Today we introduce Margit Miller, executive manager of Albastar Ground Operations

The airline department that takes care of the handling assistance of the aircrafts, passengers and their baggage while being on the ground is called Ground Operations. This department has several responsibilities and tasks directed at ensuring maximum service efficiency. We asked Margit Miller, Executive Manager  Ground Operations at Albastar and Nominated Person Ground Operations before the Civil Aviation Authority, to tell us some more about this fascinating area of activity.

Margit, what is Ground Operations and what is its role within an airline? 

Ground Operations is one of the most important operational and management areas within an airline, as defined by the Air OPS regulation issued by the European Aviation Safety Agency – EASA. The department’s activities range from managing agreements with airport operators and suppliers, handling companies, local and national authorities, to supporting the management of special requests, irregularities, such as delays or lost and damaged baggage.

How many people work in the Ground Operations department? 

Albastar’s Ground Operations department comprises six individuals. Four who work at our head-quarter in Palma de Mallorca and two who work at our Milan office. The latter arrange supervision at Italian airports, guaranteeing support locally and general support of activities in Italy, especially, at our operational bases Milan Malpensa and Milan Bergamo.

What are the main tasks of Ground Operations?  

The main tasks of the Ground Operations department in Palma de Mallorca are to:

• Comply with the standards required by EASA, the Spanish Civil Aviation Authority, as well as with internal audits performed by the Quality & Compliance Conformity Manager and to monitor operational processes.
• Edit several parts of the Operations Manual and be fully responsible for the Ground Operations Manual and its distribution.
• Arrange supervisions at the airports belonging to our network (regarding Italian airports, this activity is supported by our Italian colleagues) and draft reports on the various checks carried out.
• Attend the internal Safety meetings.
• Take appropriate action based on reports of irregularities, performance and delay monitoring.
• Implement and comply with the IOSA certification requirements.
• Organise and manage external suppliers’ activities.
• Negotiate agreements with airport handlers.
• Assist ‘customer care’ and ‘lost & found’ departments.

When the aircraft is not flying it is on the ground and the Ground Operations Department is very important to an airline to guarantee a safe ground operation by the continous monitoring of its qualified personnel.