Aviation customer service operative
Transport and logistics
Level 2 -
Ensure the safe, efficient and effective check-in, boarding, departure and arrival of people.
Reference: OCC0907
Status:
SOC 2020 sub unit groups:
- 6213/02 Passenger services assistants
Technical Education Products
Employers involved in creating the standard:
Menzies, Virgin, MOD, Crosby Training, Bristow Group, Gatwick, Heathrow, BA, American Aviation, Manchester Airport, Outsource Training, Highfield, Virgin, RACPD, TC Partnership, Swissport UK
Summary
This occupation is found in the Aviation sector, across a range of different types of organisations and employers including all those working in roles supporting the safe check-in, boarding, departure and arrival process of people at airports, military bases, heliports and other airfields. This occupation requires Aviation Customer Service Operatives to communicate across all occupational roles, their work will involve indoor and outdoor activity and commonly requires shift working and unsociable hours.
The broad purpose of the occupation is to ensure the safe, efficient and effective check-in, boarding, departure and arrival of people (and any accompanying goods/luggage). Aviation Customer Service Operatives work in a number of environments, such as a commercial airport, military base/aerodrome, Royal Navy aircraft carrier, heliport or other airfield. Aviation Customer Service Operatives operate in highly regulated environments and work in very organised teams, often to very tight timescales.
In their daily work, an employee in this occupation interacts with members of their immediate team and other airfield stakeholders critical to the safe & secure check-in, boarding, departure and arrival process of all people. Typically Aviation Customer Service operatives work is coordinated by an aviation specialist/operations manager, whom may typically detail the tasks the Aviation Customer Service operative is responsible for carrying out compliantly. At the heart of this occupation, Aviation Customer Service Operatives’ day-to-day duties provide all necessary help and support to individuals which may include check in, baggage processing, reservations and ticketing, boarding of flights, greeting arriving passengers, handling of VIPs, provide special passenger assistance. They are also accountable for handling disruption, customer complaints and other duties as assigned while maintaining health and safety and overall good working practices that comply with aviation regulations. This includes being vigilant at all times and ensuring Dangerous Goods compliance, baggage security. Aviation Customer Service Operatives will be responsible for escalating the reporting process of threats and risk from internal and external factors. Effective communication and team work ensure that all aspects of customer services and people processing forms a critical role that helps achieve the objectives of their organisation in this diverse field.
An employee in this occupation will be responsible for the safe, secure and timely delivery of tasks associated to their work area to ensure people (and any accompanying goods/luggage) are supported during check-in, boarding, departure and arrival, all Aviation Customer Service Operatives have a responsibility to identify potentially dangerous goods, security alerts and border integrity and respond accordingly as instructed and guided by the aviation specialist or aviation operations manager. It is the responsibility of the employer (military & civilian) to ensure that all Aviation Customer Service Operative apprentices achieve a Category 9 Certificate in Dangerous Goods awareness before completing their apprenticeship, then 24-month refresher training must be provided thereafter, as per IATA Dangerous Goods Regulations.
Employers involved in creating the standard:
Menzies, Virgin, MOD, Crosby Training, Bristow Group, Gatwick, Heathrow, BA, American Aviation, Manchester Airport, Outsource Training, Highfield, Virgin, RACPD, TC Partnership, Swissport UK
Typical job titles include:
Keywords:
Knowledge, skills and behaviours (KSBs)
Duties
Duty D1
Check customers (including handling travel documents) together with relevant identification to ensure compliance. Documents include passports, identity cards, visas, electronic travel authorisation (ESTA, EtA, APP & AQQ), military travel orders. Provide challenge where required and escalate unresolved issues to relevant teams, maintaining a safe border at all times. Scrutinise documents for possible forgeries or tampered documents and act in line with operational and government procedures.
Duty D2
Process all types of customers (including VIP's, customers requiring special passenger assistance, non-English speakers) and baggage using automated or manual systems following specific polices and in line with expected key performance indicators and aviation timetables. Identify and deal with irregularities as appropriate
Duty D3
Issue boarding cards and complete baggage reconciliation process including oversized if appropriate. E.g. AAA (Authorizing and Accounting of Hold Baggage for carriage by air) against the travel documents presented using all means to check compliance.
Duty D4
Make customers announcements in accordance within operator specific requirements. Ensure all types of customers (including VIP's, customers requiring special passenger assistance, non-English speakers) are kept informed in other to help meet the aviation timetable requirements and to minimise enquiries and complaints
Duty D5
Deal with disruption and irregularities with confidence and composure, ensuring the border is not compromised. (E.g: cancelled flight example, can all customers be allowed back across the border? Does Border Force need to issue visas?).
Duty D6
Deliver customer service in accordance with organisational policy, airport, military base, heliport and other airfield protocol and health and safety policies.
Duty D7
Board / contribute to the boarding and disembarkation of aircraft in line with operator procedures and complete any required ticketing duties.
Duty D8
Take appropriate action when dealing with dangerous goods to ensure safety of customers and aircraft; (employers must ensure that all operatives hold a valid category 9 dangerous goods certificate or military version)
Duty D9
Assist passengers with reduced mobility to enable a safe and efficient embarkation and disembarkation, adopting the safe and correct approaches to mobilisation in a range of differing circumstances. This includes passengers with reduced mobility, visual and hearing impairments and taking account of the environment (e.g. aircraft steps & the need for an aisle chair); passengers with service animals and onboard care needed for animal.
Duty D10
Follow all safety, security (including acts of aggression) and compliance procedures in line with regulatory and organisational policies and procedures.
Occupational Progression
This occupational progression map shows technical occupations that have transferable knowledge and skills.
In this map, the focused occupation is highlighted in yellow. The arrows indicate where transferable knowledge and skills exist between two occupations. This map shows some of the strongest progression links between the focused occupation and other occupations.
It is anticipated that individuals would be required to undertake further learning or training to progress to and from occupations. To find out more about an occupation featured in the progression map, including the learning options available, click the occupation.
Progression decisions have been reached by comparing the knowledge and skills statements between occupational standards, combined with individualised learner movement data.
Technical Occupations
Levels 2-3
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Levels 4-5
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Levels 6-7
Transport and logistics