Program Overview

BSc (Honours) Airline and Airport Management

Course summary

Prepare for take-off on this airline and airport management course – learning how to launch your career in this highly specialised and vibrant industry.

How you learn

Our teachers have held senior positions in airline and airport management – bringing a wealth of aviation case studies to support your learning. They’re actively involved in applied and impactful research, so you’ll get to understand the latest trends in the global aviation industry.

At every level of the course, you’ll have the opportunity to engage with the industry. Thanks to our extensive network of external partners, you’ll enhance your learning through expert guest speakers and field trips.

You learn through:

• Lectures, seminars and workshops
• Field trips and site visits
• Talks and resources developed by our accrediting bodies
• Live projects with external organisations
• Independent study and group work

Modules

Year 1

• Applied Academic Skills (20 credits)
  • Aims: Students will develop academic skills for successful completion of Level 4 and progression to further undergraduate study, and skills for lifelong learning.
  • Indicative content:
    • Understand the importance of academic research and referencing.
    • Learn to effectively read, analyse, evaluate and synthesise academic literature.
    • Apply the development of study skills to academic report and essay writing.
    • Engage with an external organisation and apply research and analytical skill development to identify and articulate solutions to a current organisational challenge.
    • Practice and develop verbal and digital communication skills.
    • Identify and act upon development needs and recognise progress.
    • Undertake and reflect upon a range of study skills activities.
• Finance And Data Interpretation (20 credits)
  • Aims: This module introduces the fundamental aspects of data analysis, accounting concepts and applications.
  • Indicative content:
    • Data Analysis and key concepts
    • Introduction to Basic Data Analysis and Interpretation
    • Costing
    • Budgeting
    • Interpreting financial statements
    • Cash flow statements
    • The difference between cash and profit
    • Financial ratios
    • Sources of finance
    • The stock market
    • Use of financial and non-financial information to make decisions
    • Presenting financial information
• Introduction To The Aviation Industry (40 credits)
  • Aims: The module will provide an analytical introduction to the structure, fundamentals and legal frameworks which characterises and governs airlines and airports nationally and internationally.
  • Indicative content:
    • an introduction to the structure and operating characteristics of the airline and airport industry
    • analysis of the major organisations and stakeholders associated with airline and airport operations management
    • development of the international aviation industry from national, regional and global perspectives
    • legal and legislative frameworks such as international aviation law, The Chicago Convention and the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), EU aviation law and US air law and regulations
    • the responsibilities of the National Aviation Authorities, Health and Safety Agencies and bilateral safety and security regulations
    • analysis of the spatial nature and characteristics of aviation
    • introduction to aviation business models
    • environmental impacts of aviation e.g. climate change & aviation's contribution
    • regulatory and institutional framework e.g. EU ETS (European Emission Trading Scheme), noise and land use planning, Local Air Quality
    • technological and operational improvements e.g. aircraft design, materials, sustainable fuels, flight approaches
• Marketing And Consumer Behaviour For The Aviation Industry (40 credits)
  • Aims: Students will develop the core knowledge and understanding of consumer behaviour and the supply chain relationships in the international aviation industry.
  • Indicative content:
    • Principles of marketing
    • Marketing mix
    • Ethical management of consumer data
    • International air travel demand
    • Market segmentation and meeting diverse customers’ needs
    • Consumer motivation and behaviour
    • Consumer decision making processes
    • Aviation supply chain and B2B relationship management
    • Corporate Social Responsibility and marketing

Year 2

• Airline Operations And Pricing Management (40 credits)
  • Aims: The aim of this module is to enable students to identify, analyse and understand the key aspects of airline operations and pricing management and their implications for successful airline management.
  • Indicative content:
    • Aircraft acquisition
    • The airline operational planning process (fleet and route planning)
    • Approaches to airline schedule optimisation (schedules, crewing, maintenance)
    • Managing ground and air handling operations and in-flight service
    • Cargo management
    • Supply channel management
    • Airline demand characteristics
    • Airline pricing strategies
    • Airline fare structure
    • Seat inventory control
    • Revenue performance monitoring
    • Distribution channel management
    • Quality management for airlines
    • Managing disruption and service recovery
• Personal And Professional Development (40 credits)
  • Aims: The aim of this module is to provide opportunities for students to prepare for and experience work environment(s) relevant to their sector and reflect on and hone personal and professional skills relevant to graduate employment including legal context, leadership, responsibility and accountability with due consideration of the sector-relevant, policies, procedures and culture.
  • Indicative content:
    • Process and procedure to support the employment lifecycle
    • Standards of ethics, conduct and performance
    • Training, personal and professional development; emotional intelligence
    • Use of relevant sector-specific digital technologies to support personal and organisational development
    • Leadership, followership and mentorship
    • Managing conflict individuals, teams, and organisations; Managing group dynamics
    • Ethical practice relevant to profession; equality, diversity, inclusivity in the workplace and corporate social responsibility (sector-specific economic, environmental and social value)
    • Understanding organisational culture, human resource management, talent and performance management, managing diversity in organisations, understanding stress and building resilience, employee wellbeing and developing empathy
    • Highly skilled employment opportunities which could include work experience and/or an enterprise residency
    • Identifying enterprise opportunities and responding to those
    • Engaging with external CPD and PSRB opportunities
    • Maximising exposure to the world of work and professionals through site visits, field trips, attendance to professional conferences and engaging with guest speakers
    • Undertaking volunteering work
    • Engaging with career fairs and assessment centres
• Research Skills (20 credits)
  • Aims: The aim of this module is to develop students’ research skills to enable them to successfully design an independent research project.
  • Indicative content:
    • How to conduct a literature review and identify gaps in current knowledge of topical subjects
    • How to write a literature review
    • How to articulate a research aim and objectives
    • Research philosophy and associated methodologies
    • Plan qualitative and/or quantitative research as relevant to the chosen research aim
    • How to analyse qualitative and quantitative data
    • Conduct a risk assessment
    • Consider the research project’s ethical implications
    • Reflect on the limitations and ethical dimensions of the research design
    • Understand the differences between academic and industry practitioners’ data/market intelligence requirements in tourism and hospitality

Year 3

• Consultancy And Enterprise Challenge (40 credits)
  • Aims: To prepare students for a career as a professional in festival, entertainment, hospitality, tourism and aviation management by providing an opportunity to work on a company-based project or their own venture, focusing on the application of business and management skills within an organisational context.
  • Indicative content:
    • The nature of consultancy/role of the consultant
    • The tender process
    • Business models
    • Consultancy project planning and management
    • Data collection and analysis for consultancy purposes
    • Effective communication and relationship management
    • The application of appropriate frameworks (and industry experience) to understand stakeholders, organisations, and the contemporary business environment
    • Identifying enterprise opportunities and responding to those
    • Change management and leadership
    • Financial appraisal of the solutions developed
    • Personality theory and team roles
    • Reflection on current knowledge, achievements, skills, abilities and aptitudes in relation to graduate employability and improving career potential
    • Introduction to as wide a range of situations as possible to allow students the opportunity to experience decision making situations and to develop relevant skills in the area from the viewpoint of managers and other stakeholders
    • Taking a professional and ethical approach to consultancy with sustainability and inclusivity (among other principles) in mind
• Strategic Management For Airline And Airport Development (40 credits)
  • Aims: Students will develop and apply the key strategic management principles and tools to the management and development of airlines and airports.
  • Indicative content:
    • Airport master planning, including airport systems, land and airside capacity planning and dynamic strategic planning
    • Strategic management concepts, processes, and models
    • Changing global and business environments and the implications for airlines and airports
    • Responsible airport development
    • Situation analysis-based strategic planning
    • Strategic purpose, organisational culture, ethics and Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) in aviation
    • Creating and sustaining strategic competitive advantage through value creation
    • Aviation environmental impacts and airline and airport business level mitigations.
    • Impact of aviation (airport and airlines) development on local communities
    • Assessment & management of environmental impacts
    • Sustainable aviation - key factors towards a sustainable future of the aviation industry e.g. demand, technology
• Safety And Security Management In Aviation (20 credits)
  • Aims: This module will enable students to identify and analyse the key safety and security issues in the aviation industry and critically examine how airlines and airports manage such issues.
  • Indicative content:
    • development of commercial aviation safety
    • safety deficiencies, hazards, risks and consequences
    • human factors in aviation safety
    • safety management system (SMS)
    • the role of the Air Accidents Investigation Branch (AAIB)
    • security policies and procedures
    • emergency planning and procedures

Future careers

The UK aviation industry is the third largest globally and supports the development of many industries and trade in general. The course prepares you for a number of aviation roles including:

• regulatory authorities
• safety management
• security management
• airline strategy, marketing and sales management
• airline operations management
• airfield design, safeguarding and regulatory compliance
• airport systems, planning and development
• airport operations management
• corporate social responsibility
• air cargo operations and logistics management
• airspace and air traffic management
• aviation management consultancy

Equipment and facilities

On this course, you work with specialist airline management simulation software.

We’ve invested over £100m in new facilities to help you study how and when you want. This means 24-hour libraries and study spaces designed by our students.

Where will I study?

You study at City Campus through a structured mix of lectures, seminars and practical sessions as well as access to digital and online resources to support your learning.

Entry requirements

• UCAS points: 112-120
• GCSE: English language or literature at grade C or 4, Maths at grade D or 3
• GCSE equivalents: Level 2 Literacy or Functional Skills Level 2 English, Level 2 Numeracy or Functional Skills Level 2 Maths
• International students: IELTS score of 6.0 with a minimum of 5.5 in all skills, or equivalent

Fees and funding

• Home students: £9,535 per year (capped at a maximum of 20% of this during your placement year)
• International students: £17,155 per year (capped at a maximum of 20% of this during your placement year)