IOC News
September 2014
The Aer Lingus Integrated Operations Centre Newsletter
Celebrating long service
I
t was while watching Reeling in the Years on RTÉ that I said to one of my kids: “1979, that was the year I joined Aer Lingus.” They were amazed and we started to talk about the changes to every aspect of life – and the airline business was no exception. I was in Ops when Pope John Paul II visited Ireland and landed in Dublin Airport, and he’s now a saint! Many of my colleagues have
been here through bust to boom to bust again. When I thought about my colleagues in the IOC, I realised the incredible years of experience that existed there: cumulatively, over 700 years’ experience! That’s something you can’t buy; its inestimable. The airline business, and particularly Operations, is full of seemingly “unique” events. However you’d be surprised at
how many of these events people have experienced before. What worked to fix these issues will often work again. This is where it’s great to have a data bank of experience to call upon. A wise person once said: “Organisations that remain vital never forget the value of their long-service employees.” It’s a great reassurance in Ops Logistics for new staff to have long-service, experienced staff to turn to for support when things get hectic. It’s what we do really well in Operations. One of the core values that Aer Lingus advocates is loyalty: it’s no surprise, therefore, that longservice employees are always quick to talk about their loyalty to the airline. Many of us we have spent all our working lives in Aer Lingus, many of us have met our spouses here; our external training, certificates, diplomas, degrees are all in the aviation field. Finally, as I told my sons recently, “It’s not the years in your life, it’s the life in your years!”
Slán!
Tony O’ F lanagan Aer Lingus Ops Logistics
Calling all aviation lovers! Got any news or pictures that you think would be worth sharing with your colleagues? Then please email us at olsuggestionbox@aerlingus.com. We look forward to hearing from you!
Audrey Coy
Tony O’Flanagan
Janet Weafer
Gary Sweeney
Dermot Kane
Rory Downey
Anne Bradley
Dave O’Connor
25 Doesn’t time fly?
Tricia Dardis
Mick Ryan
Congratulations
On Over 25 Years’
Gerry Fitzgerald
Service!
Catriona Dunne
Paddy Mulvihill
Brian Coote
Willie McGonagle
Sheela Headon
Tony Stack
Jim Rogers
Maggie Kinkaid
Bert Plunkett
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Sandra Coleborn
Martin Ridgeway
Pauline Chapman
Meet the new recruits Ciaran Dunne
Thomas Whelan
Hello there! I joined Aer Lingus 12 years ago. Initially I worked in Dublin Station, where I started in check-in, moved to boarding after a couple of years and then on to baggage tracing, the transfer desk and then to the ticket desk.
Intern Business Analyst Hello all! I joined on July 7th – I’m in college in DCU and we go on a four- to six-month work placement. The Logistics Department were looking for an intern and I applied. I’m studying aviation management with pilot studies.
Crew Controller
The IOC is worlds apart: a different ball-game altogether. You don’t really see this side of it from the station at all. It’s very interesting – a different kind of pressure, a different pace. I’m loving it.
I’m from Dublin, living up in Bettystown at the moment. I love travelling: my partner works in Aer Lingus as well so the pair of us get as much use out of our staff travel as possible. Besides that, I’m a bit of a nerd/geek, so I like tabletop and board gaming as well as the usual stuff like going out.
Life at the IOC is good – it was a bit daunting at first, coming into an organisation the size of Aer Lingus but everyone’s been very helpful. I’m learning a lot – it’s very relevant to what I’m studying in DCU. I’m at the heart of everything so I’m enjoying seeing all the decisions that are being made. I’m still undecided on where I want to be in 10 years’ time, but there are a few areas I want to get some experience in before I’m 25: airline strategy, marketing, and the area of aircraft leasing. I want to try out those areas and then I’ll know which direction to go. I was born in New York and came to Ireland when I was six. I lived in Galway for 14 years, and moved to Dublin two years ago to go to college. As regards hobbies and interests, I’m a big Manchester United fan!
Olivier Guyot
Louise McAuley
As a crew controller I do the day-to-day and some forward planning for the cockpit crew and cabin crew.
Ops Logistics Business Analyst
Crew Controller
Bonjour! I’m from France originally – up the Alps in Grenoble, skiing country. I joined Aer Lingus on May 12th, so I’m very new in the company. I worked for Cityjet in Swords for six years, and I’ve been in Ireland since 1999. I’m in Ops Support – it’s busy and there’s lots to do. At Cityjet I was working at the IOC. Aer Lingus is much bigger. I’m still learning loads and coming up to speed because as you can imagine there’s a lot to learn. But I’m enjoying it. It’s a good move and a good challenge. I’m an operation logistics analyst. It’s quite similar to what I was doing at Cityjet: the idea is the same, but the way we do it is different. I have lots of hobbies and interests, I’m quite full-on! First of all, I have two babies; my family is the most important thing. I love DIY and just bought a house. I love to travel and used to travel loads, but I haven’t had the time lately.
Hi! My name is Louise. I joined Aer Lingus just a few weeks ago, at the beginning of August. Before that, I was at Aer Arann for the last ten years, and at Cityjet for seven years before that. At Aer Arann I spent seven years flying and three years in crew control. Life at the IOC is hectic, but it’s fun and days go fast – there’s a good group of people there. It’s similar to the Aer Arann role, but different in other ways: there’s a lot more crew. My colleagues are very friendly and they’ve made me feel very welcome I have to say. I live in the Naul at the moment, but I’m from Courtlough near Balrothery originally. I’m into equestrian sports: we have some racehorses, some hunters and a few showing horses as well. My husband’s family bred Arkle, but we’re still waiting for another one of those! We live in hope!
IOC NEWS: The Aer Lingus Integrated Operations Centre Newsletter
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In September of 1982, the inaugural World Airline Road Race was held in San Francisco’s Golden Gate Park. The event drew in 300 runners representing 30 airlines. A good time was had by all, and the group’s chemistry indicated that WARR was on the road to permanent success! Now in its 33rd year, WARR is returning to Dublin after a 21-year absence! At the time of writing, over 650 participants from 45 airlines all over the world will make their way to Saint Anne’s Park in Raheny to run, jog or walk around the 10k or 5k course.
WARR and Me! WARR is not all about the road race! I have enjoyed each of the last eight WARRs that I have participated in, despite the fact that “I’m built for comfort, I ain’t built for speed” (thank you Howlin’ Wolf!). There are a number of social events throughout the week for those of us interested in a different kind of “personal best”, from the meet-and-greet (where you catch up with old friends), the T-shirt swap party and the gala dinner dance and awards ceremony. Having said all that, I do have great memoirs of running (?) through the cobbled streets of Prague (oh my knees) and the Docklands in London. The Amsterdam WARR finished in the stadium used for the 1928 Olympics. But I will never forget last year’s WARR in South Africa, which took place in the grounds of the Drakenstein Correctional Centre (formerly Victor Verster Prison), the prison where Nelson Mandela spent the last part of his imprisonment for campaigning against apartheid. It’s hard to describe how it felt running past the house where he spent the final 14 months of his incarceration before his eventual release on February 11th, 1990. We finished the race on Nelson Mandela Way, the road on which he made that famous
IOC NEWS: The Aer Lingus Integrated Operations Centre Newsletter
walk to freedom – we followed in the very footsteps of Madiba himself. To me WARR is all about... how shall I put this... having a great time! It’s an excuse to travel to a different location each year and catch up with friends. Everybody gets a great welcome at the start of each WARR, but nobody ever says goodbye because we know that we will meet again the following year. I was invited to my first WARR in Orlando by Dave O’Connor, so I suppose now it’s my turn to extend the invitation to you all. Come join us at the events between October 2nd and 5th, join the gang and I guarantee you that when it’s all over, you will start planning how to get to next year’s event (in Dubai, by the way!).
How can you join in? WARR is open to all airline staff and their friends and relatives. To join in, simply register for the event at www.active. com/raheny-dublin/running/warr-2014.
Keep up to date Keep an eye on our dedicated website www. dublinirelandairlinesrace.ie for all the updates!