The company said it would achieve the office workforce reduction “in the coming years”. This would be achieved by “combining redundant functions” and dropping “activities that do not create added value for our customers”. Some functions could be outsourced, it added, but there have not yet been details on exactly which airline roles or airport jobs will be hit hardest.

The announcement comes as Europe’s second-biggest airline reported a first-quarter loss of €397 million. Last year’s loss was €169 million.

First-quarter sales did reach €6.6 billion – 5.5 % higher when compared year-on-year. But this could not offset the soaring price of jet fuel, said Lufthansa.

Lufthansa has outlined its strategy to deliver massive cost savings by the end of 2014. This will be achieved by shedding the 3,500 administrative posts, as well as using global purchasing to save €200 million, and pursuing traffic optimization which aims to cut costs by €10 million.

Lufthansa’s chief executive officer Christoph Franz said in an announcement that higher taxes, fees and charges had put a massive strain on the first quarter’s financial performance. These included an air traffic tax imposed in Germany and Austria, and the additional costs of carbon emissions trading in Germany.

Franz said the savings programme “is our own response to these additional burdens. It will safeguard Lufthansa’s position”.

The company’s Swiss and Austrian Airlines units had losses of €6 million and €67 million respectively in the quarter. Meanwhile the cargo unit generated €19 million and Lufthansa Technik €62 million.

Last month, Lufthansa completed the sale of loss-making UK airline BMI to International Airlines Group, which owns British Airways and Iberia.

Picture: Lufthansa AG

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The new airport, which is now estimated to be costing $15.5 billion, is being constructed 4 km from the existing airport, on a 5,400-acre site. It will replace Doha International Airport as Qatar’s only international airport. Due to the fast expansion of flights from Doha by Qatar Airways there is a great demand for more space.

The new airport will allow superior facilities to accommodate growing passenger numbers travelling to and from Doha. Facilities include a large and luxurious retail offering, restaurants, a mosque and expansive car parking areas.

While the existing Doha International airport handles 4.2 million passengers per year, the high-spec new airport will be able to handle 12.5 million a year after the first phase of construction. After phase one is opened, passenger capacity at the airport will be 24 million people a year.

NDIA will become the new home for Qatar Airways and the location is expected to become a vital gateway to this region.

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The airline expects the move to save it $300 million a year in fuel costs, which hit almost $12 billion in 2011. Production at the refinery along with other agreements to exchange refined products for jet fuel would provide 80% of Delta’s fuel needs for flights in the United States.

The Trainer refinery south of Philidelphia will serve Delta’s hubs at New York’s John F Kennedy and LaGuardia airports, says Reuters.

While Delta will remain hostage to fluctuating crude oil costs, the facility should enable it to save on the cost of refining a barrel of jet fuel, which has been rising in the wake of US refinery shutdowns, said Delta Chief Executive Richard Anderson.

Fuel accounts for roughly a third of an airline’s overall costs. Aviation analysts agree that the deal to buy the oil refinery could prevent Delta having to pay even higher prices for imported jet fuel.

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The new measures have been taken following delays at Heathrow Airport in recent weeks, It was reported that non-EU nationals were waiting up to 90 minutes at Heathrow’s Terminal 5 on Friday night.

While the government has been quick to blame the weather, saying severe conditions had held up flights and caused the queues, customers and airport staff are saying that cuts to jobs in the UK Border Agency could be causing the problems. Other factors include rising passenger numbers, and Home Secretary Theresa May’s scrapping of the selective ‘risk-based’ approach to checking passports. Another factor could be teething problems with new technology, including iris fast track and e-gates.

A BAA spokesperson said today: “Immigration is a matter for the Home Office. Immigration waiting times during peak periods at Heathrow recently have been unacceptable and we have called on the Home Office to address the problem as a matter of urgency. There isn’t a trade-off between strong border security and a good passenger experience – the Home Office should be delivering both.”

The flying squads will ensure all immigration desks are properly staff during the summer rush at airports, Damian Green told MPS in an emergency Commons statement yesterday. However shadow immigration minister Chris Bryant said the problem was down to a lack of resources and the government was “running out of alibis”.

But Mr Green said: “Border Force will ensure that all immigration desks at Heathrow and other key ports and airports in the South East are fully staffed during peak periods over the summer. A contingency force of appropriately trained staff will be sent to the border to provide extra help to ensure passengers are processed as quickly as possible. Border security is Britain’s first line of defence. It cannot and will not be compromised.”

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Also known as passenger service agents or check-in assistants, airline customer service personnel have a varied working day. They are primarily checking passengers in, weighing and checking in baggage, allocating seat numbers, asking security questions, issuing boarding passes and luggage labels and answering passenger queries prior to their flight.

Sometimes the role of customer service agent includes walking with passengers to and from the aircraft, arranging facilities for people with disabilities and generally ensuring all passengers are boarding their planes on time. Unlike cabin crew who are travelling great distances in their working lives, airline customer service employees are ground-based and typically work at one airport at a time. Often shift work is the order of day, due to the long operational hours of airports, and part-time work is widespread. Uniforms are likely to be provided for most airline customer service agents.

There may be opportunities to use language skills in this role and it’s essential that anyone entering the profession of airline customer service agent has a pleasant attitude, is willing to spend a great deal of time carrying out customer-facing tasks, and can communicate clearly. The role can be stressful if passengers want to complain or are difficult to deal with, and much of the training for airline customer service jobs is about customer service, and dealing with difficult situations.

Qualifications needed for airline customer service jobs

To qualify for an airline customer service job, you will need to have GCSEs or a college education, some experience of working in a customer service environment, and possibly the ability to speak another language. Sometimes people who have previously worked as cabin crew transfer to ground-based airline customer service jobs.

If successfully selected, candidates for airline customer service jobs have to undergo a training programme that may last around four to eight weeks. This is likely to include learning how to use computerised and manual reservation systems, telephone skills, gaining proper knowledge of emergency and evacuation procedures, and extensive security training.

As well as on-the-job training it’s also possible to qualify with NVQs or SVQs in Handling Air Passengers, at levels 2 and 3, awarded by City & Guilds and EMTA Awards Ltd.

Characteristics required to succeed as an airline customer service agent include good personal presentation, to be a team player, to enjoy team work and to always be polite and tactful. Sometimes long hours are worked, and it helps to be physically fit, as much of the day may be spent on your feet or walking to different parts of the airport.

Opportunities for airline customer service jobs

Most of the job opportunities for airline customer service professionals are through airports, airlines and handling agents. Some jobs are seasonal initially, with the possibility of becoming permanent at the end of the season. In the UK, most jobs of this kind exist at London’s two major airports – Heathrow and Gatwick – with some vacancies in the regional airports, including Stansted, Manchester, East Midlands, Birmingham and Glasgow.

Airlines that are often looking for airline customer service personnel include easyJet, British Airways, Virgin Atlantic, Ryanair, Etihad, Lufthansa, Qatar Airways and flybe.

Naturally for those airline customer service agents who excel in the role, there will be the chance of promotion with time, and perhaps further management training, or the option to specialise in another area of airport work. Junior customer service jobs at airports pay around £15,000 per annum but the salary will rise with experience, particularly if more senior or team management positions arise. There is often also the benefit of subsidised air travel in some airline customer service roles.

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Day-to-day, the aircraft mechanic will be ensuring aircraft are operating in top condition and at maximum efficiency. Work in the role will include maintaining planes or helicopters, installing new systems and engine parts, undertaking repairs and carrying out regular tests and inspections of aircraft, or components of the aircraft.

As an aircraft mechanic, you may find yourself toiling in icy conditions, or clambering over a hot wing far above the ground, or squeezed into the bowels of a cockpit. In the role of aircraft mechanic you must also be prepared for working in a noisy environment and there will be a lot of heavy lifting so it helps to be physically fit. The job can sometimes be stressful as you are working under pressure to ensure safety standards are met to meet flight departure schedules. There are often project management elements to the job.

Aircraft mechanics jobs can be found in the UK but also many advertised jobs show the international nature of this unique profession. It’s common to see opportunities for licensed aircraft mechanics across mainland Europe, the Middle East and USA and Canada.

Because of the responsibility that comes with the job aircraft mechanic training needs to be a thorough process,. Aircraft mechanic training involves 18 months hands on experience with power plants or airframes or 30 months working on the two together.

Training has to be completed at an approved training centre, and exams will involve written, oral and practical elements in order to achieve qualification. Aircraft mechanics must keep refreshing and updating their skills with a minimum of 16 hours training every two years to so that their certificate is kept up to date. For people thinking about undertaking aircraft mechanic training, a background in maths, science or mechanical drawing will be a useful starting point. Having completed aircraft mechanic training, new recruits usually work a 40 hour week with the option of plenty of overtime.

Who employs aircraft mechanics?

Companies likely to have aircraft mechanics jobs include British Airways, Qatar Airways, Emirates, Iberia, Fokker, Bombardier, Dassault Aircraft Services, BAe, Boeing, Marshall Aerospace and FedEx. There are also many smaller companies specializing in private jet services, helicopters, and the manufacture of lighter aircraft.

The RAF employs many aircraft engineers and their entry requirements include good GCSEs in science, maths and English. It’s likely that when applying for aircraft mechanics jobs with the RAF you will be given an aptitude test to check your suitability for the post. If successful you will be taken through basic training and six months ‘trade training’ in order to qualify as an AMM – Aircraft Maintenance Mechanic.

Within the Armed Forces it is then possible to go onto further training levels and qualify as a specialist mechanical or avionics mechanic, potential working at RAF bases around the world. Pay may start at a low band but can progress once you have clocked up several years.

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Photo: Boeing

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The design and fitting of aircraft interiors is an important part of aviation manufacturing, and today there are aircraft interiors job opportunities for those with the skills and flair for aircraft interior design, interior electrical engineering, materials testing and aircraft interior fitting.

Aircraft interior jobs will appeal to qualified designers who have gained specialist aero design skills and have additional skills of creativity and technical know-how. Cabin interiors must reach high safety and civil aviation standards, meet tight regulations, and be designed to meet the needs of innovative aero manufacturing companies.

Often aircraft interiors jobs will require individuals to work well as part of a team, be able to follow detailed guidelines, be willing to innovate, and able to quickly adapt to change. For success in aircraft interior jobs it’s important to be able to test and report through different stages of the design and implementation process of aircraft building. Often large aviation manufacturers will sub-contract elements of the aircraft interior design to specialist designers and manufacturers.

Designers must be able to provide a full service from the concept stage, through planning to implementation of the aircraft interior component in question. There will be many stages of changes and testing of new designs in the work of an aircraft interiors designer or engineer. Technical knowledge is very important for aircraft interiors jobs, with designs and modifications needing to meet strict certified aviation standards.

Specialist areas to consider if you are thinking of applying for aircraft interiors jobs include the design and assemblage of aircraft interior storage lockers and ‘wardrobes’, metal to metal bonding, design of ceiling panels and seat design and manufacture.

There are also highly specialised aircraft interiors electrical jobs for which electrical engineering skills will be needed. For this role employers will be looking for electrical design engineers with electrical knowledge within the aerospace industry. Often graduates are sought after for these roles, and if will help if you have understanding of the latest Computer Aided Design software for this area of manufacturing. The job will entail electrical circuit design, testing, remodeling, and delivering cost effective lighting and aircraft interior communications systems.

Jobs in galley wiring and other aircraft interior jobs will typically be 9 to 5 with the option to take on some overtime at busy periods in the manufacturing process. Jobs in aircraft interiors tend to command salaries of around £23,000 to £25,000 for a junior role, but this can rise to over £45,000 for those with experience, taking on higher levels of responsibility.

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It is the responsibility of air traffic controllers (ATCOs) to ensure these passengers arrive at their destinations safely. There is also increasing pressure to make the use of airspace as efficiently as possible, which is no easy task.

According to National Air Traffic Services, the industry body, a lot of the job requires the ATCOs to balance issues of safety with other aspects such as ensuring planes arrive on time, cost effectively and without disrupting flight schedules.

Air traffic controllers will work shifts, and spend their time maintaining radio and radar contact with pilots, giving instructions on take-off and landing slots, and advising on weather conditions and flight paths.

As would be expected this can be an incredibly stressful job and demands high levels of concentration and excellent communication skills. The job of air traffic controller is also an exciting and rewarding job and can be very well paid, due to the specialist nature of the work.

Vital skills for air traffic controllers include the ability to grasp technology and the latest computer systems, decisiveness, problem solving skills, numerical awareness and emotional stability. A high degree of intelligence is required in this role as the air traffic controller will be involved in rapidly digesting complex data, radar readings and flight data as it comes through, and taking decisive action based on this information.

Air traffic controller jobs in the UK tend to be through National Air Traffic Services (NATS), airports around the country and there are also opportunities within the armed forces.

There are different types of controllers, namely area controllers, terminal controllers, approach controllers and aerodrome controllers. Area controllers or terminal controllers control the en route stage of the flight, using radar and the latest technology to track the aircraft’s exact position. Approach Controllers take over contact with the pilots as they approach airports. They guide and sequence aircraft into the most efficient order for landing.

Then aerodrome controllers take over to guide the aircraft through landing. Where airports are particularly busy, aerodrome controllers will be split into air control and ground control, the latter guiding the aircraft to its parking stand once it has landed.

What qualifications do air traffic controllers need?

The job does not require a degree-level qualification and securing an air traffic control job is largely down to personal outlook and aptitude as opposed to qualifications. Minimum education requirements include five GCSEs including maths and English, all at grade C or above. You must be over 18 to apply and physically and mentally fit.

Once selected, potential air traffic controllers will be put through extensive training before the job can be carried out, which can take up to a year.

Validation training is also necessary, and takes between 18 months and two years. Training courses offer a basic salary, accommodation allowance and benefits package, with the salary increasing to £15,000 – £18,000 during validation training and reaching in the region of £30,000 upon validation. With over three years experience, the salary level of an air traffic controller can advance quickly, to £40,000 and above.

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Aerodynamics jobs come under the broader career category of aerospace engineering jobs. Sometimes called aerodynamicist jobs, the core work of these engineers is to focus on planning tests and analyzing aerophysics, exploring the suitability of materials and design of aircraft, aerospace products and support equipment. Some aerodynamics jobs will be focused on testing missiles and other defence equipment.

The job description for an aerodynamics engineer is to likely to include generating, calculating documenting, and maintaining accurate performance information, based on flight test data. Often these engineers are also required to work closely with the marketing department, customer service, legal and air safety departments.

Much of the work will be based around testing and report-writing, feeding back research to team leaders, professional bodies or clients and suppliers.

Day to day, evaluation work is carried out in laboratories, and there are flight simulations, wind tunnel test programmes and aircraft configuration testing. Often IT skills are a requirement of the aerodynamics job.

A specialism within aerodynamics is analyzing the thermodynamic effects of stimulus on aircraft and aircraft components, in which case the role is known as a thermodynamics engineer.

Leading employers in this market are looking for individuals with first degrees, masters degrees or PhDs in aerodynamics or mechanical engineering. They want to see solid experience of aerodynamic analysis and report.

Additional personal attributes would include the ability to project manage, to communicate well, work effectively in a team, and think creatively and innovatively. Organisational skills will also be valuable.

Salaries for aerodynamics jobs will depend on the engineer’s experience and the size of the organization, but generally starting salaries are around £25,000 and senior aerodynamics positions will command salaries of above £50,000.

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Many commercial airlines are expanding their fleets of aircraft to satisfy customer demand for global and domestic air travel. The defence industry also provides opportunities, and scientific research organizations and regulators such as the Civil Aviation Authority(CAA) employ talented aero technicians and engineers.

Figures from aerospace industry body ADS show that the UK aerospace sector supports 360,000 jobs across the UK and in 2010 exported over £16 billion of aerospace equipment.

There are many different terms that fall under the heading of ‘aero engineer jobs’, including aeronautical engineer, aerospace engineer, and aerodynamics engineer. And of course there are a host of specialisms in aero engineering, where very specific qualifications and experience will be required. These include aircraft manufacturing, stress engineering, aerospace defence, aero design, and avionics systems design, to name a few.

Thanks to a seemingly unquenchable thirst for global air travel today, and the demands of national security, there’s much activity in UK aero engineering. Large numbers of aeronautical engineers are required by commercial companies operating in the UK, including Boeing, Bombardier, Marshall Aerospace and Rolls-Royce. Across the Ministry of Defence and armed forces engineers are needed, particularly within the Royal Air Force. Job security is not guaranteed, as many commercial operations depend on winning large manufacturing contracts, and redundancies have been experienced in aerospace engineering in the last few years, but generally the prospects are good.

The role of an aero or aeronautical or aerospace engineer largely involves applying scientific and technological principles to research, development and design for aircraft or their components. Aircraft manufacturers are focused on developing, maintaining and testing the performance of civil and military aircraft, missiles, weapons systems, satellites and space vehicles.

What does the role of aero engineer involve?

Aero engineers will be researching design specifications for aircraft, their components and the relevant support equipment. In manufacturing roles, the jobs involve the actual assembly, testing and necessary modification of components, missiles and aircraft. There are also aircraft maintenance jobs under the umbrella of aero engineering jobs, which will entail making inspections, overseeing maintenance and servicing of aircraft. There may be some travel, visiting suppliers and testing facilities, but generally aero engineers will be working in offices, factory production hangars or aeronautical laboratories.

A fascinating element of aero engineering is performance testing, where skills will be put to use to improve safety features or minimise fuel consumption and pollution. In fact, increasingly aeronautical engineering has a focus on the environmental impact of aircraft.

Aeronautical engineering may well involve the use of aircraft computer-aided-design (CAD) software such as DOORs and NASTRAN, so there is often a call for software specialists, and IT skills.

Generally aero engineers will be working within teams, and might be dealing with suppliers, clients and managers on a daily basis, to agree project timescales, budgets and design specifications. Project management skills are likely to be valuable.

Work could also include communicating technical and regulatory advice to clients, and suppliers within the aeronautical industry and presenting data to groups and individuals.

What qualifications do aero engineers need?

The tried and tested way in for aero engineering jobs is with a degree in aeronautical or aerospace engineering. Degrees that might also impress employers however, include mechanical engineering, electronic engineering, applied physics, manufacturing, mathematics and computer science.

A pre-entry postgraduate qualification is desirable, and an appropriate Masters degree, or other education to Masters-level, is necessary to register as a Chartered Engineer (CEng). An MSc in aeronautical/aerospace engineering is useful if your first degree is in a different subject. Postgraduate study may be the best way to progress, and gives individuals the a means of focusing on a specific area of aeronautical engineering.

It’s recommended to gain some pre-entry work experience, either while studying on an aeronautical engineering degree course, or once qualified. Employers are looking out for engineers with a clear interest in flight technology and aviation, excellent technical skills, the ability to think creatively, organizational skills and team-working skills. You may be asked to undergo psychometric testing, an eyesight test, and a physical by employers. There is also a likelihood that security clearance will be required before aero engineers can start work.

What training do aero engineers undergo?

Apprenticeships and graduate trainee programmes are commonplace in aero engineering places of employment. There is also a great deal of on-going training in order for established aero engineers in employment to keep abreast of technological developments over time.

Most large companies offer structured training for newly-recruited aero engineers and they tend to encourage professional ‘chartered’ status. This Chartered Engineer (CENG) status is granted by the UK Standard for Professional Engineering Competence (UK-SPEC). Some company training schemes are accredited by professional bodies, such as the Royal Aeronautical Society (RAES) or are provided with the input of universities. Companies usually offer in-service training and short courses to meet specific training needs.

Marshall Aerospace recruits up to 20 new engineering apprentices each year in a variety of specialist areas including airframe, avionic and electrical engineering, manufacturing, and mechanical/electrical/avionics design. Scheme like this will offer the chance for young aero engineers to expand their skills and gain highly-regarded industry qualifications. For many the completion of the apprenticeship can provide opportunities for further personal and career development within the company, says Marshall Aerospace’s HR department.

What is the earning potential of aero engineers?

Starting salaries for aero engineers are between £20,000 and £25,000. Technicians and aeronautical engineers with several years experience can earn between £28,000 and £45,000 and at senior levels, salaries can reach around £50,000 to £65,000. It follows that engineers with a Masters of research qualification can command the higher salaries. It’s worth considering that the big employers will probably pay more.

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