Thanks to a mention on Aviatrix’s blog I’ve found the blog of a flight dispatcher, the person on the ground who helps coordinate all the action on the ground. We’ve all seen the stories from the pilots and the cabin crew, but what about the poor folk on the ground who have to turn the aircraft around ASAP and get it back in the air earning money?
The aircraft has to be cleaned, catering have to remove the “used” stuff and put in the fresh meals & drinks, toilet tanks drained, drinking water refilled, gas tanks topped off and baggage taken off & put on. Whew – that’s a lot to happen in less than an hour (when the aircraft is on the ground, it’s not just not earning, it’s actually costing a LOT of money).
Check out The Dispatcher’s Diaries for an insight into an aspect of airline life that we may just take for granted.
