider adoption in our day-to-day activities. Her favorite airlines are Qatar Airways, Emirates, and KLM.
