STUDENT ACTIVITY

 Students must place their answers on a document word format by answering the following
questions with the case’ Study entitled, Birmingham International Airport.

Case Study
Birmingham International Airport
In the space of just 30 minutes every weekday, around 5.00 in the evening, around 20 flights arrive and
depart from the Eurohub Terminal. At the same time, aircraft are arriving and leaving from the Main
Terminal next to the Eurohub. Across the runway and acres of tarmac, at the site of the original airport,
the overnight freight operation is just beginning to wake up with the arrival of staff and the preparations for
the first aircraft from Europe or the United States.

Some of the 7,000 staff from the 150 organisations based at Birmingham International Airport (BIA) see to
the needs of their customers. The baggage handling operation is sorting, checking and dispatching bags
to the many departing aircraft. The ground crews are loading and unloading aircraft, putting meals on
board, filling the fuel tanks and cleaning aircraft during their brief spell at the airbridge. The airlines’
ticketing staff are dealing with lines of passengers, each of whom may have a different final destination.
The information desk is fully staffed, dealing with the many queries, such as people wanting to know if
their plane is on time, the location of a bank or hotel, or trying to work out how to get by road or rail to
their final destination. Passengers flow through the lounges, passport control and security checks, and
use toilets, duty free shops and restaurants, all of which have to be kept clean and stocked for their
convenience. All of these activities, and more, are coordinated by BIA’s Operations Director, Richard
Heard. Richard explains his role:

‘Out of all the people that work at the airport, BIA employs about 700 and I oversee about 600 of them.
These operations people are basically concerned with the day-to-day running of the airport and the short
and medium-term operational planning. This includes a whole raft of things on the airfield and in and
around the terminals. The air-field side of things essentially involves maintaining the runways, agreeing
slot allocations with the airlines, developing and implementing the safety management systems and
keeping the fire crews fully trained. For example, this is a heavily regulated area so we work very closely
with the Civil Aviation Authority. The other side of the operation is about managing the terminal buildings
and other facilities. This is almost like running a shopping centre with its focus on customer service but
with special security arrangements. Airport security is a key task which we run in-house, employing about
300 people. I also have a facilities management team and an engineering services team that look after
the maintenance of the whole site.
‘In terms of long-term design and development, we set up teams to oversee the planning of new building
projects, such as new catering outlets, car parks and people mover systems. This plan uses the forecasts
of passenger numbers and guides our decisions about what to build and when, and how to pay for it. We
have been growing at a rate of about 10 per cent a year over the last 10 years. In 2000 the airport
handled 7.6 million passengers and our growth is set to continue, with an anticipated 10 million
passengers expected to travel through Birmingham by 2005. This plan involves serious money; we are
talking about a capital plan of about £50 million a year over the next 15 years. This is all very much driven
by operational needs. Managing and developing the airport’s operations are huge challenges.

‘One of the major tasks for operations is not just to provide the infrastructure for all the other
organisations on site – such as airlines, handling agents, retailers, cargo handlers – but also to provide
the leadership and coordination for them. There are also groups off site, such as community groups,
which we liaise with as we work to monitor and improve the environment. My personal job is about
coordination and setting the safety and customer service standards for everyone to adhere to.

‘All of us from the different organisations try to work together as a team and there is a great community
spirit here that has built up over the years. Everyone wants their own bit to work well and the whole thing
to work well together. We all have a great understanding of everyone’s problems and there is an excellent
spirit of cooperation. ‘The real secret of managing operations, if you are ever going to sleep at night, is to
make sure you have really good processes and procedures in place. We can’t have people making it up
on the spot. Everything has to be thought through and tried and tested. We spend a great deal of time
reviewing and developing processes. We have to have procedures for fires, evacuations, bomb threats, ill
passengers and even deaths in the terminal. Unfortunately, we do have medical emergencies, not
surprising since we have about 30,000 people passing through the airport every day in the summer.

‘Another key task is operational planning. We do this on an annual basis. Operational planning is about
making the operation as efficient as possible by working out how we can best allocate our infrastructure to
the airlines. For example, we need to decide who is going to get the airbridges, who is going to get certain
stands, who is going to have their passengers bussed to the terminal at peak times and so on. However,
you have to remember that the operational plans are just that and as ever, things go wrong – schedules
fall apart because of plane delays or mechanical problems, for example. So we also have terminal duty
managers whose job it is to sort out the dayto-day operational problems. Our team of terminal managers
covers the airport 24 hours a day, every day of the week, with one senior manager overseeing each shift.

‘Many of the things that happen are recurring problems, such as delays or diversions and you know you
will end up with a lot of passengers waiting around a lot longer than they want to. The job of the duty
manager is to coordinate all our efforts, ensuring that the catering people know what’s happening and
making sure our information services people know so they can tell the passengers, for example. The
terminal managers need to keep their own ears and eyes open. Passengers may report that they have
seen someone acting suspiciously and the managers need to know what to do. When passengers get off
the plane and their bags are not there, although it’s the responsibility of the airlines or their handling
agents, our people may have to pick up the pieces. When people try taking prohibited items through
security, such as a family heirloom with a large curved blade, we have to explain patiently to them that
they have to leave it with us.

‘ The terminal managers also have to deal with major incidents – things like bomb threats or, like last
year, when Spanish coach drivers went on strike leaving many passengers stranded at the airport. The
job of the terminal manager is to sort it all out and make sure everyone knows what is happening. It
involves a great deal of common sense but it is not easy. If you do an evacuation, for example, everyone
will be at different stages in the passenger processing and security clearance procedures, so when the
incident is over, we have to try and put them all back where they came from without mixing them up or
making them start the process again!

‘We have the equivalent of the terminal duty managers looking after the airfield side: operations duty
managers. Their job is about dealing with the day-to-day problems, such as changing stand allocations
when delays occur or arranging snow clearance if we have a sudden fall. Again plans are in place and
everything has to be thought through. We also have weekly communication meetings when we get the
operations and duty managers to work with the operational planning department.

‘Our mission is to be the best regional airport in Europe. To do this we need continually to try and
improve everything we do. It sounds simple, but it is not easy. For example, we have almost no capacity
at peak times, that is between 7.00 a.m. and 8.00 a.m. and between 5.00 p.m. and 6.00 p.m. when we
are busy with short-haul European traffic, so we are trying to encourage other airlines to fill in the off-
peak times. This is ideal for long-haul operators and we now have flights to South East Asia and
America, and just last year we added an Emirates flight to Dubai. This allows us to use the middle of the
day when we have runway and terminal capacity and it suits everybody as we can all make better use of
our facilities.

‘Running an airport is a fascinating and exciting challenge. No two days are the same. We know that we
can make a real difference to our customers, both passengers and airlines, by what we do. We also make
a major contribution to the impact on the local economy by encouraging inward investment and exports.
As an operations manager, my job is to make it all happen. It’s a fantastic opportunity and it really does
make a difference – its great!’
Questions
1. Identify the micro-operations to be found at the airport. For each one:

a.) Identify the transforming and transformed resources

All staff members who check for airport activities that may risk safety are included in the
transforming resources of the international airport. In this scenario, the transformed resource is a
well-defined and well-organized safety program. Training programs and trainers are examples of
transforming resources, whereas well-trained and competent workers are examples of
transformed resources. A baggage screener, metal detector, security personnel, or video
surveillance are all transforming resource.
The transformed resource is secure staff luggage. Check-in, ticket clearing, computer
systems, and passport control personnel are all transforming resources, and the altered help
these circumstances is a well-searched and prepared passenger for boarding. A bus or a moving
walkway is another transformative resource. In this scenario, the transformed resource is a
passenger who arrives at the correct airport location on time. A cargo terminal facility is a
transforming resource, while the transformed resource is a received import or export by an
importer, exporter, or freight forwarding agency. An operations director is a transforming
resource, and the transformed resource is a renewed or new airline lease, improved customer
service, and strong security procedures.

b.) State what is the predominate transformed resource

Passengers who need to board aircraft or planes with all of their cargo/ luggage are the
predominant transformed resources at an airport. As a result, one may argue that freight and
baggage are likewise predominant services handled by consumers.

c.) Describe the output of each micro-operation and say who you think its customers are

One of the airport's micro-operations is ticketing staff. The primary output of the operation
is customer tickets, and the main clients are the passengers who will board the airline. Another
micro-operation is dealing with passengers' queues. The primary output is the arrival of clients to
the ticket operating desk. When they arrive at the counters, they may either buy or confirm
tickets. The passengers are the operation's clients.
Meal service and catering is a micro-operation with the primary customers including
boarding passengers, arriving passengers, and tourists. Passport control and document
verification include traveling passengers as the main customers, and the product of these
processes is cleared customers. Arriving passengers are the primary customers for baggage
handling, and its main function is to clear baggage.
Customers for freight handling are corporate or business clients, and the key result is
successfully delivered cargo. The major customers for safety program monitoring are regulatory
authorities, employees, and the general public, and the primary output is a good safety program.
A renewed airline, restaurant, or cybercafé lease is significant output, and the main customer is
the owner of the airline, restaurant, or cybercafé.
2. Summarize the job of the operations director. What are the main issues/problems he faces in
managing the airport?

The major role of the operations director is to oversee airport operations. This individual
is responsible for ensuring that the services provided to customers are done efficiently and safely.
Furthermore, someone leads and ensures that safety and operational rules are followed. This
requires being acquainted with the appropriate airport operations regulations in one's own
country. The operations director must examine an airport's long-term demands and then identify
any adjustments that must be made to comply with those rules. In addition, the director must
supervise and manage employees.
This includes training or equipping them for new responsibilities. The latter entails
overseeing engineers, personnel officers, assistant operations managers, and other employees
such as clerks, receptionists, and security personnel. The individual must negotiate contracts with
airlines, transportation service providers, restaurants, and other airport tenants. This entails
encouraging people to choose the airport. Furthermore, an airport operations director must
collaborate with state officers and environmental regulations officers to ensure that labor, aircraft,
and other standards are followed. Additionally, the operations director must manage crises by
managing rescue or firefighting duties, as well as other related operations.

3. What do you think Richard Heard actually does each day (how does he spend his time)?

Richard Heard is expected to meet with aviation authorities, environmental authorities, or

other agencies responsible for providing ensuring safe and appropriate airport services. He may
have to contact these people by phone to set up the meetings. Richard Heard may also review
different contracts and agreements between the airport and its tenants.
He may make arrangements with legal experts to investigate contracts that the airport is
considering. Richard often audits airport procedures to verify that they are in accordance with
rules. When these concerns arise, he will most likely write emails or phone engineers,
contractors, and other persons who may need to make modifications. Richard, on the other hand,
must deal with operational crises such as plane delays or equipment breakdowns. In order to
resolve the situation, Mr. Heard may need to consult with engineers, suppliers, pilots, and airline
officials.
He most likely spends a significant amount of time preparing for emergencies and other
contingencies. Richard also investigates the services provided by airlines to ensure that they
meet the demands of the customers. Mr. Heard is also expected to spend a substantial amount of
time reviewing the airport budget and the degree of compliance with that budget. He most likely
checks up on his subordinates to make sure everything is in order. If special challenges arise,
such as a shortage of staff, Richard must devise innovative methods of replacing the absent
team. The problem of labor rules is closely related to the latter. If employees are unsatisfied with
their present employment arrangements, Richard will most likely address issues with salaries and
time scheduling.
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
Answer:
Richard's daily responsibilities are linked to long-term issues since the coordination and
meetings he participates are done to achieve these long-term goals. His daily activities include
identifying functions to enhance the airport's overall operational services. Richard is not only
concerned with problem solving; he is also concerned with the establishment of processes that
would increase the organization's profitability.
Furthermore, by speaking with employees and members of the public, Richard may get
insight about the firm's potential to accomplish its long-term goals. Mr. Heard also undertakes
forecasting and planning in addition to these tasks. This allows the airport to better connect its
short-term actions with the company's long-term goals. Training programs, environmental safety
programs, and other comprehensive activities are some of the projects he initiates to fulfill long-
term objectives. These are done to improve the staff's and facilities' ability to meet new demands
as they develop.
 REFERENCES

Olivia. (2011, August 8). Difference Between Transformed Resources and Transforming
Resources. differencebetween.com https://www.differencebetween.com/difference-
between-transformed-resources-and-vs-transforming-resources/#:~:text=As%20a
%20general%20rule%2C%20transforming,the%20category%20of%20transforming
%20resources

Understanding Operations Management. (2011). Saylor.org academy.

https://resources.saylor.org/wwwresources/archived/site/wp-content/uploads/
2013/04/BUS300-1.3_Understanding-Operations-Management-The-Transformation-
Model.pdf