Examine the many micro operations and their activities in Brussels airport.

The relationship between them is illustrated below. Note that the ATC are relaying information to the Information/Communication process, but there is no information going the other way. In all the other processes ATC needs updated information. For example, ATC needs to know when the Check In and Baggage Handling processes are completed, so that they can start their process of take off.

IMPLICATIONS FOR THE OPERATIONS DIRECTOR

Strategic Objectives

The Operations Director must understand the purpose of the airport. He, or she, must develop its vision and mission, in order to make the operation achieve the organisations long term goals and strategic objectives. It will be the OD’s responsibility to translate these objectives into implications for the operations performance objectives – quality, speed, dependability, flexibility and cost.

• Quality – “To do things right”. Not only does it lead to external customer satisfaction, but equally important is keeping the internal customers satisfied. It will also lead to a reduction in cost, due to less spending on correction of mistakes. In an airport this could mean clean and tidy facilities, flight information easily available, easy access for disabled customers, easy to find terminals, check-ins and arrivals and departures.  
• Speed – “How long customers have to wait for their goods or service?” The layout of the airport should make it easy for the customer to access whatever part they are concerned with. Well set up procedures will reduce decision making time. Efficient and helpful customer service staff, accessibility for service vehicles, timely flight information and air traffic control among other things would be important for an airport.
• Dependability – “Doing thing in time for customers to receive their goods or service”. The OD will have the task of managing and controlling the micro operations so they deliver their goods or services in time. Having so many different vital operations to control makes it more important for them all to deliver on time due to the “snowball effect” lateness would have on the macro operation.
• Flexibility – “Being able to change operation”. Increased volume of customers, introduction of new services, expansion of the airport and new regulations.
• Cost – “The cost incurred by the operation” All of the above performance objective affect cost. Quality by not wasting time and effort, speed by higher turnover of customers and lower administrative overheads, dependability by eliminating disruption and flexibility by adapting to changing circumstances without wasting time and capacity. For example, an intensive cost-cutting policy have been pursued in the areas that come under the competence of the Facilities and Maintenance division of the airport.

This is made more difficult, due to the fact that most micro-operations are independent, meaning that the OD has very limited control over them.

Design

The airport has to be designed in such a way so to support its purpose. The physical shape and each part of the airport – terminals, check-ins, runways and retailers, for example – must be carefully designed to fulfil its current role, but also to meet with the demands of its future role. The layout of Brussels airport could be said to be by process, where levels 0 and 1 are for trains and busses, 2 is arrivals, 3 is for departures and level 4 is for restaurants and shops. However, throughout the transit area there are micro operations like shops, restaurants, airlines and services. They are generally laid out in clusters at the points where the customers flow, but can be found all around the airport. This reduces congestion, excessive backtracking and bottle necks and increases control.

Planning

The operations in an airport are dynamic systems. The inputs, processes and the outputs are all liable to change over time. The demand changes according to seasons and will need to be forecasted, and in the aftermath of September 11, air travel and the security processes in an airport has change dramatically. It is the role of the Operations Director to make sure that these changes are planned and controlled for, or at least to have a certain degree of flexibility so that changes, like September 11, will be a smooth as possible. Examples could be the need to plan for expansion of airport capacity, need to provide accessibility and support economic development in key areas, and need to minimise environmental damage to neighbouring communities. The planning needs to be:

• Strategic – Long range, like location of airport.
• Tactical – Producing goods and services within the strategic plan.
• Operational – Day to day procedures.

Control

The OD needs to control the operation functions so that they meet with the objectives set in the planning stage. The network of micro operations must function together in order for the airport not to turn into chaos. To the OD this requires feedback from the internal customers, suppliers and external customers so that he/she can alter or amend the running of the airport reflecting current circumstances. Control will be important to the OD, in order for him/her to know how the operation is doing in relation to quality, time and cost (see above).

Improvement

Another responsibility of the Operations Director is to constantly seek to improve the operation. Since he/she is limited when it comes to improving the individual micro operations, he/she will be more concerned with improving the environment in which they operate. Namely, the airport or macro operation. One way to do this is to benchmark Brussels performance to another company. In order for the OD to improve operations, he/she must first determine some performance measurements. These can be:

Each area would give the OD a perspective of the performance of the operation, which would be useful to identify areas of improvement, or to monitor to extent of improvement.

Total Quality Management

Despite its name, TQM is concerned with all aspects of operations performance (See above). It is as much a philosophy, as it is a set of quality and management tools aimed at increasing business and reducing losses due to wasteful practices.  It incorporates all areas and employees in the operation. It meets the needs of the airports customers, both internal and external. It develops systems and procedures which supports improvements and the continuous process of improvement. TQM is closely linked to the mission statement of the operating company of Brussels airport, which makes it important in order to achieve the goals and objectives of the organisation. Processes must be managed and improved.  This involves:

• Defining the process
• Measuring process performance (metrics)
• Reviewing process performance
• Identifying process shortcomings
• Analysing process problems
• Making a process change
• Measuring the effects of the process change
• Communicating both ways between manager and user

It is important for BIAC to have standards in place in order to maintain their quality of services. One standard is ISO 9000, which is a  for quality management systems that is accepted around the world. The standard, quality objectives, continual improvement, and monitoring of customer satisfaction provide the customer with increased assurances that their needs and expectations will be met. The cost-cutting measures in the airport (See above) did by no means affect the quality of services. This was confirmed by the successful transition of the Facilities & Maintenance quality system from ISO 9002 to ISO 9001, which imposes stricter conditions.

Another standard is the EFQM model, which recognises there are many approaches to achieving sustainable excellence in all aspects of performance and is based on the premise that excellent results with respect to performance, customers, people and society are achieved through leadership driving policy and strategy and is delivered through people partnerships and resources, and processes. Organisations like BIAC need to establish an appropriate management system. The EFQM Excellence model is a practical tool that would help them do this by measuring where they are on the path to excellence, helping them understand the gaps and then stimulating solutions.

BIAC should use the outputs from the self-assessment as part of their planning process and use the model as a basis for operational review.

CONCLUSION

In this assignment we have looked at the many micro operations in Brussels airport and the airports key processes. We have also explained the many responsibilities and implications this have on the Operations Director for BIAC. Finally, as part of his/hers responsibilities, we discussed quality standards, and in particular ISO 9000, and the EFQM model.

Appendix I

Different types of transformational processes.

Appendix II

Facilities layout of Brussels Airport

 Transit Area (passengers only)
 Bars & Restaurants
 Shops
 Services
 Tickets and Airlines
 Airlines - Lounges

Appendix III

The EFQM Excellence Model

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