module specification

This module will provide an overview of the important functions of airport management for the seamless operation of the aviation system.  Airports have a vital role in processing of air passengers and air cargo to ensure that the aviation system functions safely and securely. Airports are complex businesses and have a range of attributes including being land-lords, providing infrastructure (terminals and runways), providing retailing environments, providing the operational environment for airlines.  Of course, there are many different types of commercial airports, small (local) airports, regional airports, international airports and global hubs etc.  

The focus of this module is management issues facing airport operators and these operators differ in their ownership structures, management structures and regulatory frameworks.  It is therefore important to set the ‘management’ of airports in the context of global development of the aviation system and to distinguish airports operating in the ‘private’ sector and those in the ‘state’ sector and various positions in between. The United Kingdom has been particularly dynamic in developing the ‘privatisation sector’ of airports because of decisions made by the Thatcher government to ‘sell off’ state operations very early in the 20th century.  As a result, the UK is ahead in many consequences of introducing the profit incentive to improve efficiency of airport operators.

The module aims to provide students with:

1. An understanding of the importance of airports to the economic well-being of regions and countries as vital growth poles and as a result the significance to the country involved.
2. Knowledge of the key features and interfaces for airport ‘management’
3. Understanding of the important performance benchmarks for airports
4. Comprehension of the issues of service quality and the airport passenger experience
5. The need for airports to provide commercial facilities such as retailing environments
6. Airport competition and the role of airport marketing and master planning for development

The module also aims to develop students' skills, in particular: academic study skills; IT; literacy; applied analysis; entrepreneurship, critical thinking; interpersonal and team-working; communication, including oral presentation; and problem solving.

N/A

The features of airports for operational design and efficiency LO1

Airport layouts and features for aircraft operations and signage LO1

Design of airports for public access and transportation options LO1

How airports work in the context of partnerships with airlines and other stakeholders LO1

Airport operational efficiency and key attributes of operational efficiency LO1

The structure of airports which provide the ability for airports to succeed in a competitive de-regulated environment LO2

The airline and airport relationships and the development of bespoke airports operations that facilitate special airline operations LO2, LO3

Airport service quality benchmarks and the evaluation process of service LO2, LO3 

The airport passenger experience and how airports develop products for enhancing the passenger experience LO2

The role of airports in the provision of commercial facilities LO2, LO3

Airport competition and the role of marketing in developing airport catchment area LO2, LO3

The importance of airport master planning to ensure long term survival LO2, LO3

The formal delivery of the teaching and learning will be based on three contact hours per week spread over 12 weeks with additional enrichment weeks throughout the semester. The contact hours will be formed of a two-hour interactive session which draws from teaching and learning strategies such as workshops, lectures, guest speakers, case study discussions, panel discussions and debates, film and DVDs, as well as scenario-based real time activities and simulations.

Peer to peer learning will also feature within the programme as students work together to develop solutions to practically based solutions and assess/ critique the relevant impact.

Groupwork will form a large part of the sessions, with student participating in active learning as they disseminate and discuss relative experience and acquired knowledge.

The remaining hour of contact time will be a seminar-based approach where students will explore current themes and trends in more detail.

Alumni will also provide a careers perspective for this section of the industry and guest lecturers wil provide contextual learning.

Within the module there is significant opportunity to participate in proactive learning activities via the use of Weblearn facilities which promote inter-active discussions between both peers and lecturers and enables learners to share resources and access links to external journal articles, websites and other sources.

Discussion and debate are actively encouraged both within the classroom context and via Weblearn. Students participating in this degree come from a variety of backgrounds and often have a wealth of industry experience upon which to draw. It is useful to access this via proactive and inter-active classroom management.

Students have a responsibility to prepare for forthcoming lectures so as to ensure that they fully understand the concepts discussed and, so as they can participate fully in debates and discussions. This can be done via accessing the module specifications on-line or via Weblearn, and ascertaining the forthcoming weeks lecture content.

Tutors will provide an indication of forthcoming lecture content at the end of each preceding lecture. The student should then research articles and appropriate readings around these themes so as to contribute fully to discussions and inter-active Question and Answer sessions within the lecture.

Opportunities for reflective learning will be available throughout the module as students are given the opportunity to consider their approach to tasks and discussions whilst simultaneously having the opportunity to reflect upon informal feedback that may be given from lecturers on ideas and concepts spoken of in class and, on assessments submitted.

At the end of this module, Students will be able to:

• LO1 Assess the features of airport design that facilitate the seamless operation of airline operations and public access.
• LO2 Evaluate the business abilities of airports globally in terms of business orientation and business practices.
• LO3 Explain various ways in which airlines can improve their operational performance

The assessment of this module will take the form of an individual presentation and a written individual report.
The module’s assessment is passed on aggregate.

Core text book:

1) Flouris, Trinat G Sharon L. Oswald (2006). Designing and executing strategy in aviation management. Aldershot: Ashgate.

2)  Thomas C. Lawton. (2016). Strategic Management in Aviation: Critical Essays. London: Routledge.

Alternative Core
1) Budd L. and Ison, S. (2016). Air Transport Management: An international perspective. Routledge.

2) Doganis, R. (2005) The Airline Business, London and New York: Routledge

Online Sources
IATA (International Air Transport Association): https://www.iata.org/
ICAO (International Civil Aviation Organistaion): https://en-gb.facebook.com/InternationalCivilAviationOrganization/
UNWTO (United Nation World Tourism Organisation): https://www.unwto.org/