Much technical expertise is involved, as well as problem solving and business management. An airport manager has to know as much about concrete, deicers, fire trucks, friction testers, and lighting equipment as about how to work with local, regional, and federal governments, the community, the press, banks, and bond markets. Negotiating contracts and leases and developing new business opportunities are also part of the job. Then, there is the excitement of the airport itself-constant activity, constant challenge.
If these challenges are the sort that interests you, the greater challenge is breaking into the field. Very few entry-level jobs are available; most of the jobs are in highly responsible areas. Also, most people already in the field have spent their careers in it and consider airport management a brotherhood. While there is mobility among professionals moving up mostly by moving on, there has been little turnover and little expansion of new jobs. Because most of the airport authorities are agencies of the local government, salaries are relatively modest compared to the responsibilities involved. At some airports, top positions change with the political administration; at others, positions are more secure.
Due to the environmental restrictions on the expansion of the major airports like Chicago, New York, Los Angeles and the obstacles to building new airports of any size, growth in the field will have to come from among the so-called reliever airports smaller secondary facilities that mainly handle general aviation. Many of these smaller airports are thriving with the trend toward hub and spoke airline route structures.
Few people in the industry are confident of any significant expansion of positions. The largest airports are actually run by very few people. Atlanta Hartsfield International, for example, is the second largest airport in the world, handling 48 million passengers a year at a facility where 38,000 people work, yet only 20 people are actually involved in airport management. At small airports, a single person may handle the major functions of preparing budgets, controlling operations, and overseeing maintenance.
Part of the difficulty in getting into the field stems "from the local government ownership of airports," said Dickerson. 'Very often, the lower-management positions, where someone might enter the profession, are only advertised locally because of civil service restrictions or local policy. And even when a position is advertised nationally, the competition is often so fierce that the position is filled by someone with expertise in airport management."
The AAAE is often called upon to circulate position-open notices. However, most of the notices published by this association are for the more responsible positions, which require at least three to five years' experience in airport management at a busy airport. "Many individuals have run into the frustrating dilemma that it takes experience to get a job, and a job to get experience," Dickerson said. "Another problem many people find in breaking into airport management is the financial sacrifice necessary. Although salaries at the higher positions have become more competitive in recent years, the remuneration at lower positions can often be below comparable levels in industry. It is certainly not impossible to break into airport management. However, it does require initiative, patience, and initial sacrifice in most cases."
Indeed, someone running a $400-million enterprise with more than $ 1 billion in capital programs in the private sector can make four to five times as much as an airport manager.
But, as airplane travel becomes more commonplace and air-port management more complex and as financial costs and re-wards grow, it would seem inevitable that there will be substantial increases in airport facilities and staffs. Also, currently, half of the executives are approaching retirement age, while another half are in their twenties to forties.
While in the past airport managers tended to come from the ranks of military and commercial fliers, the new breed of manager is coming in with a business, law, or accounting background or with local or county government experience since business expertise and political savvy have become essential skills. Many managers are also coming out of an increasing number of aviation management programs at colleges, such as those at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University and Auburn University.
A Wide Range of Job Titles and Salaries
Job titles, responsibilities, requirements, and salaries vary widely due to the broad range in airport size and facilities. A sampling of positions follows.
Airports Director:
Responsible for international airport and secondary airport, required five years of experience and B.S. in aviation management or public or business administration, salary $50,000 to $65,000.
Director of Aviation:
Responsible for small airport, for planning and directing all operations, for administration and improvement projects; required five years of experience; salary $46,800 to $54,200.
Managing Director of Operations:
Is responsible for metropolitan airport, salary $45,900.
Director of Operations:
Responsible for metropolitan airport, to supervise, direct, administer, and coordinate crash- fire-rescue, police, maintenance, and custodial departments, to handle construction, design, planning, public affairs, and airport operations matters; required four-year college degree in aviation management, engineering, or business administration and three years of experience; salary $42,000 to $56,000.
Airport Manager:
Responsible for regional airport, for administration, supervision, and direction of maintenance, security, operations activities, and personnel; required B.A. in aviation/airport management, business, or related field and five years of senior airport management experience; salary $37,000 to $56,000.
Property Manager:
Responsible for large international airport; required two to four years of property management experience at an airport, airline, or aviation concern and degree with course work in real estate, economics, or business administration (law degree could substitute for some experience); salary $46,000.
Finance Director:
Responsible for mid-sized airport, required five years of financial administration experience and supervisory/direct computer systems administration, salary $45,000.
Business Development Manager:
Responsible for international airport, to administer accounting systems, contract and leasing activities, and automation of all functions; required degree in accounting and five years of experience; salary $45,000.
Airport Facilities Supervisor:
Responsible for small sized airport; required four-year degree in business administration, building construction, engineering, aviation management, or related field and three years of experience in operation and maintenance of a major facility (airport, hospital), salary $41,000.
Airport Manager:
Responsible for county airport; required two years of post-high-school education in airport management, business administration, public administration, or closely related field and three years of experience in managing or operating an airport; salary $36,800.
Manager of Marketing and Communications:
Salary $30,500 to $45,700.
Noise Abatement Officer:
Responsible to a major aviation authority for overseeing noise control for two airports; required degree in aeronautical engineering, airport administration, public administration, public relations, or related field and four years of experience (one in noise control related field); salary $30,000.
Airport Marketing Manager:
Is responsible for implementing aggressive marketing/public relations program to inform public about various services and facilities available at two municipal airports and is salary $40,000.
Assistant Manager of Administration:
Is responsible for regional airport and salary $33,000.
Maintenance Supervisor:
Is responsible for regional airport; salary $30,000.
Airport Operations Supervisor:
Responsible for small airport, to oversee construction, maintenance, and operations activities; required high school degree and seven years of experience in airport operations (two in supervisory capacity) or B.S. and three years of experience; salary $23,000.
AAAE offers an airport management accreditation program for people who are actively working in airport management. The association's conferences provide valuable education and invaluable contacts, and its newsletter posts some job openings. AAAE also publishes a directory of its 1,500 members, as well as a bimonthly magazine, Airport It also has student chapters. Many airports offer internships, as well.
