Varied Positions and Pay Structures in Airport Jobs?

Answer 1

Airport jobs can provide excitement and adventure to those that love to travel. While the context of the job may not entail travel, the proximity to those doing the traveling can be interesting and entertaining. The environment at an airport is active, making this an excellent place for someone that doesn't do well with a slow pace. The options for working at an airport are extremely varied, meaning that there are options for lots of personalities and skill sets.

While not all airport jobs directly involve working with travelers, the majority of these positions are part of the service industry. This means that if you are going to be working at an airport, you will more than likely deal with people. Varied personalities require good communication skills at all levels. Whether you are interacting as a ticketing agent or transporting luggage, you need to have the ability to portray a respectful attitude. This can be challenging for those dealing with disgruntled travelers. If your people skills are somewhat lacking, then you may want to find a job that is removed from customer interactions. Luggage transport and custodial services involve more Behind the Scenes work.

Work settings within an airport vary. Each airline has its own employment policies and compensation plans. Choosing to work with a particular company may provide interesting benefits, including travel discounts and promotion opportunities. There can be challenges when economic circumstances force staff reductions. Within a company, though, there are lots of airport jobs available. These range from cleaning airplane interiors between flights to checking in baggage at the airport entrance. The variety within an organization is attractive.

Services rendered at the airport are often provided by contractors. One company will manage sky cap service, staffing the airport with workers that will transport luggage in or out of the facility. These service people often make most of their income through customer tips. During tough economic times or slow travel seasons, these jobs may not be very profitable. Alternately, during busy seasons and when economic factors are positive, a sky cap position can be quite lucrative. Security personnel, on the other hand, work strictly for the contractor, providing a service to the airport. As security standards across the nation fluctuate, these careers involve a great deal of responsibility. Whatever your interest, it's important that you consider the responsibilities and the types of interactions. Pay structure is also important since it varies so much from one airport job to another.