Wrighbrothers From United Kingdom, joined Jul 2005, 1875 posts, RR: 10 Reply 2, posted (7 years 1 day 13 hours ago) and read 4918 times:
Quoting PAHS200 (Thread starter): anyone who was/is in airline management of any kind can give me some hints on what I kind do to help my chances.
Well, my dad was an sm for BA engineering, and he worked his way up from the bottom, but now you need a degree, probably a degree like...aeronortical engineering if you want to be in engineering management, but I wouldn't know about the other departments.
Good luck whatever you do
Wrighbrothers.
Always stand up for what is right, even if it means standing alone..
F9Animal From United States of America, joined Dec 2004, 4736 posts, RR: 30 Reply 3, posted (7 years 1 day 13 hours ago) and read 4877 times:
Take management classes. Business management is a good one. Study the industry, and learn time management. Learn how to multi task, and even perhaps take an internship. WN has some great programs, and F9 will offer those from time to time.
Good luck!
BTW- You are in 9th grade? It may seem like a loooong ways away, but time will begin to fly by! Take advantage of your education, and get good grades. I know it sounds like mom/dad talking, but you really are getting yourself ready for a great future. Take it all in, and learn as much as you can. I just hit 30 years old, and I would give my left arm to be back in your age again! ENJOY it while you can, as you will be ready for the real world in no time at all!
Slider From United States of America, joined Feb 2004, 6518 posts, RR: 37 Reply 4, posted (7 years 1 day 12 hours ago) and read 4863 times:
Quoting PAHS200 (Thread starter): I am really looking into going into the airline management field.
Good Lord, RUN!!!!
Unless it's already in your blood, you have time to be rehabilitated. You want to get into a business that has lost more money on balance than it's ever made, one that is hanging by a thread, has little job security?
Egads, get this gent a stiff drink!
****************
But seriously, I'd recommend doing several things right now:
1) Study, get good grades. yeah, obvious one. But a requisite.
2) Get a B.S. in Business, Finance, something related.
3) Become a total airline geek...learn all you can about this industry, especially its history. You can develop a certain intuition about strategic planning by studying this industry's past.
4) Do an internship/co-op somewhere, even if barely related. Airfield FBO, pump gas, sweep a hangar floor, join volunteer groups, CAP, EAA, etc.
5) Network. Start cultivating a network of associates, friends, colleagues, etc. A lot of people diss ERAU, but that's probably one of its greatest assets--a built-in for networking.
ARGinLON From Vatican City, joined Jun 2005, 614 posts, RR: 0 Reply 6, posted (7 years 1 day 12 hours ago) and read 4857 times:
Depending what area are you interested in. If you are talking about anything related to the commercial area (Sales, Marketing, Pricing, Revenue Management, Scheduling) you'll be fine with a proper University degree in business. That should be enough to start as an analyst in your early 20's and from there you'll see if you like it.
At today's money you may start around 35K-40K so is still not too bad salary wise to start with (depending where your company may be based)
B6JFKH81 From United States of America, joined Mar 2006, 2767 posts, RR: 7 Reply 7, posted (7 years 1 day 12 hours ago) and read 4841 times:
Learn about aviation history. I hate history, but I found aviation history quite interesting. Especially once you started taking a look the government aspects of civil aviation and how it has changed and morphed our industry over the years. Some of the best classes I took for my aviation degree were:
> Government in Aviation (understanding the goverment and its involvement basically)
> Aviation Law
> Aviation History
> Aviation Meteorology
> Air Carrier Flight Operations (the course on how to read, interpret and actually understand the FARs)
> Powerplants
> Aerodynamics
> Aviation Economics
Now, that is just on the aviation side. But you also have to understand business, accounting, ethics, crew resource management, and the like.
Since you are in 9th grade, I would suggest taking a few business electives in high school, and as you get toward junior and senior year you could go and take a college level aviation class (with minimal pre-requisites) on a non-matriculated basis at night or during the summer.
One of the things I learned was that this business is huge and has a lot more positions that what many people think. Don't be afraid to go on facility tours and meet people in the industry, join professional organizations on a student basis (which is normally pretty cheap), and ask questions. One realy great place to go see is the FAA William J. Hughes Technical Center in ACY...best tour I ever got. Also, plenty of airlines offer internships that you can look into.
Good luck!
"If you do not learn from history, you are doomed to repeat it"
Vega From , joined Dec 1969, posts, RR: Reply 9, posted (7 years 1 day 9 hours ago) and read 4737 times:
1. Get out of high school with an "A" average.
2. Get into Wharton for a BS in Finance.
3. Transfer to Embry-Riddle and get a Master of (Airline) Science Degree.
4. During the summers, get an Intern job at a major airport for 2 years and a major airline for 2 years.
Bicoastal From , joined Dec 1969, posts, RR: Reply 10, posted (7 years 1 day 9 hours ago) and read 4728 times:
As soon as you put a tie or skirt on your IQ must drop at least 100 points at most airlines. Start from the bottom. Be a CSR or Ramper. Know the airline from the bottom up. Too many bean counters from MBA factories have no clue how to run an airline. If you've worked on the front lines, then when you do need to make necessary changes (yes, changes do need to be made) you'll have the credibility from the front lines. Then spend a lot of time with customers....frequent flyers and newbies. You need to understand their perspective in order to be successful.
TWAAF9 From United States of America, joined Nov 2004, 88 posts, RR: 0 Reply 11, posted (7 years 1 day 9 hours ago) and read 4722 times:
Define "management," as I see a couple different levels of airline management. There's the high-level, home office, strategic decision-making management and there's local, airport-level, office-right-behind-the-ticket-counter, bring flights in/send flights out, frontline operational level.
Degrees in any/everything can only help your chances for getting a home office kind of management job, but if you want to be where the REAL action is, aspire to becoming a local station manager. From my experience, while a degree of any kind helps, it's not required. Start on the ground floor, get to know exactly HOW the airport works, and move up from there.
PAHS200 From United States of America, joined Mar 2006, 513 posts, RR: 0 Reply 12, posted (7 years 1 day 9 hours ago) and read 4701 times:
Quoting Vega (Reply 9): Get out of high school with an "A" average
got to work harder only have low "B" right now, but with only 6 more days of school it might be to late. but now i have some insight I'll needed to work harder.
Lincoln From United States of America, joined Nov 2004, 3887 posts, RR: 8 Reply 13, posted (7 years 1 day 9 hours ago) and read 4687 times:
I have to add, just as general rules that have served me well (which may or may not be applicable to the airline industry):
1) NEVER underestimate the power of networking.
2) Integrity is key, and respect is worth more than money.
3) "Above and Beyond" will do you well
4) ALWAYS remember that anything you do/say/write can come back to haunt you.
Thanks to #1 I got my current job -- one I absolutely love, pays quite well*, and pays me to travel -- thanks to #1 and #2, I have several places that I could go if something were to happen (knock on wood). #3 got me my first job and introductions to some movers and shakers--not to mention good personal friends.
While it may sound cliched, working hard, lending a hand when able, and delivering more than what you promised, and being on time will help to get you everywhere you want to be in life.
Good luck...
Lincoln
*-Especially considering my age and formal education (3 years of college and undiagnosed ADHD don't go well together [it was diagnosed shortly after I accepted my current job])
CO Is My Airline of Choice || Baggage Claim is an airline's last chance to disappoint a customer || Next flts in profile
BoeingFever777 From United States of America, joined Jul 2009, 409 posts, RR: 56 Reply 15, posted (7 years 20 hours ago) and read 4505 times:
Quoting Vega (Reply 9): 1. Get out of high school with an "A" average.
2. Get into Wharton for a BS in Finance.
3. Transfer to Embry-Riddle and get a Master of (Airline) Science Degree.
4. During the summers, get an Intern job at a major airport for 2 years and a major airline for 2 years.
Sounds like something you wish you should have done.
Id look at profiles of current successful carriers excutives and see in their bio: how they came to be in their current position.
Visakow From United States of America, joined May 2006, 85 posts, RR: 0 Reply 17, posted (7 years 20 hours ago) and read 4467 times:
Quoting Slider (Reply 4): But seriously, I'd recommend doing several things right now:
1) Study, get good grades. yeah, obvious one. But a requisite.
2) Get a B.S. in Business, Finance, something related.
3) Become a total airline geek...learn all you can about this industry, especially its history. You can develop a certain intuition about strategic planning by studying this industry's past.
4) Do an internship/co-op somewhere, even if barely related. Airfield FBO, pump gas, sweep a hangar floor, join volunteer groups, CAP, EAA, etc.
5) Network. Start cultivating a network of associates, friends, colleagues, etc. A lot of people diss ERAU, but that's probably one of its greatest assets--a built-in for networking.
Good luck!
ERAU is a top choice and they have a great online program. SIU (Southern Illinois) is a possibility but they seem to not be very interested in modernizing their aviation programs or offer more online programs to better compete with other schools, one major reason I transferred out.
A one term enlistment in the military is a possibility and would help pay for school, go Navy or Air Force so you don't end up in the Middle east. You can use TA (Tuition Assistance) and use your GI bill in conjunction (Top Up) or after you separate you'll still have extra, 10 years limit from dishcharge, to put towards more school. Hope that helps.
Vadim
Quoting Vega (Reply 9): 3. Transfer to Embry-Riddle and get a Master of (Airline) Science Degree.
Isn't that the pilot program?
Embry Riddle designates their business degree as "Proffessional Aeronautics". Same as aviation management.
IH8B6 From United States of America, joined Apr 2006, 195 posts, RR: 2 Reply 19, posted (7 years 19 hours ago) and read 4432 times:
Quoting Bicoastal (Reply 10): Be a CSR or Ramper. Know the airline from the bottom up. Too many bean counters from MBA factories have no clue how to run an airline. If you've worked on the front lines, then when you do need to make necessary changes
Agree 110% Too many MBAs sitting in certain airline offices that have NO IDEA what it's like to run an airline. Most of them probably couldn't tell you how many seats are on their airline's 767. The ineptitude of some (not all) of these people that have never worked frontline is very scary, and we are seeing it now more than ever across the industry.
Start out at the bottom to get some operartional knowledge, get an education, and use the combined power of both of those to work your way up.
ArtieFufkin From United States of America, joined May 2006, 704 posts, RR: 0 Reply 20, posted (7 years 19 hours ago) and read 4419 times:
I was in Mgt for 6 years. And frankly, and although I'm normally a positive person, you really just need to be good at politics. Ass kissing.
The airline idustry does not place a value on talent, results, new ideas, like other industries that need these traits to survive. It's more who you work under, and who trusts you to make them look good. Politics. When I left, my first year out I made 30 grand higher than I ever made at the airlines. There is some good Mgt out there but it is more on the consulting side.
My advice would be stay clear of Airline Mgt. It's low paying as well. The only good job these days is pilot.
LotsatLHR From United Kingdom, joined May 2006, 43 posts, RR: 0 Reply 21, posted (7 years 19 hours ago) and read 4398 times:
Quoting Malaysia (Reply 14): graduate either from YALE or HARVARD
Or Penn. Or indeed Oxford or Cambridge if you fancy coming to university in the UK. Oxford offers some great management courses. I did a spin-off of one: Economics and Management.
I hope to do a second degree on the East Coast of your country. One of these days. . .
Syncmaster From United States of America, joined Jul 2002, 1983 posts, RR: 14 Reply 23, posted (7 years 17 hours ago) and read 4306 times:
Quoting Visakow (Reply 17):
Embry Riddle designates their business degree as "Proffessional Aeronautics". Same as aviation management.
They call it Aviation Business Administration.
Personally I'm looking at several schools, ERAU included and I've been accepted. But there are many schools to check out, University of North Dakota, Western Michigan University, University of Alaska (Anchorage - UAA and Fairbanks - UAF), SIU and the list goes on and on.
They all have their strengths and weaknesses, however ERAU and UAA are at the top of my list for airline management. No matter what school you go to, it'll be a long and hard journey to hopefully get where you want to go, but I have every faith that you and pretty much everyone on this site with those dreams will deal with that and get where you want to go. Good luck and feel free to message me on A.net if you have any more questions!
Slider From United States of America, joined Feb 2004, 6518 posts, RR: 37 Reply 24, posted (7 years 17 hours ago) and read 4299 times:
Quoting Bicoastal (Reply 10): Start from the bottom. Be a CSR or Ramper. Know the airline from the bottom up. Too many bean counters from MBA factories have no clue how to run an airline. If you've worked on the front lines, then when you do need to make necessary changes (yes, changes do need to be made) you'll have the credibility from the front lines. Then spend a lot of time with customers....frequent flyers and newbies. You need to understand their perspective in order to be successful.
Quoting IH8B6 (Reply 19): Agree 110% Too many MBAs sitting in certain airline offices that have NO IDEA what it's like to run an airline. Most of them probably couldn't tell you how many seats are on their airline's 767. The ineptitude of some (not all) of these people that have never worked frontline is very scary, and we are seeing it now more than ever across the industry.
Start out at the bottom to get some operartional knowledge, get an education, and use the combined power of both of those to work your way up.
Ditto both of these statements. I've got some friends with MBAs, and they'll be the first to admit this in fact! The worst are the ones who go from undergrad straight to an MBA with no real-life experience. Lot of bulletheads out there who don't know an aileron from their a**hole.
Not that they're all bad- you need smart pointy-headed people in any business, but there has to be effective management to coordinate the various groups. THAT'S where the true value of leading people is found, and there's no magic recipe or secret formula for it.
Quoting Malaysia (Reply 14): graduate either from YALE or HARVARD and your family has to be very rich so you can invest fully and take over Airlines as a CEO.
Thats the real reality.
Being an airline manager wont happen till your probably 35 or so on average.
Pedigree means different things at different carriers. That's not an accurate statement. There are some airlines that have "pet" universities certainly in terms of where they recruit from and so forth, but it's not a hard and fast rule.
And management starts well before age 35. There are plenty of frontline managers and supervisors alike who get a call up in their mid/late 20s easily. And work up from there.
25 2H4: Well, with regard to the airlines, that's becoming arguable...particularly here in the US. Good working conditions, job security, and respect are fas
26 B6JFKH81: Good point. Remember that aviation is more than just 121 air carriers! This is a huge industry so take a look what is out there completely!
27 Midway2airtran: Three things I believe are up most important and have been helping me of recent. 1. Problem solving and creative skills 2. Strategy formulation and im
28 ClassicLover: Get your parents or buy yourself any books on past airlines. Skygods - The Rise and Fall of Pan Am is one I can think of off the top of my head. You
29 Dartland: I respectfulyl disagree. First of all, no decent MBA program accepts undergrads, you need at least 3-years work experience for a good MBA. Second of
30 Dartland: Sorry -- I didn't answer Mike's question. Mike -- it depends on what kind of management you want. If you want to be "on the ground" management, then h
31 Planespotting: Easy Get a BBA in Accounting (double in Finance if you can), become a CPA, start working for one of the big four accounting firms(Pricewaterhouse Coop
32 Lincoln: Is that still possible? I thought in the wake of the accounting scandals (Enron, Worldcom, etc) the separation between the company and the Independen
33 Planespotting: Sorry, I should have been clearer. What I meant was to first get involved with the airline business through one of the big four, whether it is throug
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