Internship Report

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Internship Report

Introduction

It is necessary for me as a student to engage in an internship in my scheduled period of learning within my course. Usually, the internship concentrates majorly on providing the student with an actual experience of employment within the global business world. Nevertheless, in this respect, it was critical for my internship to be correspondent to my course, which is Aviation. The main objective of the attachment was to provide me with efficient experience and a suitable set of aptitudes and proficiencies concerning my area of learning. Accordingly, my internship took place at Company Z, based at Airport X. In addition, I was an intern at the organization for a maximum of 4 months. I engaged in various competencies for five days for a timed schedule of 4 to 5 hours. Accordingly, the major obligations for my internship at the organization involved Passenger Service Agency and Airline Operations Agency.

Accordingly, the internship was a success on my part. Even though acquiring an attachment at a real-life organization is mandatory in any university course, the internship was indeed essential for my growth as a student and a potential employee within the aviation market. This is because of the skills that I gained from the experience. Such skills largely coincided with the different duties that I performed at Company Z. Moreover, I also engaged in other activities that were external to the organization’s directives. Such activities involved the obligations performed in the airport. In addition, working at a formal organization provided me with an appropriate overview of the processes that occur within airports and unrelated firms. Apart from the skills I gained from taking part in organizational processes, I also gained a considerable understanding of the responsibility that human resource management plays in any organization regardless of its predisposition.

Internship Organization

Overview of Organization

Company Z is an organization that specializes in the provision of airline services at Airport X. As a major airline in the country, Company Z is indeed one of the most successful airlines in the country and the global market. Accordingly, Company Z gains reference as one of the most preferred airlines within the aviation market. The organization possesses an experienced and adequate workforce. The employees comprise a major asset for the firm’s performance based on the management system that is in place. In comparison with the international standards of global airlines, Company Z is undeniably superior. This is in accordance with the exceptional performance it exudes within this industry. One of the main factors responsible for this performance involves the integration of technology within the organization. Accordingly, Company Z employs an organizational structure that factors in the use of technology in every area of its operation.

Consequently, customers utilizing the organization’s services usually provide fair reports concerning the airline services provided by the company. For the past year, the organization has conducted customer surveys regarding the organization. For the surveys, Company Z focused on providing questionnaires to its current consumers. The questions within the survey mainly focused on the services provided by the firm. Based on the inquiries, clients were required to provide specific and honest answers concerning the level of service offered by Company Z in comparison with other airline services within its local market. Accordingly, the organization insisted on the answers in order to consider the areas liable for improvement. Nevertheless, a large percentage of the customers admitted that the organization provided exceptional airline services. However, the consumers also expressed concern especially regarding services such as passenger agent services and airline operations.

Accordingly, customers expressed that the respective services were not completely satisfactory. This is because of the low number of individuals employed within these related areas. Even though Company Z maintains a low turnover rate, there is usually a low retention rate among employees engaged in the provision of passenger agent services and airline operations. Based on the information stemming from the company manager, the low retention rate among such workers is due to the extraneous duties involved within these areas. However, that is normal since these services assume a considerable responsibility in ensuring that customers gain preferential treatment and that the airplanes operate exceptionally before take-off. Based on this situation, it is clear why the organization provided me with an opportunity to engage in passenger service duties and airline operations obligations. Regardless of the significant duties involved in both sectors of work, Company Z irrefutably ensures to provide its employees with the same benefits it strives to offer its clients and potential customers in general.

Product and Service Contribution

Typically, airlines particularly sell services. It performs this by ferrying cargo, passengers, or both from a single location to the desired destination. In this respect, Company Z offers a certain number of Domestic and Global flights via its local and international branch offices. Over the past years, the organization ferried its customers by utilizing three varieties of aircrafts. They comprise British Aerospace ATP, Airbus Industries A310-300 Series and McDonnel Douglas Dc-10-30. Additionally, Company Z Airlines offers two types of services. These services comprise Local Flights and International Flights. For the International Flights, the company provides an equal number of arrival and departure flights every day.

SWOT Analysis

Strengths and Weaknesses

Company Z possesses an experienced workforce. This strength allows the firm to position itself as a market leader.  Accordingly, the effective employees possess a considerable experience within their respective fields unlike the literary connoisseurs employed in various organizations presently. Indeed, if Company Z focuses on utilizing its workforce efficiently, then it will gain a significant competitive edge over other airlines.  However, the chief weakness faced by Company Z comprises low retention rates among employees. Due to the stressful nature of the obligations within the airline, Company Z usually faces a shortage of employees especially in particular dockets such as Airline Operations and Passenger Agent services.

Opportunities and Threats

However, there are certain opportunities, which are available for Company Z in the external environment. Foremost, the passenger market receives basis from labor traffic, arriving residents, business voyagers, medical objectives and tourists. On the other hand, the consignment market gains its basis from consumables, medications and leather commodities.  In addition, the industry passengers possess an exceptional attraction for the airline due to its customer hospitality. The main threat facing Company Z involves the unrestricted entrance of mega carriers. These carriers are considerably modern and possess fair financial strength and experience within this vocation. Based on this, it would be difficult for the firm to survive if it does not undergo brand restructuring. Additionally, the regional private carriers also threaten the position of Company Z in the market.

Description of the Jobs

In my four months of attachment, I received assignment within the human resource section. There are two disparate segments within the human resource section. These sections comprised Passenger Service Agency and Airline Operations.

Passenger Service Agent (PSA)

The main obligation of my vocation as a passenger service agent (PSA) involved working within the airport vicinity and executing responses towards passengers in need of special assistance. Regardless of the notion that airlines exist for transportation solely, they are impossible to operate without the cooperation and assistance of several individuals, including those that auction tickets for sale and secure reservations as well as those who assist in scheduling flight times for the airplanes. Naturally, the passenger service agent operates as a positioned host. Accordingly, the PSA is significantly visible and supportive to the airline community. This is because the passenger service agent focuses on offering support to passengers located within the airport.

Within the period of my internship, I engaged in several responsibilities in the organization at airport X. As a passenger service agent, I mostly engaged in checking passengers as well as responding to their inquiries. I also dealt with other issues such as immigration and Customs Border Protection (CBP). The responsibilities involving immigration and CBP are correspondent since both required translation services especially for people who were non-conversant in English. Additionally, I also assisted the CBP and immigration agents in locating persons illegally entering the country without proper documentation. Usually, it is mandatory to perform such security checks, in presence of the CBP and immigration officers, in order to ensure that passengers arriving and departing actually possess the necessary documents such as passports. As a PSA, I engaged in proper documentation concerning important factors such as the consignment, fueling, passengers and immigration as well as assisting the Transportation Security Administration (TSA).

Consequently, as a passenger service agent, it was a requirement to be in uniform. This is what made me considerably unavoidable and visible. Usually, PSAs are present at all times, especially when passengers are also in attendance. Based on this, I supervised and helped in operations that take place in numerous sections of the airport in order to ascertain flexible operations and client gratification. For instance, I offered support as well as associated clientele services at the baggage sections, ticket counters, gate and the airline’s concourse. I also engaged the performance of routine obligations such as customer servicing through participating in welcoming services, registrations, aircraft deplaning and boarding, luggage services, formulating public announcements, offering information concerning connecting flights, direction support and management of uncontrollable, irritated or disappointed passengers.

Based on the duties of the PSA, there were certain challenges that were evident concerning this particular occupation. For instance, it was normal for me, as the passenger service agent, to intercede and carry out obligations of the station agent or the ticket agent or even assume the responsibility of administrating ticket offices. Additionally, I also answered the inquiries of clients and provided information that covered a broad range of airport-related or airline-associated matters. Apart from offering valuable information, I also assisted the passengers to traverse the airport to boarding from the ticket counter. I also supported the disabled, injured, elderly and sick persons as well as children who required special assistance. Such assistance involved the provision of a wheel chair or electric cart for accelerating or facilitating locomotion over Airport X’s long concourses. Moreover, it was necessary for me to have an understanding of operating tools such as ticket and baggage tag printing equipment, ticketing software, luggage weighing scales, monitors, and keyboards for passenger processing.

Airline Operations Agent

The most significant obligation of the airline operations agent involved maintaining an inventory of the amount of passengers, baggage and quantity of fuel. Accordingly, I focused on ensuring that the strapping of the consignment within the compartments was secure and appropriate. In addition, I also worked intimately with the ramp staff as well as the airport manager or station agent. It was a necessity for me to possess highly qualified communication proficiency in order to convey and receive information to and from pilots, flight schedulers, the ground team and fuelers. In addition, I was also required to be capable of managing a significant quantity of information immediately, as well as prioritize the matters that required completion. In case of an overbooked flight, I had to decide on possible remedies that would have had a negative effect on the flight schedule if solved wrongly.

Undeniably, working as an airline operations agent was a challenge for me as well. This is in accordance to the numerous obligations that I was required to understand in order to ensure adequate execution of duties. For instance, it was a requirement for me to possess proficient aptitudes in computing and mathematics. For instance, as an airline operations agent, I engaged in the documentation and recording of information such as client or importer details using computers. Ensuring that the information was in storage involved maintaining it in written or data form. It was also necessary for me to have sufficient knowledge concerning computer systems and use them to analyze and solve recurring situations. Moreover, as an agent, it was important for me to prepare and record all documentation concerning commodities with the CBP for clearance. Moreover, I was required to assess shipment paperwork in order to ensure accuracy of the reporting necessities to CBP.

Based on the obligations that I performed as an airline operations agent, I was required to have knowledge in airplane balancing. For instance, during the internship, I weighed and balanced airplanes in order to determine the probability of deplaning. Additionally, it was imperative to determine baggage quantity. This task involved maintaining track of the numbers of passengers in order to determine the number of compartments required to preserve the luggage. Moreover, I also required knowledge in computer software programs. In this case, I used Microsoft Excel to formulate a load sheet that illustrated the weight and balance process in order for it to inform and possibly gain approval from the crew. I also supervised the loading procedure as well as the tracking of the fuel weight and the zero fuel weight to ensure efficiency of the respective airplane.

Reflection

Regardless of the extraneous obligations that I engaged in at Company Z, the experience undeniably provided me with skills and attitudes concerning aviation as well as my life as a prospective employee in the inter-aviation world. Accordingly, working as a passenger service agent assisted me in developing and learning new things concerning the aviation. As a PSA, I assumed a wide range of responsibilities. Such responsibilities required to possess a considerable amount of understanding on various subjects. At first, it seemed as if the topics were unrelated but after engaging in them during the attachment, I realized that every subject possessed a significant contribution towards the success of the obligation. For instance, I actually discovered that learning foreign languages especially for any person working in the airline industry is important. Based on my experience, I attained the opportunity to assist many passengers who could not converse in the English language. In addition, I also assisted the CBP in translating the conversations of incoming foreign passengers.

While working as an airline operations agent, I also learnt the importance of teamwork in the organizational workplace. The obligations that I performed resonated considerably with the PSA as well as other personnel. Based on this notion, I learnt that every task performed in an organization is essential to the organization’s success. This is because each task poses a negative or positive implication on the overall system depending on how it undergoes execution. In this case, as an airline operations agent, I found myself working together with other employees within the ramp staff as well as the airport station manager and agent. Overall, I discovered that the Aviation market requires commitment and dedication. Conclusively, the duties that I performed during my internship were indeed extensive. This is because we had to focus on many aspects in order to ensure that the passengers gained significant satisfaction with the airline service. However, without commitment and dedication, then it would not be possible to perform most of the obligations required of the employees and me.

Conclusion

In conclusion, the internship assisted me considerably in learning extensively about the aviation market. This is because of the obligations that I assumed for the four months that I was at the organization. After being a Passenger Service Agent and an Airline Operations Agent for the specified period, I attained the opportunity to gain knowledge on the operations performed within the airport in order to make the flight a success. Based on what I experienced, I learnt the significance of the internship in transforming me to a valuable and well-developed member of the inter-aviation world.