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Airport Operations I

Code: 101757
Credits: 6
2026/2027
Degree programme Type Course
Aeronautical Management OB 1

Contact lecturer

Name :
Anaïs Pedrosa Jimenez
Email :
anais.pedrosa@uab.cat

Group languages

You can consult this information at the end of the document.

Prerequisites

This course does not have any pre-requisit.

Objectives

  1. Provide a global overview of the organization and dimensionality of the airport management.
  2. Provide an overview of the current liberalization of air traffic services with emphasis on the multiple business opportunities in the free competition of the provision of air traffic control service.
  3. Provide a global and systemic overview of the airport role in commercial aviation.
  4. Provide an overview of air cargo transportation, including the cargo transportation in passenger airplanes and specialized cargo airplanes.
  5. Review the most important transporters and logistics agents, including their operations.

Learning outcomes

  • CM15 (Make technological improvements in the management systems of companies and institutions in the aeronautical sector, generating innovative and efficient solutions.) Make technological improvements in the management systems of companies and institutions in the aeronautical sector, generating innovative and efficient solutions.
  • CM16 (Develop projects for the deployment and optimisation of aeronautical process operation, control and management systems, aimed to achieve efficiency and operational sustainability.) Develop projects for the deployment and optimisation of aeronautical process operation, control and management systems, aimed to achieve efficiency and operational sustainability.
  • KM26 (Describe the aeronautical environment in the field of airport operations, including operations in the terminal control area (TMA), as well as the new aircraft-tower navigation, surveillance and communications systems (Datalink).) Describe the aeronautical environment in the field of airport operations, including operations in the terminal control area (TMA), as well as the new aircraft-tower navigation, surveillance and communications systems (Datalink).
  • KM30 (Identify the main sustainability challenges in airport management and their impact on the operational and economic efficiency of the aeronautical sector.) Identify the main sustainability challenges in airport management and their impact on the operational and economic efficiency of the aeronautical sector.
  • KM31 (Identify the technology to be implemented on manned aircraft to respond to communication, navigation and surveillance needs, as well as the technological resources necessary for the airside management of operations in the terminal control area.) Identify the technology to be implemented on manned aircraft to respond to communication, navigation and surveillance needs, as well as the technological resources necessary for the airside management of operations in the terminal control area.
  • KM34 (Identify the different types of airlines, the services they offer, their operations planning and control processes, infrastructures and organisational aspects, as well as the procedures necessary to ensure flight safety.) Identify the different types of airlines, the services they offer, their operations planning and control processes, infrastructures and organisational aspects, as well as the procedures necessary to ensure flight safety.
  • KM35 (Describe the key aspects of the regulatory framework applicable to aeronautical management, including the JAR, EASA and other relevant national and international frameworks.) Describe the key aspects of the regulatory framework applicable to aeronautical management, including the JAR, EASA and other relevant national and international frameworks.
  • SM23 (Apply specific tools and methodological approaches in the management of airports, airlines and other key actors, integrating internal and external relationships to optimise processes, improve operational efficiency and solve complex problems in the aeronautical sector. (ST07)) Apply specific tools and methodological approaches in the management of airports, airlines and other key actors, integrating internal and external relationships to optimise processes, improve operational efficiency and solve complex problems in the aeronautical sector. (ST07)
  • SM24 (Efficiently use specific software to plan, manage and control usual activities and operations in companies and institutions in the aeronautical sector, in accordance with existing regulations.) Efficiently use specific software to plan, manage and control usual activities and operations in companies and institutions in the aeronautical sector, in accordance with existing regulations.

Contents

1. The Role of Airports in Air Transport
1.1. Classification of Airports: Types and Activities
1.2. Airport Business Models and Management
1.3. Characteristics of Airport Service Production
1.4. Airport Economics and Finance
1.5. The Airport Industry in Spain
1.6. Airport Capacity


2. National, International, and Industry Organizations. Liberalization of Air Transport: USA, Europe, and Spain


3. The Airport as Infrastructure
3.1. Basic Concepts
3.2. Airside and Landside
3.3. Airport and Aircraft Services


4. Ground Operations. Handling
4.1. Basic Concepts
4.2. Passenger and Baggage Handling
4.3. Ramp Handling
4.4. Cargo Handling (Aircargo)
4.5. General Aviation Handling


5. Airspace
5.1. Principles and Techniques of International Air Navigation
5.2. Airspaces
5.3. Air Traffic Services
5.4. Air Traffic Control: Methods and Applications
5.5. Air Traffic Flow Management: CFMU and FMP. Slot Allocation
5.6. Flight Plan. Flight Phases. Navigation Charts
5.7. Environment
5.8. Basic CNS Concept


6. Operational Safety 

Learning activities and methodology

Title Hours ECTS Learning outcomes
Problem solving sessions 15 0.6
Scheduled visits 5 0.2
Autonomous work 95 3.8
Seminars 5 0.2
Lectures 30 1.2 
The working methodology will consist, for the most part, of lectures where the necessary concepts and the corresponding case studies will be presented to illustrate them. On the other hand, there will be sessions where students will present the information and results obtained from their autonomous work in-depth on specific aspects of airport operations. Some sessions may be replaced by field trips.

COMMUNICATION CHANNELS

The professor will communicate with students using the following channels: 

  • University emails of students
  • Course delegate, secretary or department support.

Students can communicate with the professor using the following channel:

  •  Email (will be provided the first week) or virtual campus as detailed
Annotation: within the schedule set by the centre or degree programme, 15 minutes of one class will be reserved for students to evaluate their lecturers and their courses or modules through questionnaires.

Assessment

Continuous assessment activities

Title Weight Hours ECTS Learning outcomes
A2 Air navigation and operational safety 40% 0 0 CM15, CM16, KM26, KM31, SM23, SM24
A1 Airport operations 45% 0 0 CM15, KM26, KM30, KM34, KM35, SM23
A3 Air cargo logistics 15% 0 0 KM26

This course does not include the single assessment system

CONTINUOUS EVALUATION

In order to comply with the principles of continuous evaluation, the procedures set out in this document will be followed. It should be understood that these principles are:

• They apply only in the field of this subject

• They comply with the general and specific principles established by the UAB

EVALUABLE ACTIVITIES

The scope of the competencies foreseen in the subject and the method of evaluation of the degree in which the student obtains it are based on the accomplishment of the activities programmed within the course. Every activity has a type. The types of possible activities are the following:

Activities I

1.1 Final exam

1.2 Recovery Exam

Activities II

2 Delivery of reports, or individual or group work

3 Solving problems, practices, or individual or group cases

4 Oral presentation of an individual or group work

5 Intervention Row 0

Activities III

6 Attendance and active participation in classes, seminars, conferences, Row 0 ...

Activities I, II or III

7 Others authorized by the Management of the School of Engineering

Activities, II and III, are Non-recoverable. Non-recoverable activities are, in accordance with the above list, the 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 and type 7 activities that expressly establish this.

Without prejudice to other disciplinary measures deemed appropriate, irregularities committed by the student that may lead to a variation in the grade of an assessment act will be graded with a zero. Therefore, copying, plagiarism, cheating, copying, and so on. in any of the assessment activities, it will involve suspending it with a zero. Assessment activities qualified in this way and by this procedure will not be recoverable, and therefore the subject will be suspended directly without the opportunity to recover it in the same academic year.

Proposed activities that are not submitted within the indicated period will be scored zero

NON-EVALUATED STUDENTS (NA)

Students who have not submitted the individual or group work proposed during the course will be designated in this category. The rating of Non-Evaluable (NA) will only be obtained if no evaluable item is submitted.

Students who have not personally taken the final or recovery exam will be designated in this category.

HONOR REGISTRATION (MH)

MH will be awarded to students with an overall grade of 9.0 or higher. No examination will be conducted for the award of the MH. The maximum number of MH will be 5% or fraction of the number of students enrolled in the subject.

EVALUATION OF REPEATING STUDENTS

Repeating students will not have a differentiated treatment and will have to carry out all the activities and tests proposed to pass the subject.

OVERALL EVALUATION OF THE SUBJECT:

The final grade, CF, is obtained by the expression:

CF = 0.4 * (Weighted arithmetic mean of projects and partials, not all deliverables weigh the same) + 0.5 * (grade of the official final exam or recovery) + 0.1 * (Attendance and active participation in seminars)

It is a requirement to pass the subject to have a minimum grade of 3 out of 10 in the official final or resit exam.

The number of assignmentsThe maximum grade that students who are required to take a resit exam may obtain is 5 out of 10. To be eligible for averaging this grade with the remaining assessment items, students must obtain a minimum grade of 3 out of 10 in the resit exam. and partial exams will be scheduled in view of the development of the course. To take the recovery exam, you will be in accordance with the regulations of the degree.

Attendance at the seminars, excursions and visits is mandatory.

Artificial Intelligence is forbidden in this subject.

Reminder: 1 ECTS = 25 hours of student work.

Bibliography

  1. INGENIERÍA AEROPORTUARIA; García Cruzado, Marcos; ETS Ingenieros Aeronáuticos, 1997.
  2. OPERACIONES AEROPORTUARIAS; Isidoro Carmona, Aníbal; Fundación AENA, 1997.
  3. DESCUBRIR LOS AEROPUERTOS; Tejada Anguiano, Iván; AENA, Colección Descubrir, 1999.
  4. EL TRANSPORTE AÉREO; Utrilla Navarro, Luís; AENA, Colección Descubrir, 2003.
  5. INTRODUCCIÓN A LA GESTIÓN ECONÓMICA DE AEROPUERTOS; Salazar de la Cruz, Francisco; Fundación AENA, 2003.
  6. INDUSTRIA AEROPORTUARIA; Salazar de la Cruz, Francisco; Editorial Círculo Rojo, 2013.
  7. CUADERNO GUIA DE OPERACIONES DE ESCALA; Salazar de la Cruz, Francisco; Apuntes, 2004.
  8. AIRPORT HANDLING MANUAL; IATA, 2004.
  9. LAS COMPAÑÍAS AÉREAS; Benito, Arturo; AENA, Colección Descubrir, 2004.
  10. SERVICIOS AEROPORTUARIOS; Isidoro Carmona, Aníbal; Fundación AENA, 2004.
  11. EL HANDLING AEROPORTUARIO; Domingo Calvo, Mariano; AENA, Colección Descubrir, 2005.
  12. ANEXO 11 : Servicios de tránsito aéreo. OACI. Última edición disponible.
  13. ANEXO 14 : Diseño y operación de aeródromos. OACI. Última edición disponible.
  14. Reglamento de Circulación aérea. Ministerio de Fomento. Última edición.
  15. AIP – España. Edición electrónica en línea.
  16. LA NAVEGACIÓN AÉREA Y EL AEROPUERTO. Saenz Neto, Francisco et al. Fundación Aena.
  17. LOGÍSTICA DEL TRANSPORTE AÉREO. Ferrandis Cabré, Joan B.; Apuntes del profesor.

Software

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Course groups and languages

The information provided is provisional until November 30. After this date, you will be able to consult the language of each group through this link. To access the information, you will need to enter the course CODE

Type of teaching Group Language Semester Shift
(TE) Theory 11 Catalan second semester afternoon
(PAUL) Classroom practices 11 Catalan second semester afternoon
(PAUL) Classroom practices 12 Catalan second semester afternoon
(SEM) Seminars 21 Catalan second semester afternoon
(SEM) Seminars 22 Catalan second semester afternoon
(SEM) Seminars 23 Catalan second semester afternoon