Before becoming an airline manager, it is sensible to take the time to learn as much about the role as possible. This includes understanding what the job involves, what is expected of you, and what skills you need to rely on. In this article, you will find all of this information and details of the best channels to apply for a job.

Table of Contents:

What is an Airline Manager?

The job of an airline manager is especially important within the wider aviation industry. In this role, you will oversee all core airline operations, ensuring things run smoothly. This will mean tracking what individual departments are doing and ensuring that the airline complies with regulations.

A significant part of the role of an airline manager involves managing people too. This will mean helping coordinate different departments, stepping in when airline sections need extra support, overseeing recruitment strategies, and ensuring the existing staff is sufficiently equipped to carry off their roles effectively.

What Education Do You Need to Become an Airline Manager?

While it is possible to work your way through the ranks and become an airline manager by gaining relevant experience and completing relevant training, in most instances, aviation management jobs will require a bachelor’s degree. For example, an aviation or aerospace engineering course may be deemed relevant.

Some universities offer specific airline, airport, and/or aviation management courses, and these are designed to fast-track individuals into these roles. With this in mind, obtaining one of these degrees and achieving a good grade can be extremely advantageous, but other business management courses can also appeal to employers.

What Are the Duties of an Airline Manager?

In terms of what an airline manager will do on a day-to-day basis, the job will involve everything from writing and filing reports and creating work schedules to maintaining records and helping to coordinate different departments. You must also ensure that everyone works together toward the same strategic objectives.

You are likely to be involved in hiring and firing staff members, and you will need to report to executives, providing progress reports and feedback from the ground. Additionally, you will need to be able to step in at different times, whether to help flight crews to prepare for their next flight or help check-in agents to serve customers.

What Skills Will an Airline Manager Require?

To succeed as an airline manager, you will need to possess excellent communication skills and an ability to organize other people. You must be able to think clearly and make good decisions, even when working under pressure. Meanwhile, both mathematics and time management skills are of critical importance.

You must develop a strong working knowledge of airline procedures and wider industry rules and regulations. Since a key part of the job is adhering to these regulations, you must also possess a keen eye for detail. Finally, you will need to be able to motivate other people and inspire confidence.

4 Channels to Find an Airline Manager Job

Once you are confident that you have the necessary education and experience, you need to think about actually identifying the ideal airline manager job and applying for it. It is best to use a combination of channels to do this, as this will provide you with the best chance of landing a role. Below, you will find out more about four of these channels.

1. List of Airlines to Find an Airline Manager Job

When finding an airline manager job, the first option is to go to airlines directly, either through their website or social media channels. In many cases, airlines will advertise vacant positions on a ‘Careers‘ or ‘Jobs‘ section of their website, and you may even find positions not advertised elsewhere.

Check out our “Airline Jobs: List of Airlines to Find Your Next Job!” article for a breakdown of 10 of the biggest airlines in the world so that you know the best companies to focus on with your job search.

2. List of Job Boards to Find Airline Manager Jobs

Another important channel to focus on when looking for airline manager jobs is specialized, industry-focused job boards. The primary benefit of these platforms is the ability to view more job advertisements because you can view vacancies from multiple employers simultaneously. Additionally, job boards often provide extra resources.

Read the article “Airline Vacancies: List of Job Boards to Find a Job at an Airline”. Within it, you will find a list of industry job boards you can refer back to while searching for an airline manager position.

3. Use Recruitment Agencies to Search for Airline Manager Jobs

Many airlines and other aviation industry employers will use professional recruitment agencies, who can help them identify the most suitable candidates for any job openings. Therefore, these recruitment agencies represent another potential way to find work for anyone trying to become an airline manager.

The “Aviation Management Jobs: List of Recruitment Agencies To Find a Job!” article includes more information about professional recruiters and lists some of the main recruitment agencies you might want to turn to.

4. Find an Airline Manager Position via LinkedIn

Finally, a great alternative to the aforementioned options is to turn to LinkedIn for assistance with your search. The platform can be used to find airline manager jobs in several different ways, including by visiting the main ‘Jobs‘ sub-section, which functions as a job board. However, the options extend beyond this too.

One of the major uses of LinkedIn is to build a professional network of contacts. By communicating with these contacts regularly, you can potentially open new doors for yourself in terms of your own career. Remember, however, that networking is a two-way street you cannot expect to take without giving back.

Video: Airline Manager Duties

The video below shows the tasks of an Airline Duty Manager.

 

A Breakdown of the Different Airport Jobs

The role of airline manager is just one of the many airport jobs that exist, and it can be important to understand the other potential career paths fully. After all, these roles appeal to people from different backgrounds, and each has different entry requirements, so knowing the positions you are best suited for can be beneficial.

Read “A Breakdown of the Different Airport Jobs” for a comprehensive overview of the different job positions that are based within airports so that you can make a more informed decision about the best role to apply for.

Tips for Identifying Flight Attendant Jobs

You might feel that you do not currently possess the necessary skills, qualifications, or experience to work as an airline manager, so it might be worth considering flight attendant jobs instead. Working as a flight attendant will provide you with a lot of responsibility and unique opportunities to travel and see the world.

Read our “Tips for Identifying Flight Attendant Jobs” post, where you can find some useful advice on finding flight attendant vacancies online and then successfully applying for a job.

An Overview of the Main Airline Careers Available

While the airline manager role is particularly desirable, it is worth keeping in mind that airlines employ people in several other roles too. These positions range from engineers and customer service staff to pilots, co-pilots, and flight attendants, with each role having different responsibilities and requiring different skills.

View our article, “An Overview of the Main Airline Careers Available”, for further details on the positions that airlines employ people in, complete with information on what each of the jobs entails and what skills are going to be needed.

Tips for Hiring the Best Airline Staff

If you are working as an airline manager or taking an active part in the recruitment process for any other reason, you must know how to hire the best possible airline staff. This will involve taking the right steps and using the right channels to identify suitable candidates. Then you will need to make your final selection wisely.

Read “Tips for Hiring the Best Airline Staff”, where you will find insights on when to hire new staff, the benefits of bringing in new recruits, and tips for hiring the right people to enhance your airline.

Important Information on the Airline Industry

To become an effective airline manager, there is a huge amount you will need to know about the wider airline industry. For example, you will need to know how it compares to the aviation industry and what the differences are, and you will need to understand different airline types and business models.

Read our article, “Airline Industry: All You Need to Know About the Airline Sector”, for an extensive overview of the industry itself, information on the biggest airlines in the world, websites for booking tickets, and a whole lot more.

The job of an airline manager includes a wide range of duties, and the entry requirements are tougher than many other airline roles. However, you can significantly boost your chances of landing the management position you have always wanted by using a range of channels, including airline websites, job boards, recruitment agencies, and LinkedIn.

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This article is written by:

Martijn Barten

Hi, I am Martijn Barten, founder of Revfine.com. With 20 years of experience in the hospitality industry, I specialize in optimizing revenue by combining revenue management with marketing strategies. I have successfully developed, implemented, and managed revenue management and marketing strategies for individual properties and multi-property portfolios.