Hi, I'm - Oleksandr Khobta , Ground Operations Director at SkyUp

I’ve loved drawing planes using the ruler since I was a kid. And when I found out there was an opportunity to work at the airport, I immediately decided to try. The first steps in aviation took place at the position of a loading dispatcher at Borispol airport. I still remember and use these skills in my day-to-day work.

The cost of error in aviation is much higher than in other areas, so there is no room for risk. There must be clear procedures and safety shall be above all standards.

Working at SkyUp

I remember my first day on the team very well. Aviation is a familiar field for me, but the energy that I felt when I came to Skyup is charging me until this day. I am very grateful to my colleagues for the support and kindness they have given me and continue to give every day. What I like most about my work is the variety of tasks and the constant resolution of non-standard cases.

What the ground department does

For most people, aviation is associated with the plane and the flight itself, and the work of the ground department is left out of the picture. In fact, passenger service begins with check-in and baggage delivery. It is our department employees who begin to form the impression of flight and loyalty to the company from the first minute of interaction with the passenger.

Our work on each flight consists of many stages and begins long before the aircraft touches the runway upon landing. The first person who meets the aircraft on the ground and is visually contacted by the pilot is a ground maintenance control agent who coordinates and manages all the processes in the maintenance.

Team and leader tasks

The task of our team is to organize ground services at all destinations where our airline operates. These are passenger registration, meeting/boarding, luggage search, evaluating the centre of gravity, aircraft servicing on the platform, cargo transportation, organization of work in cases of failure. It is the well-coordinated and high-quality work of our department that guarantees a safe and timely flight.

My main task as a supervisor is to ensure the highest standards of safety and quality of service of our flights. To ensure the regular and economical operation of all flights of the airline, to organize the complete cycle of service of the airline’s aircraft, their loading, crew and passengers. It is also the organization and signing of ground-handling contracts.

Not just about the serious

Despite the seriousness and importance of our work, there is room for both romance and curiosity. I remember when some of the passengers on the last bus were supposed to get to the plane from the terminal, but because of the agent’s error, the stairs were removed before the bus could arrive. It was necessary to explain to all passengers how this could have happened, because they thought it had been done on purpose and others took their place on the flight. One of the passengers was a doctor who was on his way to surgery, but we found a solution, and it ended well.

All I want now is for the pandemic to end as soon as possible and everyone to be healthy.

As Leonardo da Vinci once said: «Once you have tasted flight, you will forever walk the earth with your eyes turned skyward, for there you have been, and there you will always long to return». I wish all my colleagues such a vision, to strive for lofty goals and to never cease to improve themselves. Good health and well-being for families!