Faculty of Social Sciences

Sagicor Cave Hill School of Business and Management

Short Courses

Airport Operations Management

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Programme Overview 

Operational Excellence from Airside to Landside

Airports run on decisions. Hundreds of them, every hour, under pressure — decisions that determine whether passengers move safely, aircraft depart on time, and the airport performs as it should. Airport operations is where all of it converges: aircraft movements, passenger flow, disruption response, service standards. Get it right, and the whole airport works. Get it wrong, and everything downstream feels it.

For Caribbean airports, the stakes are higher still. Leaders here must deliver safe, efficient operations while navigating seasonal tourism surges, stretched budgets and staffing, ageing infrastructure, severe weather, and the unique demands of serving small-island economies. Technical knowledge alone isn’t enough — success demands the judgement to anticipate problems, the skill to coordinate across teams, and the composure to decide well when it matters most.

This programme prepares you to lead where airport performance is truly won or lost: in the daily calls that keep aircraft, passengers, baggage, people and information moving. You’ll learn to identify pressure points before they become failures, take command during disruption, stretch limited resources further, and align airlines, ground handlers, regulators and airport teams around one clear operational response.

Through high-stakes scenarios and practical exercises built around Caribbean realities, you’ll sharpen the judgement, confidence and command that leadership under pressure demands. You’ll leave equipped to move beyond firefighting — to build operations that recover faster, perform more consistently, and safeguard your airport’s safety, reputation, and ability to serve the nation.

Programme Objectives

On successful completion of the programme, you will be able to:

  •  Analyse the interdependencies between airport operational systems, stakeholders and processes to improve operational effectiveness and service delivery.
  •  Analyse operational data and key performance indicators to diagnose capacity constraints, operational bottlenecks and service delivery challenges.
  •  Recommend strategies to improve efficiency, capacity utilisation and passenger flow.
  •  Develop operational plans that strengthen the coordination of airside, landside and terminal activities while maintaining safety, security and customer service standards.
  •  Assess operational risks, disruptions and emergency scenarios and formulate practical response and business continuity strategies that minimise operational impact.
  •  Evaluate collaborative operational practices between airports, airlines, regulators and service providers to strengthen operational resilience and decision-making.
  •  Design operational improvement initiatives that address real airport management challenges within the context of Caribbean, small-island and tourism-dependent airport environments.

At a Glance

Course Duration:

January 18 – February 10, 2027

Times:

5:30pm - 8:30pm

Certificate Awarded:

Professional Development Certificate of Competence

Cost:

US $850.00 

Registration Deadline:

January 11, 2027

Modality:

Online

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Additional Information

Programme Curriculum

Airport Operations Systems and Stakeholder Management

  • · The Airport Operating Environment: Airside, Landside and Terminal Interfaces
  • · Roles of Airport Operators, Airlines, Ground Handlers, Regulators and Border Agencies
  • · Airport Operations Control Centres and Daily Operational Control
  • · Airport Collaborative Decision-Making and Integrated Stakeholder Coordination
  • · Managing Government-Owned Airports with Multiple Public-Sector Stakeholders
  • · Operating with Limited Staffing, Specialist Skills and Technical Resources
  • · Managing Operations Across Small Airports and Multi-Island States

Operational Performance, Capacity and Passenger Flow

  • · Airport Operational Performance Indicators and Service-Level Standards
  • · Runway, Apron, Gate and Terminal Capacity Management
  • · Passenger, Baggage and Aircraft Flow
  • · Managing Peak Tourism Seasons and Irregular Traffic Patterns
  • · Congestion Management Without Immediate Infrastructure Expansion
  • · Ground Handling Performance in Thin or Limited-Supplier Markets
  • · Using Operational Data Where Technology and Data Availability are Limited
  • · Managing Transfers, Regional Connections and Short Aircraft Turnaround Windows

Airport Operational Performance and Capacity Management

  • · Key Airport Performance Indicators (KPIs)
  • · Airport Collaborative Decision Making (A-CDM)
  • · Capacity Constraints and Bottleneck Analysis
  • · Queue and Flow Management
  • · Resource Planning and Operational Efficiency
  • · Using Operational Data to Improve Performance

Safety, Disruption and Climate Resilience

  • · Safety Management and Operational Risk Control
  • · Airport Security and Cross-Agency Coordination
  • · Emergency Preparedness and Incident Command
  • · Hurricane Preparedness, Airport Closure and Phased Reopening
  • · Business Continuity for Airports Serving as National Lifelines
  • · Managing Fuel, Equipment, Utilities and Supply-Chain Disruptions
  • · Service Recovery During Flight Cancellations and Regional Network Disruption
  • · Climate Exposure, Flooding, Extreme Heat and Infrastructure Vulnerability

Leading High-Performing Airport Operations

  •  Operational Leadership and Decision-Making Under Pressure
  •  Leading Cross-Functional and Multi-Agency Teams
  •  Resource Deployment During Peak Demand and Disruption
  •  Balancing Safety, Service, Cost and On-Time Performance
  •  Managing Political, Public and Stakeholder Expectations
  •  Digital Operations and Appropriate Technology for Small Airports
  •  Continuous Improvement in Resource-Constrained Environments
  •  Building Reliable, Resilient and Passenger-Centred Airport Operations

How You Will Learn

This programme is built around the realities of managing airport operations in dynamic and resource-constrained environments. Participants will:

  •  Learn from experienced airport executives, operations managers and aviation practitioners.
  •  Analyse operational challenges drawn from airports across the Caribbean and internationally.
  •  Work through realistic operational scenarios involving disruptions, capacity constraints and service recovery.
  •  Apply proven operational management tools to improve airport performance.
  •  Develop practical solutions that can be implemented within their own airport or organisation.

 

Assessment

Airport Operations Improvement Plan – Participants will evaluate an operational challenge facing an airport and develop an evidence-based improvement plan that addresses operational efficiency, stakeholder coordination, passenger experience and organisational resilience. The assessment will require participants to apply operational performance data, management principles and practical recommendations appropriate to their own organisational context.

 

Benefits for You and Your Organisation

You will be better equipped to:

  •  Improve the coordination of airport operations across airside, landside and terminal environments.
  •  Identify operational bottlenecks before they affect safety, efficiency or customer service.
  •  Use operational data and performance indicators to support management decisions.
  •  Respond more effectively to operational disruptions, emergencies and severe weather events.
  •  Improve passenger flow, service quality and overall airport performance.
  •  Lead operational teams with greater confidence while balancing safety, efficiency and customer expectations.

 

Alignment with Regional and Global Aviation Priorities

This programme supports the strategic priorities shaping airport operations by:

  •  Aligning with ICAO Standards and Recommended Practices (SARPs) for aerodrome operations and safety management.
  •  Supporting Airports Council International (ACI) operational competency frameworks for airport professionals.
  •  Reinforcing IATA initiatives that strengthen operational performance and airport-airline collaboration.
  •  Addressing the operational realities of Caribbean airports, including tourism dependence, climate resilience and regional connectivity.
  •  Promoting safe, efficient and sustainable airport operations that contribute to national economic development.

Who Should Attend

This programme is designed for professionals responsible for managing or supporting airport operations, including:

  •  Airport Operations Managers and Supervisors
  •  Airside and Terminal Operations Personnel
  •  Airport Duty Managers
  •  Ground Operations and Ground Handling Professionals
  •  Airport Safety and Security Personnel
  •  Civil Aviation Authority Personnel
  •  Airport Customer Experience and Service Managers
  •  Airport Operations Centre (AOCC) Personnel
  •  Airline Station Managers and Operations Staff
  •  Professionals preparing for leadership roles within airport operations

All notification of cancellations, deferrals, and substitutions must be received in writing. Please submit your request via e-mail to schsbmopen@cavehill.uwi.edu

CANCELLATIONS

  • The Sagicor Cave Hill School of Business and Management (SCHSBM) reserves the right to make changes to any printed or online information on short courses, instructors, or course information; or cancel any short course due to under-subscription or circumstances beyond its control.
  • Delegates will be notified at least seven (7) days before the start of any course that must be cancelled.
  • Fees for short courses cancelled by the SCHSBM will be refunded in full.
  • The SCHSBM will not be liable for any loss, damages or other expenses that result from course cancellations.

REFUNDS

Due to the costs incurred for program preparation and administration any cancellations received 30 days or less from the program start date are subject to fees as described below. For programs with a virtual component, the start date will be considered the first day of live learning.

Written notice of cancellation received by SCHSBM Refund
30 days or more before the start of the specific course 100% of course fees.
29 to 15 days before the start of the specific course 50% of course fees.
14 days or less before the start of the specific course No refund

Sagicor Cave Hill School of Business and Management
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