Our 365/24-7 operation at Cork Airport

Name: Dorothy Coffey

Age: 54

Lives: Bishopstown, Cork

Job title: General Manager – Operations, Safety and Facilities, Cork Airport.

Education background: Leaving Certificate, 1986 (Bishopstown Community School); Cork College of Commerce 1986-1988; Diploma in Business Management (DIT/IAA) 2008; Diploma in Human Resource Management (Griffith College) 2014.

Hobbies: Gym, travel, music (concerts), GAA.

Describe your job in five words: Enjoyable, people-focused, challenged, dynamic, fast-paced.

Describe yourself in five words: Determined, strong, empathetic, realistic, driven.

Personality needed for this kind of work? People person, empathetic, resilient, always-on, commercially minded, logical thinker, problem-solver, good negotiation skills, excellent communication skills.

How long are you doing this job? I am four years in my current role, but I have spent the last 22 years working in the aviation industry. Prior to my current role, I was the Regional Manager, Ireland, for Swissport – with responsibility for ground handling at Cork Airport, Shannon Airport, Belfast International Airport and Belfast City Airport.

How did you get this job? After I finished my studies at the Cork College of Commerce, I worked for Cork Polio and General Aftercare Association (now known as COPE Foundation). I spent 12 years in the accounts department. Having taken a short career break when my children were younger, I joined Servisair Cargo (now Swissport Cargo) at Cork Airport in 2001 and worked three days a week in the accounts department.

I was fortunate to get involved with the passenger ground handling side of the business and was appointed Passenger Services Manager in September, 2004, with responsibility for all ground handling activity at Cork Airport. This involved managing check-in facilities, ticket desks and boarding flights.

Of course, this was at a time before online check-in and when every passenger had to check-in at the airport. It was also a time when the old terminal at Cork Airport was still in use and there were plenty of challenges with capacity as the passenger numbers grew exponentially during that decade.

In April, 2008, I was appointed Station Manager for Servisair at Cork Airport with responsibility for all ground handling activities including baggage handling, ramp services and passenger services. During my time there, Servisair were taken over by Swissport and this afforded many opportunities to work at some of the bigger Irish and UK airports at which Swissport had a ground handling presence.

I spent time working in London Stansted, London Gatwick, Manchester, and Dublin airports in a business support capacity, during peak summer seasons. The experience that I gained from working in these larger airports opened my eyes to the same challenges that ground handlers face at Cork Airport, but on a much bigger scale. Problem-solving and good business management skills were crucial in this role.

In 2017, I was promoted to Regional Manager for Ireland, with executive responsibility for Swissport ground handling at four airports on the island of Ireland – Cork, Shannon, Belfast International and Belfast City. This involved a significant amount of travel and I was away from home two to three days each week.

In September, 2019, I had an opportunity to stay within the industry that I love and move to take on the challenges of a new role when the position of General Manager, Operations became available at Cork Airport.

Do you need particular qualifications or experience? Being in this industry for over 20 years, seeing matters from both an airline/ground handling perspective and from an airport perspective, enables me to make considered decisions to benefit the overall operation and passenger experience at Cork Airport.

This role is focused on the passenger experience and delivering a high-standard, safe and efficient airport experience for all our passengers.

Aviation is a very regulated industry, so a good knowledge of safety and security regulations is essential and paramount to this job.

Excellent communication is key in this role. I am the custodian of business relationships between our airline customers, ground handlers and other key stakeholders – for example, Irish Aviation Authority, Garda National Immigration Bureau, Revenue, Department of Agriculture and all the other various stakeholders that collectively make up the wider ecosystem at Cork Airport.

Describe a day at work: As the airport is a 365/24-7 operation, it is important to be always up to date on operational matters.

The first thing I do in the morning, before I get to the office, is review all my emails and reports. I gather information on any incidents or events that may have taken place outside of my working hours, so I am fully up to speed on matters before I get to my desk.

Typically, I walk through the operation from check-in, to security, to the boarding gates, to the ramp to ensure that no issues or challenges have arisen.

I have a talented team across Operations, Safety and Facilities and we meet daily to agree the priorities for the day and identify what needs immediate attention.

There is a significant element of planning in the job, which involves meeting my team and/or airport stakeholders to plan ahead and pre-empt any challenges that may arise. I sometimes might get time to grab a coffee around 11am.

Much of the day could involve meetings at a senior level or group level, all of which I can either attend in person or dial in remotely from my desk. Invariably, situations or incidents occur, and I need to prioritise those.

Flexibility is key and even after planning out a day’s work, one may be required to divert ones attention to issues that affect the operation. In this business, everyone is fully flexible and cognisant that swift responses are required to any issues that may arise.

How many hours do you work a week? On any given week, between 40 and 50 hours. In this job, given the airport is a 24/7 operation, like many other colleagues, I am always on call to resolve any issues that may arise.

What do you wear to work? Since Covid, the dress code has relaxed and most days I wear smart casual clothing. I dress for my day which means that I can dress for external events or meetings accordingly.

Is your industry male or female dominated? At present, the industry is evolving from what was once a male-dominated sector to a more equitable, diverse and gender-balanced workplace.

Is your job stressful? How? Rate it on a scale of 1-10: The job can be stressful at times. There are a lot of factors that can impact the operation which are outside of my control – yet I, along with my team, are accountable and have to resolve any issues if and when they arise. With effective planning and preparation, it is possible to mitigate stress. Rating: 7/10.

Do you work with others or on your own? I have a fantastic team who are well experienced, with many years of experience in the industry. Each of these members takes immense pride in their work and is committed to delivering the best airport experience for our passengers.

There is a great team dynamic across all areas of the business.

I find, later in the evening, once you know the operation is under control, that it is the best time to catch up on my own reports, communications, emails, etc.

No one person could do this job without the help of a bigger team.

When do you plan to retire or give up working? That is an interesting question. I am a long way off still and I would like to think I have a few more years left in me yet.

There are exciting growth plans in the pipeline at Cork Airport and I want to be part of those plans.

Best bits:

· Overseeing the ground handling services for the departure of Queen Elizabeth from Cork Airport in 2011.

· Overseeing ground handling services for the first direct Transatlantic flight from Cork Airport with Norwegian to Boston Province in 2017.

· The recovery of passenger traffic and the aviation sector post-Covid.

Completion of the full reconstruction of the main runway 16-34 at Cork Airport.

Worst bits:

· Covid-19 and particularly the start of the pandemic. We had the task of effectively shutting down the airport in little more than two weeks.

Advice to those who want your job? First thing, understand that an airport is a 24/7, 365 operation and that anything can happen at any time.

Have as much knowledge of all areas of the operation and business if possible.

This is not your standard Monday to Friday, 9 to 5 job. You must be ready to react to any given situation or issues that present themselves at any given time.

This is a very people-focused business environment and you must have the capability of forming positive relationships with your team, colleagues, and stakeholders.

Do not take things personally and always have the bigger picture in your mind – which is to ensure that all our passengers enjoy a safe and stress-free airport experience.